Notable Moments

July 29, 2021

On July 30, 1976, twenty children of Kyocera employees set off from Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), embarking on a ten-day study tour in the United States that was presented to them as a gift from Inamori. Their destinations included the West Coast of the United States and Hawaii. In San Diego, where a Kyocera affiliate was located, the children experienced a homestay at the homes of local employees for two nights and three days. The motivation behind Inamori's gift to these children originated from the experiences he had on his first overseas business trip in 1962, just three years after Kyocera's founding.

At that time, it hadn't been that long since the war ended, and the number of people venturing overseas was a mere 150,000 per year. Inamori was determined to open up the American market to expand his business, but he set off on his journey full of anxiety about the unfamiliar culture and customs. He hadn't even used a Western-style toilet before and prepared for his trip by learning how to use one at a friend's house in Matsudo the day before departure. On the day of his departure, 7-8 executives came to see him off. Looking at them waving from inside the plane, Inamori felt overwhelmed with a sense of responsibility and anxiety.

However, against his expectations, the flight was incredibly comfortable, and the in-flight meal was so delicious that it moved him. He thought, "It's a shame that I'm the only one having this experience. Someday, I want to bring the executives who came to see me off today and the employees who work and struggle together at the factory on a plane like this." Inamori then thought, "There must be many employees who would live to the end of their lives without ever getting on a plane or going abroad. I want to put those employees on a plane and take them overseas." This strong desire later became the motivation to invite employees on trips to Hong Kong and Singapore.

Upon arriving in America, his first trip was full of hardships, such as being unable to speak English fluently and struggling with orders. Despite these challenges, Inamori felt his worldview expand and his perspective widen as he interacted with the American people and directly experienced their culture. He thought about how beneficial such experiences would be for the personal growth of younger, developing children.

Motivated by this, in 1975, Inamori proposed a study tour where he would invite the children of his employees to America, a developed country, to broaden their horizons. This study tour was conducted annually from 1976 to 2000, and starting from the fifth trip, in addition to the children of Kyocera employees, 20 children recruited from the local area where Kyocera's factories and offices were located also joined in. Some children who participated in the study tour developed an interest in going abroad, some started working in foreign countries, and others took jobs as interpreters or went on to work at airlines. They each spread their wings into the wider world, receiving and holding onto Inamori's thoughts. Inamori must be watching their journeys with great interest and pride.

Photo: Inamori greeting the children during the group formation ceremony