ASANO PRIDE AS A CRAFTSMAN VOL.4 : SHIGERU IMAIVol.4 SHIGERU IMAI

Spring of 2010 was the first time for him to travel in China together with his family. In autumn of this year, he got the changing department announcement. "Shigeru Imai, will be appointed to go to China to work in 2011". It can be unbelievable that I will work in China where I never dreaming to go.For the first business of Asano Company in China, the total of 5 Samurai (workers) including Imai are about to depart.

Set foot on Chinese land
Want to be the bridge between Japanese and Chinese and between directors and subordinates
After merging, work relevant to automobile was started. In 2010, it decided to enterd its business to China. In China, cooperating with Zhongxing precision technology Co., Ltd*5 which produces electrons and components and parts of automobiles, it established "Zhongjun and Asano precision technology Co., Ltd". Its main object is to produce components of automobiles and other resin molding products in China.
Five backbones in Asano resin division SERA take the lead. All backbones in resin division SERA from 60s to 30s meet the challenges. It is the first foreign project for Asano, so it has a high expectation whether it's willing or not. With a sense of human of Kansai people, Imai also says smilingly without worries, "I'll learn language in China for two to three years."
He went to Shanghai Expo for a two-week survey in advance. In spring of this year, he came to China again and went to Beijing for a visit. He visited mould factories typically in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, etc. When asked, "How do you think of China?", he answered with a smile, ""There is dust everywhere."" Maybe it's the dust of mainland floated here along with the western winds. In addition, China is developing rapidly and it has something to do with the exhaust emission from the increasing number of automobile ownership. In his impression, there were bicycles everywhere on the road in China, but now in China automobiles have the unified color. "In China it is safer to be away from the cross road where there is no signal light when crossing the road. Because drivers have bad custom, there are many accidents at the cross road when turning left and right" Imai answered with curious expression.
In China, there are activities in the evening, mainly communication through drinking. Although you are not able to drink, if you drink out all the wine full in your glass, the local people will be very happy. Imai says with a smile, "It's not enough even you have several livers".
Dongguan city, where a factory is planned to be set up, is in the middle of Guangdong province in the south of China. After China implemented reform and opening-up policy in the 80s, many enterprises at home and abroad entered and were stationed in Dongguan and it has become a large industrial park. There are also many enterprises for producing small parts. There is horn of automobiles everywhere in the street and motorcycles are driven easily and freely. It's a vibrant city.
Because of a single business trip, the most difficult thing is diet. There are also Japanese restaurants. But he still forces himself to go for diet in the local restaurant. "There is no problem about diet as long as you pay. Even if you go to a Japanese restaurant, you will pay about 800 yen to 900 yen. Seen by Chinese whose goods price is 1/3 of that in Japan, this is very luxurious. Let's take it as building teamwork with local people, enjoy the life with the feeling of local goods price." Imai answered modestly. He thinks so also because that only through close communication can the master-apprentice relation make the mould technology passed down. Among the companions communicating with different languages in China, in order to understand each other, Imai would rather blend himself in the Chinese with his whole heart. The mold manufacturing is different from the general assembly work, because it dan't be made in assembly-line for production. He thought that if you want to impart the knowhow of manufacturing technology which even cost one to two years to be learned to the Chinese, the theme is communication.
He began to learn Chinese from last November. Translators were used for his important communication. His current objects are to "communicate with the local language as much as possible"" and ""get along well with the local people". Chinese pronunciation and tone are very difficult. Up to now he has learned from his Chinese teacher for about 11 times and 22 class hours. During pronunciation "xiexie", which is very familiar to the Japanese, will have different meaning if the tone of the end is changed a little. The meaning and character with rap pronunciation will both be different from those with general pronunciation. The most difficult is that the same character will have different meanings. Now he is studying the standard language of China, but it is also different from the Guangdong dialect that used by the local people. He forecasts that maybe from now on he will keep going along with the difficult Chinese.
Before facing a new climbing challenge, conserving strength and storing up energy is the happiness at the moment. Recently, he has climbed to Mount Hiei and Fuji together with his companion. In order to practice strength, he wears power ankle*6 even in work. Two to three years ago, there was no break when he was busy for work, and now he hopes that he can try all his best to continue the hiking which hasn't been finished in Japan. When he told the local people about his interest, he was immediately invited for hiking. I wonder if he just has some sort of personal magnetism. In this way he gets used to the local life, so it is just time that he needs to communicate closely with local companions.
On the other hand, it's also Imai's duty to achieve balance between China and Japan and between job site and marketing. Imai considers how to improve gains and build up a win-win relationship*7 in an environment different from in Japan. So first he should build up a trust relation with local workers. Having got a grown-up child of his own, Imai bears in mind that he is the bridge between the young people on a single business trip and the directors of company. Imai is 57 years old this year, but his eye is as sharp as that of the young people when he faces a new challenge.