Kiyoshi Ichimura: A Graphic Biography

1900. Ichimura is born into a poor
farming family in Saga Prefecture,
Japan.
He earns top gradesin elementary
school, and isa natural leader
when it comes togames andpranks asWaaaah

well. He once
dislodgeda log bridge
so that theirteacher fell
into a stream…

Kiyoshi Ichimura:A Graphic Biography

Kiyoshi’sa bit toogood forme“No, but
I’m busy.”“You haven’t got
any customers
at the moment.”

He plays shogi*
with a localbarber.

*Japanese chessBut one day his cow is taken
away in lieu of taxes.

Kiyoshi takes excellent care of the calf hisgrandfather bought to fund his highereducation.

10 year-old Kiyoshi
is overwhelmedwith grief andfinds it very hardto accept.

He sells vegetables to help his family
make a living, but hates
bumping into his formerclassmates on the street.
“Kiyoshi…”

With financial support from an aunt
and uncle, Kiyoshi enters
Saga Prefectural Middle School,
but doesn’t like having his tuition
paid for him and drops out ofschool.

He decides tocontinue his studies
on his own.

Born in 1900, Ricoh San-Ai Group founder
Kiyoshi Ichimura was like a breath ofbracing fresh air to 20th century Japan.
The first-born son of a poor farming
family, he overcame many hardships andfounded a series of businesses. Thisgraphic biography depicts how heengaged forcefully with life, armed withplenty of ideas and a propensity for hardwork.

Illustrations by Saiki Sugiura1

“Keep up
the good work, sir. ”“I can tell
you’ll gofar.”He studies intently while on
the move for his job.
April 1920.
Gets intoChuo University.

“Yes, sir”
“Yes, sir”
1916. Starts work as a
“trainee clerk” at the
Kurume Branch of Kyoei
Chokin Bank,“Right, I’m going tostudy hard in Tokyo!”

Promotion tocompany
director andacting
branchmanager.

1922.
Startsworking for
Daito Bank (inBeijing) and istransferred to theShanghai Branch the following
year.

Policy amount in-force

Ichimura’s 69th day in Kumamoto.
“Thank you for your sincerely writtenletters. I want to take out
a policy.” After that, sales
improve rapidlynationwide.

“Yes, sir”

but in fact is just a gofer.

His misgivings about wealthinequality lead to a keen interest incommunism.
One day, he is summoned by alocal priest.
TBHe has developed
pulmonary tuberculosis.
He accepts that hemight die, but begins
a regime to boost
his resistance.
1927. Daito Bank is closed down
due to the impact of the Showa
Financial Crisis. Ichimura spends
five months in prison, suspectedof embezzlement.

1925. Marries Yukie Matsuoka.

Daito Bank

ant
Arrest Warr

Ichimura spends a lot of timereading. He also makes a shogi set
at the request of his cellmate.
He makes a board
out of a wooden
pillow and thepieces out of
toilet roll centers.
Kiyoshi learns
how much fun it
is to create
something out ofnothing.

“Principles and ideology areimportant, but if you carry on
like this you’re going to die ofTB, you know.”“Go and get mesome cigarettes”

Kyoei Chokin Bank

“My bicycle tires need a bit
more air in them”“Just nip out to thestation”

Idealistic and ambitious, hemoves to Tokyo.
1919. Transferred to theTokyo Head Office.

“This is brilliant,
Mr. Ichimura. ”“What a great way
to pass the time.”“Ah, there
you are. I waswaiting for
you to showup.”“You’re not thinking about
running away, are you? Just
get out there and sell apolicy. I know you can do it.”
“Ooer!”“Yukie,I did it!”After his name is cleared, Ichimura
returns to Japan.He starts working
as an insurance salesman in
Kumamoto, but
initially has great
difficulty in selling
policies.

“This isn’t going
how I’d planned.
We may have to
do a moonlightflit…”

2

“What?!
Don’t besoinsolent!"“The products you advertise are good,
but they’re not selling because notenough enthusiasm and hard work isgoing into their marketing. You’remaking a big mistake by dismissing myenthusiasm andperseverance
so lightly.”“It has to be a
top-classbusinessman
with sufficientfinancialresources, sono. Kindly leave
my office.”

But Riken Head Officewill not agree totransfer the rights toIchimura, so he goes toTokyo to negotiate inperson.

One day, Ichimura receives
a visit from the president of
Yoshimura Shokai, the soleagent in Kyushu for Riken’ssensitized paper.

“Wow!”

Ichimura wears manydifferent hats:
proprietor, negotiator,deliveryman, packer,etc. etc.

hokai.
Yoshimura S Rikenr
Sole Agent fo r
ape
Sensitized P

4444 is aneasy number
to remember.

Kyushu Branch

intingCyanotype Pr

Yoshimura Shokai

1929. Sets up shop
in Fukuoka.

“What would
you say totaking overfrom me as theagent forsensitizedpaper?”“He certainly is
And so Ichimura a bit cocky, but he’s
makes the switch a very promisingfrom insurance young man.”salesman toagency owner.

