A Japanese company
that has been in business for over
100 YEARS

Why is it that companies established such a long time ago
can continue to survive through so many years?

Japanese managers tend to place more emphasis on the long-term survival of their companies than on profits, and often do not expand their businesses imprudently, but instead develop them within the range of their main business and other areas closely related to it. There is also a widespread view of business as a social contribution, and a company's reason for existence is to contribute not only to itself and its customers, but to society as a whole. It is likely that companies can continue operating for so long partly because this attitude has been accepted by customers and society.

Another reason is that many companies continue to be operated by family management. Their principles and traditions are highly valued, and the management of the company is passed down within the family so that they can be handed over to future generations. Furthermore, company employees often develop a sense of unity and loyalty with their colleagues, seeing them as part of their own family. As a result, technology and know-how are rarely leaked outside of companies, and are instead gathered and accumulated within them. Such companies have not only protected the technology they accumulated, but also transformed it into products and services that meet the needs of the times.

Many disasters and calamitous events such as wars, major earthquakes, and typhoons have occurred and natural disasters continue to occur in Japan. The strength of ideas and technologies like these is probably a major reason that many Japanese companies have overcome such a wide range of crises, difficulties, and changes in the times, and ultimately survived.