Japan and the Industrial Boom of 1917

choi

Martin Fritz, Japan and the Industrial Boom of 1917. Deutsche Welle, Aug 2, 2017.
http://www.dw.com/en/japan-and-t ... -of-1917/a-39936520

Note:
(a) "Subaru began operations in May 1917 as Nihon Hikōki and Nakajima Aircraft "
(i) In 1953 spurred by need of Korean War, Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd rose from the ashes of Nakajima Aircraft Co. Kenji KITA 北 謙治, the first CEO of Fuji Heavy created the car make (brand name, so to speak) of Subaru, in 1958. In 2017 (a century after its founding), Fuji Heavy renames itself Subaru Corp.
(ii) Japan's navy engineer Chikuhei NAKAJIMA 中島 知久平 in 1917 formed 飛行機研究所, whose name was changed to 日本飛行機製作所, then to 中島飛行機製作所 and then to Nakajima Aircraft Co 中島飛行機株式会社 in 1931 (per ja.wikipedia.org). The last supplies Japanese military during WWII and was broken up after the war.

(b) "Nikon was founded in July 1917 as Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyo 日本光學工業株式會社"

In 1946, the company christened its 35mm camera "Nikon," which then became brand names for various cameras it made. Finally the company renamed itself Nikon Corp in 1988.

(c) "Yokohama Rubber started in October 1917 as a wire maker. The first tire factory was set up three years later. Also, the sports equipment producer Mikasa was founded in May 1917, originally for rubber production."
(i) 横浜ゴム株式会社, where ゴム (pronounced "gomu") means gum or rubber)
(ii) Mikasa Corporation 株式会社 ミカサ makes various balls (basket-, beach-, volley- and water-). Founded by 増田 増太郎 (hence its first name was 増田ゴム), the company used the brand name Mikasa ("mi" nad "kasa" are respective Japanese pronunciations for 三笠, which is name of places and mountains).

広島スポーツ＆宝者発掘（村上千乃）. Facebook, Aug 3, 2014
https://www.facebook.com/permali ... bid=608074725976709
("ミカサの始めりは1917年「増田ゴム工業所」から。1941年には「増田護膜」1950年に「明星ゴム工業」と社名変更されてきた。そして同年、『MIKASA』ブランドが誕生した！")

(d) "In October 1917, Japan's first automaker Mitsubishi Motors was launched."

"Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Ltd introduced the Mitsubishi Model A: "An entirely hand-built seven-seater sedan based on the Fiat Tipo 3, it proved expensive compared to its American and European mass-produced rivals, and was discontinued in 1921 after only 22 had been built."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Motors
(e) "German Institute for Japanese Studies, a research institute based in Tokyo"

About Us. German Institute for Japanese Studies
https://www.dijtokyo.org/institute/
("Our institute was founded in 1988 and, in 2002, became part of the Max Weber Foundation – German Humanities Institutes Abroad (DGIA), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research")

German: Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien, DIJ
(f) "The big companies now needed their own organization and founded the 'Japan Industrial Club' in March 1917 * * * With the slogan 'development of the economy,' they were able to influence Japan's government, military and political parties, reckons the Japanese historian Kiyoshi INOUE 井上 清 [1913 - 2001]."

Japan Industrial Club 日本工業倶楽部 (still operational)
(i) In JAPAN: the Chinese pronunciation of 倶楽部 is "kurabu" -- similar to English.
(ii) 日本工業倶楽部会館 is in Tokyo. For a photo of 会館, see 日本工業倶楽部
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E ... 6%E6%A5%BD%E9%83%A8
(iii) "the slogan 'development of the economy' "

In fact, the slogan consists of two clauses: "工業家が力を合わせて、わが国の工業を発展させる"

my translation: Industrialists working together, to develop the industry of our nation.

(g) "In September and December 1917, the forerunners of Morinaga Milk and Meiji Dairies emerged."

Morinaga & Company  森永製菓株式会社 (founder: Ta-ichi-rō MORINAGA 森永 太ー郎)

(h) "In December 1917, eight family-owned companies for soy sauce merged to form Kikkoman's predecessor"
(i) Kikkoman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikkoman
(section 1 History)
(ii) Japanese-English dictionary:
* kikko 亀甲 【きっこう; きこう】 (n): "(See 亀の甲) tortoise shell"  (One Chinese proninciation in Japan for 亀 is "ki.")
(iii) Kikkoman
http://www.kikkoman.eu/consumer/about-kikkoman/brand/
("[section heading] It's all in the name[:] The name Kikkoman has a special meaning, like many Japanese names. "Kikko" means turtle shell in Japanese and "man" means 10,000. According to Japanese legend, turtles live to be 10,000 years old and are symbolic of happiness, success and longevity")