“Yoshimura Shokai.
Good morning.”

He regards employees as
coworkers, and addresses
even teenage employees
politely.

Glad to beof help, sir.

“Thank you forhandling this delivery
Mr. Yamada.”“I’m just off out on delivery.”Sales rocket and they open a new shop withover 50 employees on the main street in
Fukuoka.

Icy look

IcylookIcy look

The warm welcome
given to Ichimura, amere agent with noacademic backgroundto speak of, arouses
the jealousy of theother managers,
who hadgraduated fromelite universities.
They give him thecold shoulder.

Riken Head Office

Icy look

Icy look3

1933. Dr. Okochi, director of the Riken
Institute, offers him a job as a manager inTokyo.
“Mr. Ichimura?
This is Masatoshi
Okochi.

“I’d reallylike you tocome andwork at Riken.”For three months he maintains a lifestyle ofarriving late to work, spending the day at Ginza
salons, and going home early.

After a lot of thought, hecomes up with a strategy:
idleness.
Salon Haru

“I shan’t do anything.”

Thanks again to Dr. Okochi, Riken Kankoshi Co. Ltd. (later to becomeRicoh) is established on February 6, 1936, with Ichimura as its managing
director. (Ricoh celebrates this day as the anniversary of our founding.)
Ichimura goes on to hold a number of Riken-related executive positions
concurrently.

Ichimura’s dubious behavior iseven reported to the police. Dr.
Okochi understands hissituation, and personallyarranges for Ichimura to begiven sole responsibility for thesensitized paper division.
However, that does not put anend to the jealousy of hiscolleagues and the clashescontinue.

Japan Stationery Limited
Riken Corundum Co., Ltd.
Riken Kankoshi Co. Ltd.
Fukoku Kogyo Company
Riken Piston Ring Co.
Riken Heavy Industries Co.
Asahi Optical Co., Ltd.
Riken Senkoban Co., Ltd.
Hikokitokushubuhin Co., Ltd. Riken Kagakueiga Co., Ltd.
Hata Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
Riken Special Steels Co.

“Another hat for me to wear.
And another, and another…”

On thecorner bythe Ginza
4-chome“Whenever I try to dosomething,
they put
obstacles
in myway.
In whichcase, ”

1945, Japan defeated in WWII.
The night before the war
officially ends, the board ofdirectors decide on a
post-war policy of expanding
into the service sector.
Ichimura advocates the“San-Ai Spirit”* and decides
to found San-Ai.

“Whereshouldit be…

crossing

will bejust right.

*Spirit of Three Loves: "Love your neighbor, love your country, love your work"“I can tell that you’re
trustworthy from the way you
train your staff. I will let you
have the land after all.”“Goodness me, how thoughtful of you…”“Your shoes are soaked
through. You’re very
welcome to wear myslippers
instead.”“Really?!
Thank you! ”

4One snowy day she
comes to see him,
intending to give her
final refusal, however…

The site hebought isn’t
big enough. Hepays repeatedvisits to theelderly widow
who owns avenerable
shop to thewest of
his land,but shewon’t agreeto sell.

“There’s notenough room…”

San-Ai
Fair Pr
ice

San-Ai sells daily necessities
at reasonable prices andsoon prospers. However,business begins to slump
when life returns to normal.

1946. The San-Ai Ginza store opens. Built amidst
the rubble of Ginza Dori, the initial two-story
building with San-Ai in big letters above it becomesa Ginza landmark.

Blackmarket
Price

San-Ai“Actually, thepart-time job we’reoffering female
students is to jot
down notes about
conversations in thewomen’s toilets.”“The”“toi-”“That’s“lets?!”“You see,my boyfriend
and I …”

it!”
you!”
“Lucky“Whmy paen I get“I w y,someant to buy
to we thing nic
ar…
e”

Yes, thetoilets.

Women aged around 20 are theircore customers and spend most of
their salary on fashion. And so thewomen’s clothing store San-Ai isborn.

“I’d likesome cuteunderwear
as well.”“Thank you.”“We’ve got thefigures forthe toilet survey.”

The Meiji Memorial Hall Wedding Venue is opened.

“Hmm, whatshould we sell…?”“I want to find a niceblouse.”

1947. Ichimura collaborates in the restoration of Meiji Shrine.
The plan is to revitalize the shrine by utilizing the Meiji
Memorial Hall, the only building still standing.

The low cost of its services attracts manycustomers, and so the venture becomes profitable.
This experience
inspires one tenet ofIchimura’s
philosophy:
Business that does
not chase profits
but generates themby being of benefit
to society.

As an “idea man,” Ichimura starts
thinking about ways to make San-Ai a
distinctive, specialized store.

“We really want todo something
about Meiji Shrine.”“To restore it, yes.”

51952. Ichimura moves into the petroleum
business, establishing San-Ai Oil to supply
gasoline for aircraft.

His idea of using a hydrant system to supply the fuelbecomes mainstream around the world.
“That’s it!”“That’s an inefficient way to refuel a plane.
There must be a better way to do it…”

“This makes
it so easy!”

