“Why now, again, ‘Japan Computer’?”
A 15-year long-term bestseller that moved 500,000 readers.
Everyone's unanimous opinion: "A must-read during a recession."

"The Story of Japanese Computers," which has resonated with countless business executives and those striving for self-development over the past 15 years, has been republished as a "recovery book that has sold over 500,000 copies."
In a business world where change is so relentless it's hard to keep up, why is it that the story of Nippon Computer and its chairman, Shigenobu Nagamori, remains so revered and read after more than 15 years?

Japan Computer was initially started in 1973 by just four people, including the president, with a meager capital in a 10-pyeong (approximately 300 square meters) warehouse in the countryside.
However, even amidst the oil shock and a decade-long recession, the company focused on a single keyword, "motor," becoming a first-class company. As of 2022, it has grown into a powerful company with approximately 20 trillion won in sales and 130,000 employees.
Nippon Densan produces precision motors that are used in almost all types of moving products, from laptops and smartphones to robots and electric vehicles.
It has an overwhelming 80% market share in the spindle motor market for computers, and is also number one in the world in small precision motors for mobile phones.
The goal that Chairman Nagamori set forth immediately after founding the company—to “become the No. 1 company in all fields that move and rotate”—still remains Nippon Computer’s long-term vision.

The core of Nagamori-style management is not about selecting good talent and increasing efficiency.
This book emphasizes:
“Hardship is the wealth that earns interest!”
The principles of “Get rid of the habit of writing reports that say no!” and “The newer the employee, the more he should be deployed in the harsh real-world situations!” created a unique culture at Nippon Computer.
Although it was not possible to recruit elite talent from prestigious universities from the beginning, the story of how they created the best results by recruiting people who were 'quick eaters', 'loud voices', and 'good at cleaning bathrooms' also caught the eye.
Chairman Nagamori's management philosophy, that the most critical times are the ones that offer the opportunity to overcome the recession with "thorough fundamentals" and a "can-do" spirit, shines even brighter as times change.

Japan Computer is not a company that receives much attention.
People wonder how a company with nothing special and employees that are nothing special could become so competitive.
Even now, we don't hire people based on their academic background, but back when we were founded, it was highly unlikely that graduates from top universities from the city would come to work for a small company on the outskirts of Kyoto.
Those who don't know can't help but tilt their heads in wonder as to how creative ideas and intense work performance were achieved in such a harsh environment.
Although the capabilities of an outstanding manager may produce results for a few years, it is difficult to maintain the effect on a sustained basis.
Sustained growth over 30 years is impossible without the efforts of all employees, including leaders.
---From "He who laughs last, wins in the end"

During his short career, President Nagamori often came into conflict with "complacent mindsets."
Even if new suggestions are made several times, they are simply ignored because they think 'it won't work', and when they encounter a problem, they give up after trying a few times.
If you approach it with the attitude of 'if it doesn't work out, then don't do it' from the beginning, it's natural that it won't work out.
He felt disillusioned with the attitude of sticking to the old ways and not trying new things even when there was an obvious opportunity.
Perhaps that is why, when he and the founding members started working, they would always say, “There is a solution to every problem in the world.”
To date, Japan Computer asserts that there are no 'unsolved problems' or 'unmade products'.
If an employee says something that even slightly suggests that it won't work, I say, "You should find a new way instead of wasting time explaining that it won't work."
If it doesn't work out after trying it to the end, I'll admit it.
But I can't tolerate saying it can't be done without even trying," he shouted.
Even if you think you can do it, there are still many hurdles to overcome, so you can't waste time listening to lame excuses that say it can't be done.
President Nagamori emphasizes that the founding principle of Nippon Computer is to "help those who stay up all night to find a way to succeed."
In short, it means, ‘Don’t live an ambiguous life.’

---From "You can't select talented people using existing methods"

There is a reason why Japan Computer emphasizes 'intellectual hardworking'.
This means that we will not evaluate performance solely based on the functional aspects demonstrated during work hours.
That's why they hold various 'competitions' as annual events where individuals and teams can present and propose ideas.
The first prize, the President's Award, is awarded with a prize of 10 million yen.
Dozens of these types of competitions are held each year.
This is a policy to provide opportunities to employees who are actively thinking about and researching their own work and the company's development.
In other words, all employees who work hard with dedication behind the scenes should be given the opportunity to be recognized.
Even if they go to work and work 8 hours, there are people who do self-development after work.
Also, many people 'think about work' during their commute, meal times, preparation times, bedtime, and exercise or walk times.
This means that if you work with your 'body' for 8 hours, you work with your 'mind' for the rest of the time.
It is natural that the more time people spend 'working with their minds', the better their performance in the organization will be.


