Will you tell us why you approached Nikon?

When manufacturing trousers, we need to make belt loops. Each loop must be turned inside out. There are six or eight belt loops to each pair of trousers, so we have to repeat this process as many as 6,000 times a day. Let me explain why this is necessary? First we sew both sides of one piece of cloth to make a tube. At this point, the perforated ends of the cloth are still visible, so we have to turn the whole thing inside out. We originally used a length of wire, passing it through the loop and pull it inside out. This process was repeated all day long and was really boring work that no one wanted to do. It could also lead to hand strain and tendonitis.

To overcome this problem, we decided to consult sewing machine manufacturers about introducing an automated processing system. We visited four or five such manufacturers, only to be told they couldn't help. By chance, our president at that time (current Corporate Adviser) saw in a newspaper about how Nikon had established a subsidiary company that was dealing with custom-made products. That company was called Nikon Technologies Inc., although its operations were later taken over by Nikon Engineering Co., Ltd. I can well remember how excited we were to have found a company that could provide us with what we'd been after for so long. We called Nikon Technology immediately, and our plant manager and I were on the Tokyo train that very evening.

What was your image of Nikon at that time?

To tell you the truth, I didn't know much about Nikon (here she laughs). But some of our employees were surprised at the news that I, then vice president, was going to Tokyo to visit Nikon, "that famous camera manufacturer."

We owed our success to the person in charge who first took our telephone call. I remember wondering why Nikon was giving such an unknown company a chance. I realized afterward how surprised they were (here she laughs) when we suddenly turned up at their office at 9 o'clock the next morning.

I can't help thinking that it was more than just luck that led us to Nikon. If we had not seen that newspaper article, or if someone else had taken our telephone call, I wouldn't be here being interviewed.