Namihei Odaira - Namihei Odaira

Founder of Hitachi, Ltd. Born in Tochigi Prefecture. After graduating from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Tokyo Imperial University, he worked at Fujita Gumi's Kosaka Mine, Hiroshima Hydroelectric Power Plant, and Tokyo Electric Light Company before joining the Hitachi Mine at Kuhara Mining Works as the head of the manufacturing department in 1906 (Meiji 39). In 1918, he launched Hitachi, Ltd. at the same mine with the aim of manufacturing electrical machinery, and in 1920 (Taisho 9), he spun it off and made it an independent company called Hitachi, Ltd. After serving as senior managing director, he became president in 1929 (Showa 4), a position he held until he was purged from public office after World War II.

During this time, he managed Hitachi with such principles as "Japanese people should manufacture products that are comparable to Western imports" and "technology and sales are the two wheels of the manufacturing business," and developed the company into one of Japan's leading manufacturers of comprehensive electrical machinery. He also served as an executive officer of Nissan Group companies, chairman of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, and director of the Council of Important Industries.

[Masaru Udagawa]

"The Life of Namihei Odaira, the Man Who Built Japan's Electrical Industry" by Tsutomu Fujita (1962, Kokuseisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日立製作所の創業者。栃木県生まれ。東京帝国大学電気工学科卒業後、藤田組小坂鉱山、広島水力発電、東京電燈を経て、1906年（明治39）久原鉱業所日立鉱山に工作課長として入社した。11年電気機械の製作事業を企図して同所日立製作所を発足させ、20年（大正9）にはそれを日立製作所（株）として分離独立させた。そして専務を経て、29年（昭和4）社長に就任し、第二次世界大戦後に公職追放を受けるまでその地位にあった。

　この間、「日本人の手で欧米輸入品に負けない製品を製作する」「技術と営業は製作事業の両輪である」などの理念をもって経営にあたり、日立製作所をわが国有数の総合電気機械メーカーに育てた。また、日産コンツェルン系会社役員、電気学会会長、重要産業協議会理事などに就任した。

［宇田川勝］

『藤田勉著『日本の電機工業を築いた人・小平浪平翁の生涯』（1962・国政社）』

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