Though Mr. Okuda spoke for Japanese readers, this E-report is for Polish people and hard-working factory workers.
Hiroshi Okuda, the chairman of Toyota Motor Corp. and the chairman of the Federation of Economic Organizations of Japan, was interviewed for a monthly journal article.
Recently GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner visited Japan to talk with corporate leaders of Toyota for joint development of fuel-cell cars. But it is unknown if Mr. Wagoner had read the article in the journal prior to the meeting.
In the article, Mr. Okuda talked about his recollections of the time when he had served a president of Toyota Jihan (specialized in sale of Toyota cars but integrated into the current Toyota Motor Corp. in 1982) as a kind of young executive assistant.
Young Okuda asked his boss in the president’s room why there were so many statutes of the Buddha in office of the company. His boss kindly explained: “When you grow up you will understand it, too. Leader of a company is lonely. He has to make a big decision in the sheer loneliness. I have nobody to rely on and ask help for but the Buddha. So, I make every important decision sitting in front of these statutes.”
Mr. Okuda told that he had understood that ultimately man had to rely on the God, the Buddha, or his own principle or philosophy on life and death. But, it is also unknown how many Buddhist sculptures are now in Mr. Okuda’s office today. He might base his integrity on philosophy on life and death he acquired through his practice of Judo since his youth.
This kind of story is often heard in the Japan’s business world. At least, in the 20st century, there were many old executive officers in Japanese companies who seemed to love to tell how he had been able to stand the test in business successfully with spiritual support from tenets of Buddhism. The tradition might still survive in the 21st century.
When Lech Walesa visited Japan in 1981, first he praised hard and good work of Japanese workers and products they produced. But as days went by in Japan, it is said, he stopped to speak highly of industrial success of Japan. He might come to see simply robot-like workers building robots. Or he might see influence of Buddhism on every worker, in which he found something mysterious. In the same year, John-Paul II also visited Japan.
The 24 years have passed. Poland-born John-Paul II passed away and Mr. Walesa attended the funeral rites. A Japanese reporter wrote in a certain article that he was asked by a taxi driver in Rome during the Pope’s funeral if Japan had become a socialist country since its prime minister had not come to Rome. In fact, Japan sent to the funeral an Assistant to the Prime Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs; she was a former foreign minister of Japan.
US President attended the funeral in Rome. It is reasonable for him to do so, because he had visited John-Paul II in the summer of 2004 when his reelection became very possible. He might understand Mr. Okuda very well. However, it is unknown how US President interpreted the absence of Japanese Prime Minister in Rome.
Now, Poland is a focus of some powerful players in the global market. US Motorola is beefing up its software R&D operation in Poland. US Intel is reportedly going to invest more in Poland. And Toyota has a plan to increase the number of employees in Poland from 1,100 to 1,800. Currently the number of Japanese-affiliated firms is about 130.
Pope of Rome won the Cold War. The U.S. won the Cold War. And Japan also won the Cold War. If any one of these powers had joined the Soviet Union, the result should have been unknown. Poland that caused disruption of the balance of power by having sent a Pope to Rome also contributed to the victory.
Anyway in the conventional meaning of the term religion, the U.S. is very religious, but Japan is also very religious in a very different manner, perhaps, with diagonally different views.
But if the next world war is not between atheists and believers, it would be very complicated. However, there are of course hopes. People in the Middle East does not seem to regard driving a Toyota or Nissan car as a sin or an inexcusable conduct, maybe, like people in Poland.
“I AM SENDING YOU LIKE LAMBS AMONG WOLVES.”
(Source of Information: Bungei Shunjyu)