Cameras are
immenselypopular!

Ricohflex III

ent Store
Nishiginza Departm

Humming
CalendarDynamicAuto

Ricopy 101 “Office

From 1955 onwards,
Ichimura visits Europe
and America yearly to
see what’s going on
there. He reads
newspaper advertisingclosely to find out
about product trends.
He gains a lot from his
trips to the US inparticular.

equipment is
the wave of
the future.”

The camera
industry’s
first mass
production
using aconveyor
belt system.

1958. Japan’s
first shoppingcenter, theNishiginza
Department
Store, opens.
It wasconstructed
below theexpressway,and Ichimuracollaborated inthe project.

Around 1955.
The canal
under theSukiya Bridgein Nishiginza
is filled in sothat anexpressway
can be built.

“Let’s gofor it!”
The company is renamed
Ricoh Tokei and rolls out asuccession of new products.
Watches such as theDynamic Auto 33 Jewels andHumming Calendar 19Jewels are big hits.
The company is later
renamed Ricoh Elemex, thename it still goes by today.

Mass chants.
“We’ll rebuildtogether!”

1962. At the request of Minister ofInternational Trade and Industry
Eisaku Sato and his colleagues,
Ichimura embarks on therestructuring of Takano
Seimitsukogyo.

6

Dealing with the labor
union is a problem,
but Ichimura earns
their trust bypromising that there
will be no dismissals.

At the request of an
acquaintance , Ichimura expands
into the Coca Cola business.
Coca Cola (Japan) President
Frank Moss is happy to conclude
a contract with Ichimura. Nichibei
Coca-Cola Bottling (now called
Coca-Cola West) starts businessas the northern Kyushu bottlingcompany in 1963, with thecompletion of its head office andbottling plant.

It turns out Coca Cola at a rate of350 bottles a minute.
“OK, since
it’s Mr.
Ichimura.”

Ichimura weighs up the pros and cons of
The off season: building a luxury hotel in Sapporo.
-70
Only onein the region:+ 80“Let’s do it.”
Total: +60

Sapporo Park
Hotel

January 1963. San-ai Dream
Center opens for business on
the Ginza 4-chome corner.

…

Even though it is now
Sapporo Park Hotel, they still
run it in accordance with theSan-Ai Spirit.

Hotel San-ai opens in 1964, but has to be
let go two years later when Ricoh andother companies are restructured.

The midnight unveilingis a sensation. The 48
meter tower of lightshines brightly against
the Ginza night sky.

“Great.”Catchphrases that capture the public imagination“Use them but don’t own them” and “Machines
should stay in circulation”
The first rental Debonair
1963. Japan’s first rental
company, Japan Lease
International, isestablished.

“We hire out
anything andeverything."“Oh no you don’t!”

1965. For the first time ever, Ricoh
pays no dividends.
Various difficulties befall
Ichimura, who until now hasalways been praised as an “ideaman” and “business colossus.” Heseriously considers killing himself.

“Ah!”

Ricoh’s indanger!

Tokyo Stock Exchange

Ricoh shares plummet.

It’s a one-man show.
He hasn’t trained asuccessor.

7Nos.
end
didiv

September 1965. Launch of a new product, the Ricopy BS-1. It’s ahuge hit and Ricoh quickly takes steps to get back on its feet.

Ricoh resumes
payment ofdividends.

“Iadmitdefeat.”

20% salary increase. Five-day working week every other week.
Ricoh San-Ai Building completed. Decision to exhibit at Japan Expo ‘70.
Tohoku Ricoh founded. Etc.
Ricoh pays a 10% dividend at the settlement of accounts in September
1967.

A big hit!

Ricoh Pavilion
Ricopy BS-1

December 12, 1968.
The establishment ofthe New Technology
Development
The IchimuraFoundation is officiallyPrize trophy
approved. In his will,
Ichimura leaves the greater partof his assets (around 3 billion yen)
to the foundation.

Ichimura is admitted
to Keio Hospital on
November 17, 1968.
“Mrs. Ichimura, I’mafraid you should
prepare yourself fortheworst.”“Until yesterday, I was ill in bed. But, since I was theone who really wanted us to hold this event, I
decided to join you here today. I wanted nothing
more than to spend some time with you and yourfamilies.”

Ichimura attends
the Ricoh & San-Ai
Sports Meet on
November 5, 1968.
This event is the lasttime that hisemployees see himin the flesh.
Ichimura’s desire tohelp people was notconfined to the businessarena.
In 1963, he endowed theSaga Prefectural
Gymnasium (laterrenamed the Ichimura
Memorial Gymnasium).

December 16, 1968. Kiyoshi Ichimura passes away
at the age of 68.

His entire life was permeated by
the San-Ai Spirit:“Love your neighbor,love your country,love your work.”

ck!
Cra

In 1958 he endowed hisalma mater,
Kitashigeyasu
Elementary School, with
an auditorium.

In 1961, the Japanese garden hepresented to the city of Miami
was completed. It is known
affectionately as Ichimura Park.
The End8