President Nagamori values ​​his employees who take the initiative and invest time in "thinking."
It's also important to invest energy and time into the work itself.
However, people who think about their work even when they are not working or unconsciously, and who ponder unresolved problems to the end, are bound to come up with answers.
Just as Archimedes came up with the 'principle of buoyancy' while bathing in a swimming pool, truly great ideas and groundbreaking thoughts that will turn things around come from this 'time spent working with thoughts.'
---From "Double Your Investment (Work Twice as Long)"

President Nagamori believes that the biggest waste for companies that have grown to a certain size is the war of attrition in which they try to convince others by attaching data and analysis to the "no" argument.
It is not just a war of attrition that occurs only in the relationship between the boss who gives orders and the subordinates.
Almost all companies waste energy fighting a war of attrition between colleagues, teams, and superiors and subordinates.
The reason they write reports saying 'it won't work' is mostly to 'show off'.
It's to show off, 'I know this much', 'I have inside-out knowledge of the industry that even you don't know', 'You say you're being reckless, but that's just foolish thinking'.
So, companies that are dominated by reports saying 'it won't work' are likely to have seen it all.
On the other hand, a company's greatest asset is its corporate culture, that is, its habit of finding ways to make things happen and delivering them.
Problem solving leads to self-improvement, which in turn leads to customer creation.
This is none other than ‘creative management.’

---From "Don't Write a 'PhD Thesis' While Working"

“Talent isn’t something you hire, it’s something you develop.” Many CEOs, HR managers, or mid-level managers at large companies will likely agree with this sentiment.
Even corporate interviewers, when hiring prospective graduates or new employees, most often don't consider "what they currently have" as a selection criterion.
It is highly unlikely that someone who has just entered society will have any great abilities.
A more important point is 'what can we do and how can we do it from now on?'
After meeting and interviewing many people who are recognized in the business jungle, I realized that success is not determined by appearance, academic background, or grades.
To put it bluntly, academic background literally only 'slightly' increases the chances of not starving to death.
In the business jungle, you can't make a living off of your grades or your school name.
Just because you graduated from a good school or got good grades doesn't mean you can automatically create a good product or come up with a solution that will win the competition.
What's important is what comes next.
So it is important to look to the future and invest rather than the past.
---From "Never Stop Investing in Self-Development"

It's not that President Nagamori doesn't give any praise at all.
He also believes that he should praise his employees whenever he gets the chance, and he puts this into practice.
However, there is a rule that he has kept until now.
After yelling at his employees and scolding them to the point of tears, he never brings up the issue again.
It is not even recorded.
He always scolds me with his mouth.
Conversely, when giving praise, always keep a record of it.
You can also write letters or send faxes.
President Nagamori praises his employees once every hundred times he scolds them.
You might think, 'If you scold someone a hundred times and praise them once, it's not balanced.'
But it has its own way of 'balancing'.
No, maybe it's a way to love your employees? For example, if you scold them verbally a hundred times and then praise them in a letter once, they'll truly treasure the rare compliments they receive.
And you're bound to read that letter at least a hundred times.
President Nagamori is thorough in what he does for his hard-working employees.
The company's atmosphere depends on its female employees, and the company plans and takes into consideration female employees who can work happily.
In a company with enjoyable work and promising growth prospects, there are bound to be many in-house couples, so they actively encourage 'in-house marriage.'
Because we practice the principle of store ownership, we have also established a policy of providing opportunities to recover in case of failure.
And he prioritizes the employees who are passionate about their work over his own personal interests.
One thing that has remained constant since the company was founded is that the company uses its own dignity maintenance funds to pay for employee dinners and events inviting employees' families.

---From "Giving more points to those who fail - 'Point-based system' in Japanese computers"

From the very beginning of Japan Computer's founding, there was a promise made to its employees.
It is compressed into one slogan.
“Do what others can’t do, and never do what others are doing wrong.” In other words, ‘focus’ on things that can ensure survival in competition and a developed future, and decide not to do the very thing that made you feel ‘I really hated this, I wanted to quit because of this’ at your previous job, even if it meant holding a knife to your throat.
They wrote down the 'non-company rules' that will boost the morale and motivation of all members who will join the company in the future.
Here's what they agreed to and promised:
The sentence is characterized by its simplicity, so that anyone, even someone who has only graduated from elementary school, can share and acknowledge it, and point it out if it goes off track.
There is not a single abstract phrase like, “As a global company,” “We have the best technology,” “All employees participate,” or “We pursue equal and transparent management.”
---From "Shoot for Hope, Constantly Resetting Your Goals"

As President Nagamori grew the company, he realized that 'graduates from prestigious universities or those with the best grades in school are not necessarily the ones who become talented.
He says that from the beginning, he realized that there is no such thing as excellent talent.
Of course, being good at studying is proof of excellent mathematical ability and comprehension skills.
But the mind that studies and the mind that works are different.
And a company must have a system in place to help its employees develop their working minds.
Nippon Computer's employee training focuses on 'turning ordinary people with high school diplomas into excellent talents.'
Because we believe that it is not the financial statements or earnings structure that guarantee a company's future, but rather that only excellent employees determine everything.
Without people, any strong company will eventually face a crisis.
Companies that neglect their people will pay a price that will come back to haunt them like a boomerang.
And cherishing people doesn't mean wrapping them up and saying, "You're doing well, you're doing well," or giving them only good things.
It is about providing appropriate stimulation and opportunities that are right for that person's stage of growth.

---From "The best benefit a company can give its employees is 'education'"