Aoki Corporation was a Japanese
construction company
Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and co ...
founded in 1947. It built many projects in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, and
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
, and also invested in non-construction businesses, like hotels. It previously owned the
Westin Hotels
Westin Hotels & Resorts is an American upscale hotel chain owned by Marriott International. , the Westin Brand has 226 properties with 82,608 rooms in multiple countries in addition to 58 hotels with 15,741 rooms in the pipeline.
History Wester ...
chain. The company, considered one of Japan's mid-tier ''zenekon'' (general contractors) by the 1990s, went bankrupt in 2001 and merged with Asunaro Construction in 2004.
History
Establishment
![0 series Yurakucho 19670505](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/0_series_Yurakucho_19670505.jpg)
The company was established as the Bulldozer Koji Co. Ltd. in
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
in 1947 by Masuji Aoki, a former
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...
commander.
It opened a Tokyo branch office in 1948.
In 1969, the company was renamed Aoki Corporation.
The firm was a "newcomer" to the Japanese construction industry, and found it more difficult to win projects than the larger, traditional firms did. As a result, Aoki diversified into the hotels business, partly to generate construction business for itself. In 1976 it bought the Caesar Park Hotel in Brazil and expanded the brand into a multi-national chain of nine locations. It also developed golf courses in South America.
International growth
A Hong Kong branch office was established in 1976 after Aoki won a tunneling contract for the new
Mass Transit Railway
The Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is a major public transport network serving :Hong Kong. Operated by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), it consists of heavy rail, light rail, and feeder bus service centred on a 10-line rapid transit network ...
(MTR).
An American subsidiary, Aoki America Corporation, was founded in December 1980 in
Columbia, Maryland
Columbia is a census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland. It is one of the principal communities of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. It is a planned community consisting of 10 self-contained villages.
Columbia began with ...
.
By 1983, Hong Kong was Aoki's largest overseas office with more than 400 staff.
During the 1980s
economic bubble
An economic bubble (also called a speculative bubble or a financial bubble) is a period when current asset prices greatly exceed their intrinsic valuation, being the valuation that the underlying long-term fundamentals justify. Bubbles can be c ...
in Japan, Aoki Corporation invested heavily in non-construction businesses.
It bought and developed more overseas hotels.
Aoki acquired the American hospitality company
Westin Hotels
Westin Hotels & Resorts is an American upscale hotel chain owned by Marriott International. , the Westin Brand has 226 properties with 82,608 rooms in multiple countries in addition to 58 hotels with 15,741 rooms in the pipeline.
History Wester ...
from Allegis Corporation in 1988, paying US$1.35 billion.
Immediately following the acquisition they sold the
Plaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel (also known as The Plaza) is a luxury hotel and condominium apartment building in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is located on the western side of Grand Army Plaza, after which it is named, just west of Fifth Avenue, a ...
in New York City to
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
for about US$390 million.
Aoki Corporation was part the Offshore Reclamation Construction Association, a consortium of eight companies that supplied sand for construction of the
Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport ( ja, 関西国際空港, Kansai Kokusai Kūkō) commonly known as is the primary international airport in the Greater Osaka Area of Japan and the closest international airport to the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and ...
's artificial island. In 1989, Japan's
Fair Trade Commission alleged that the group was an illegal price-fixing cartel and ordered it to disband. Six of the involved firms, including Aoki, were ordered to pay surcharges, and all eight firms were suspended from bidding on
Osaka Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Osaka Prefecture has a population of 8,778,035 () and has a geographic area of . Osaka Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture to the northwest, Kyoto Prefecture ...
public works projects.
In 1989, the company established a subsidiary called Aoki Urban Development. The subsidiary opened the Westin Osaka hotel in 1993.
1990s events
![Manulife Plaza](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Manulife_Plaza.jpg)
By 1990, Aoki ranked around 20th in size among Japanese construction companies.
In 1993, the company had sales of ¥347 billion and a workforce of 3,455. Relative to other Japanese contractors, it realised a large proportion of sales in overseas markets such as Hong Kong – about one-third that year.
Aoki Corporation was the main contractor for the
Towngas
Coal gas is a flammable gaseous fuel made from coal and supplied to the user via a piped distribution system. It is produced when coal is heated strongly in the absence of air. Town gas is a more general term referring to manufactured gaseous ...
corporate headquarters in
Quarry Bay
Quarry Bay is an area beneath Mount Parker in the Eastern District of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. The western portion of the area was also formerly known as Lai Chi (). Traditionally an industrial and residential area, the number of commer ...
, Hong Kong, where Hong Kong's second-deadliest construction accident occurred on 2 June 1993. A lift carrying 12 workers plunged 17 storeys, landing on the podium roof and killing all inside.
A subsequent investigation by the
Electrical and Mechanical Services Department
The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD; ) is a Hong Kong government department responsible for inspection and enforcement of operation and safety of many electricity and gas installations; railways and trams; lifts and escalat ...
revealed that a driving pinion in the motor gearbox assembly was in poor condition.
The emergency brake failed to stop the lift's fall.
Aoki Corporation was fined in 1994 over the tragedy, and paid compensation to the families of the victims.
Following this disaster, the company was heavily criticised in Hong Kong for substandard safety practices.
In February 1996, Aoki Corporation won a number of safety awards in a competition arranged by the New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office of the Hong Kong Government in relation to
Airport Core Programme
The Airport Core Programme was a series of infrastructure projects centred on the new Hong Kong International Airport during the early 1990s. The programme was part of the Port and Airport Development Strategy, commonly known as the Rose Gard ...
construction work. The company won a gold award for safety management as well as awards for the best safety record for both general contracts and main contracts.
