Toshiwo Doko (土光敏夫 ''Dokō Toshio''; September 15, 1896 – August 4, 1988) was a Japanese

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

born in

Mitsu District, Okayama was a district located in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 22,923. The total area was 345.10 km2. On April 1, 1900, the district was founded after the mergers of Mino and Tsudaka District ...

, Manager, President and Chairman of Ishikawajima Heavy Industry (IHI) and

Toshiba , commonly known as Toshiba and stylized as TOSHIBA, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure system ...

Background

Dokō was a key manager in the Japanese economic miracle after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, in particular, from 1974 to 1980 when he helmed the

Toshiba Corporation , commonly known as Toshiba and stylized as TOSHIBA, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure system ...

and was appointed chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren). After graduating from Tokyo Institute of Technology (or Tokyo Kogyo Daigaku) in 1920, Dokō worked at the Ishikawajima Shipyard Co., first as a designer of turbines and then became a president from 1950 to 1960, during which he renewed the company to benefit from significant procurement provided by the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

. Dokō later chaired the Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. during the merger in 1960, overseeing the construction of the

Idemitsu Maru is a Japanese petroleum company. It owns and operates oil platforms, refineries, produces and sells petroleum, oils and petrochemical products, and also operates gas stations under the brand and (until 2023) in its own ''Idemitsu'' and ''Shell ...

, the largest tanker in the world. At Toshiba, he functioned as a vice president between 1965 and 1972, and became the president between 1972 and 1976. He raised the morale of the workers driving the company towards prosperity. During 1970's, he had a relationship with a company such as Standard Oil. When belonging to IHI, he had never been late and absent from the company for 40 years, continuously. Surprisingly, his breakfast had been very simple, and consisted of a piece of fish, rice and miso soup. Even though he became the top position of IHI and very rich, his lifestyle and breakfast had not changed at all. Despite the simple breakfast, his hardworking attitude was not changed even when he turned to 85 year old. In addition, he rarely used air-conditioner during Winter and Summer, and he donated more than half of his salary, during 1970's, for the school that his mother had established in Yokohama. No one can criticize his behavior for this emerging global warming. In 1988, he posthumously received the highest distinction of the

Scout Association of Japan The is the major Scouting organization of Japan. Starting with boys only, the organization was known as Boy Scouts of Japan from 1922 to 1971, and as Boy Scouts of Nippon from 1971 to 1995, when it became coeducational in all sections, leading to ...

, the Golden Pheasant Award.

References

External links

New York Times Obituary - Toshiwo Doko Is Dead; Industry Chief Was 91
1896 births 1988 deaths People from Okayama 20th-century Japanese engineers Toshiba people Tokyo Institute of Technology alumni {{japan-engineer-stub