Bankruptcy and merger
The company's 1980s international expansion was financed by bank debt, and the company ran into financial challenges in the 1990s due to low income. It sold Westin Hotels in November 1994 for US$561 million but maintained ownership of many hotels.
By the late 1990s, major Japanese banks considered Aoki Corporation to be at risk of failure, as it faced a heavy debt burden as well as fewer public works projects to bid on. In December 2001 the company filed for protection from creditors, effectively declaring bankruptcy. At the time it had approximately 6,500 employees, 4,560 of whom worked in the company's hospitality business.
In 2004, Aoki Corporation merged with Asunaro Construction to form a new company called
Asunaro Aoki Construction.
Notable projects
![Shatin Sewage Treatment Works Aerial view 201712](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Shatin_Sewage_Treatment_Works_Aerial_view_201712.jpg)
*
Tōkaidō Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed rail line that is part of the nationwide Shinkansen network. Along with the Sanyo Shinkansen, it forms a continuous high-speed railway through the Taiheiyō Belt, also known as the Tokaido corridor. Opened in 1964, ...
(Ayase Section), Japan (1964)
*
Shimokotori Dam,
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,991,390 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture to the northwest, F ...
, Japan (1973)
*
Seto Dam,
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,321,805 and has a geographic area of . Nara Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Osaka Prefecture to the northwest, Wakayama P ...
, Japan (1978)
*
Tedorigawa Dam,
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu island. Ishikawa Prefecture has a population of 1,140,573 (31 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,186 km2 (1,616 sq mi). Ishikawa Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to ...
, Japan (1979) – with
Maeda Corporation
is a Japanese corporation which was established in 1919. Its main areas of business are building construction and civil engineering.
Maeda has domestic offices in eleven Japanese cities, and overseas offices in Thailand, Hong Kong, and India.
H ...
*
Kornhill Gardens
Kornhill and Kornhill Gardens are apartment buildings on the northern slope of Mount Parker, in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Kornhill is a private housing estate and Kornhill Gardens is a Private Sector Participation Scheme ...
site formation, Hong Kong (1980s)
*
Beacon Hill Tunnel, Hong Kong (1981)
*
Tai Wo Hau station
Tai Wo Hau () is an MTR station between and stations on the . It serves the areas of Kwai Yin Court and Tai Wo Hau Estate in the Kwai Tsing District, and some resited villages (such as Kwan Mun Hau Tsuen) in the Tsuen Wan District of Hon ...
, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong (1982)
*
Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works (Stage I), New Territories, Hong Kong (1982)
*
Takami Dam,
Hokkaido
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
, Japan (1983) – with
Kajima
is one of the oldest and largest construction companies in Japan. Founded in 1840, the company has its headquarters in Motoakasaka, Minato, Tokyo. The company is known for its DIB-200 proposal. The company stock is traded on four leading Ja ...
and Chizaki Kogyo Construction
*
Heng Fa Chuen station, Chai Wan, Hong Kong (1985)
*
Tuen Mun Hospital
Tuen Mun Hospital is a public hospital, with a 24-hour Emergency department, accident and emergency department, in Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong. Its construction began in 1979, and it was inaugurated on 8 March 1990. It is governed by t ...
, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong (1990)
*
Shichikashuku Dam,
Shichikashuku, Miyagi
is a town located in Katta District, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 1,323, and a population density of 5.0 persons per km² in 626 households. The total area of the town is .
Geography
Shichikashuku is loc ...
, Japan (1990) – with Sato and
Fujita Fujita (written: , or ) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*, Japanese handball player
*, Japanese long-distance runner
*Aya Fujita (born 1987), Japanese shogi player
*Emi Fujita (born 1963), Japanese singer
*, Japanes ...
*
Agigawa Dam
is a dam built on the Kiso River system, located in the Higashino section of Ena City, in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.
History
The Agi River connects with the Kiso River just below Ōi Dam, running through a basin with a fairly large 2,000&n ...
,
Ena, Gifu
300px, Ena City Hall
is a city located in Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 48,777, and a population density of 96.7 persons per km², in 19,820 households. The total area of the city was .
Geography
Ena is located in the ...
, Japan – with
Obayashi Corporation
is one of five major Japanese construction companies along with Shimizu Corporation, Takenaka Corporation, Kajima Corporation, and Taisei Corporation. It is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is one of the Nikkei 225 corporations. Its head ...
and Dai Nippon Construction (1990)
*
North Lantau Highway
North Lantau Highway is an expressway forming part of Hong Kong's Route 8, linking Hong Kong International Airport and Lantau Island with the rest of the territory. The road has three lanes in each direction for its entire length with full ...
(Yam O Section), Lantau, Hong Kong (1997)
*
Manulife Plaza, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong (1997)
*
West Kowloon Highway
West Kowloon Highway is a section of Route 3 in Hong Kong, built as part of the Airport Core Programme. This dual-three-lane expressway runs for 4.2 km (), connecting Western Harbour Crossing in the south with Tsing Kwai Highway in the nor ...
(South Section), Kowloon, Hong Kong (1997)
*
Hong Kong station
Hong Kong () is a station of the MTR metro system in Hong Kong. It is the eastern terminus of the and . It is situated between Man Cheung Street and Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong Island, and sits underneath the International Financ ...
, Central, Hong Kong (1998)
*
Tung Chung station
Tung Chung () is a station on the of the MTR rapid transport system in Hong Kong. As the western end of the Tung Chung line, it is also a transfer point of those wishing to use the Ngong Ping Cable Car and by bus to the rest of Lantau Island. ...
, Tung Chung, Hong Kong (1998)
References
{{reflist
2004 mergers and acquisitions
Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1947
Construction and civil engineering companies of Japan
Companies that have filed for bankruptcy in Japan
Japanese companies established in 1947
Japanese companies disestablished in 2004
Construction and civil engineering companies disestablished in 2004