Founder: Tsukasa Sakurada Profile
1971 - While employed at Toshiba Ceramics Co., Ltd.
[Research and establishment of synthetic quartz glass manufacturing technology]
Developed and delivered high-purity synthetic quartz glass prism mate rial (50 x 50 x 50
mm) for use in NASA's Apollo program via Nippon Kogaku Co., Ltd. It was later used as an
optical fiber core material and a mask for silicon wafers.
1984: Shinshu Ceramics Co., Ltd. founded
[Specializing in functional material development by combining ceramics and polymer materials]
The company aimed to become a fabless company by developing functional materials (element
technology) by combining ceramics and polymer materials and building intangible fixed assets (mainly
patents). He receives guidance from Professor Kitahara, who specializes in thermal spraying technology
at the Research Institute for Metals and Materials (now AIST).
-
1988 Development of low temperature thermal spraying method: Ceramics and polymer material composite element technology. Featured on the front page of the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun as a composite element technology of ceramics and polymer materials. Obtain a patent and use it as the basis for subsequent material development. "Low-temperature spraying" means, for example, melting ceramic powder with a melting point of 1850°C at a high temperature of 3000°C and directly melting it onto the surface of a 100 μm thick polyester film base material without applying any thermal effects to the base material. Capable of forming a film.
2. 1992: Joint research with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.
Using low-temperature thermal spraying, we developed a ceramic membrane that converts energy
conversion (converting conduction and convection energy into radiation), obtained a patent for it, and
used it in various Tokyo Gas plants for the purpose of energy conservation.
3. 1996 “Photocatalyst research”
He had a connection with photocatalyst, which was all the rage at the time as the ``Honda Fujishima
Effect'' of the University of Tokyo. However, there are some twists and turns.Although photocatalysts
can decompose (sterilize) organic matter such as bacteria using radicals, the paint that binds the main
ingredient titanium oxide powder is also an organic matter. Since the paint is also an organic
substance, it was found that it decomposed and was not practical.
4. In 1998, a patent was obtained for the development of a long-lasting disinfectant.
"Photocatalysts" decompose bacteria, which are organic matter, but they are not practical because they
also decompose the paint (organic matter) that holds the titanium oxide powder together. This
technology is characterized by being a long-lasting disinfectant that does not decompose the paint or
the fiber (organic matter) that serves as the base material, using titanium oxide and silver ions.
5. 2001: Licensed to Toray's Product Division
Provided antibacterial and deodorizing technology to Toray and commercialized it as "Lumimagic".
6. In 2001, "Low temperature thermal spraying" was selected as one of the findings from
interviews with 100 "researchers who have made notable achievements in Japan's postwar
technological development".
Electrical Engineering History Research Group Document No. HEE-01-28
"What we can learn from interviews"
Takayuki Nagata (NEC Corporation) September 13, 2001
Institute of Electrical Engineers 6-2 Goban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
What We Can Learn from Ora1 Histories
Takayuki Nagata （NEC Corporation）
Oral histories have been attracting historians’attention as an effective method for researching engineering history. In this paper the author describes the oral histories of seventy people who he has interviewed over the last seven years with his colleagues at the Japan Research Industries Association（JRIA）． He presents interviewees’ research methodologies, approaches to management，and technological views together with the reasons for using oral histories
and the interview methods.
Keywords: History or Electrical Engineering, Oral History
1. Introduction
In fiscal year 1994, the Japan Research Industry Association began conducting interviews with pioneers who left a significant mark on the history of postwar Japanese technological development as part of its activities to preserve industrial technology. Since then, the surveys have been conducted for seven years, with an average of 10 interviews per year, and the total number of interviewees reached 70 at the time of the completion of the survey in fiscal year 2000.
(1) We have started the investigation after this year, and if circumstances permit, we plan to continue it for a while. In this paper, we will provide an overview of the interview survey mentioned above, and also present the experiences of our predecessors that were gathered during the investigation, organized from the author's perspective. Counting all the people who have been involved in this investigation since its inception, the total number of people is 28, including 23 committee members and 5 secretariat members. The results are the product of the passion that each of these people put into the investigation, and as the chairman of the investigation committee, I will write and present this paper on behalf of the group.
(２) Background of the start of the survey
In 1991, the "Conference on Industrial Technology and History" (hereafter simply referred to as the "Conference") was launched, led by Tanahashi, who was then Vice-Minister of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and chaired by Iida, who was the chairman of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Tanahashi had in mind that Japan was lagging behind Europe and the United States in terms of preserving and passing on industrial technology, that it was industrial technology that had supported Japan's postwar recovery, and that now that Japan has become a world-class economic power, it is important to look back on the past and preserve and pass it on, which will bring about further development in the future.
After half a year of discussion, the roundtable compiled 30 recommendations for the preservation and continuation of industrial technology. (2) The Japan Research Industry Association, which served as the secretariat of the roundtable, began activities to realize these recommendations, and organized the Industrial Technology Preservation Committee, chaired by FANUC Managing Director Ito, as one of the driving forces behind this. After half a year of discussion, the Investigation and Research Subcommittee of the committee decided to conduct interviews with researchers who had made notable achievements in the history of postwar Japanese technological development. The purpose of this was to have the elderly people involved in these valuable technological developments listen to and record the truth about them while they are still healthy, and secondly, to have these pioneers of technological development explain the importance and excitement of technological development as part of a measure to counter the trend of young people moving away from technology and manufacturing. At the time, our committee was naive to not know the existence of the IEEE History Center and the interview surveys conducted by Arakawa and others, which will be described later, and we developed our own style of investigation completely by trial and error. I believe that the investigation could have been carried out more efficiently if we had learned from previous examples, but that aside, we are also proud that we were able to establish our own investigative methods.
６ 相沢進 クオーツ腕時計の開発 ６ 明石雅夫 通信用高性能磁性材料(フェライト)の開発
６ 上村雅之 ファミコンの開発 ６ 指田年生 超音波モータの開発
６ 武祐一郎 電気絶縁紙の開発 ６ 田中光二 パイプレス化学工場のコンセプトの開発
６ 秦藤樹 抗生物質ロイコマイシン（キタマイシン）、マイトマイシンの研究開発 ６ 松平精 鉄道車両の蛇行動の解明とその防止法の確立
６ 森健一 日本語ワードプロセッサの開発 ７ 浦田孝延 蓄積撮像管の開発
７ 菊井敬三 外洋航行用バージインテグレータの開発 ７ 島文雄 YS－11 の開発
７ 高田秋一 ターボ冷凍機･ターボヒートポンプの開発 ７ 只野文哉 電子顕微鏡の開発
７ 千畑一郎 固定化酵素法による天然型L－アミノ酸の製造 ７ 中島敏 電熱媒体油の開発
７ 野瀬正儀 黒部第四ダムの建設 ７ 穂坂衛 座席オンラインリアルタイムシステムの開発
７ 美坂佳助 圧延機､塑性加工の研究並びにhot strip mill計算機制御の開発 ７ 森田正典 マイクロ波通信方式の開発およびそれらの事業化
８ 伊澤達夫 光ファイバーVAD 法の開発 ８ 石田名香雄 IAP(免疫抑制酸性蛋白)の発見とIAP プレーﾄの開発
８ 佐々木秀雄 爆発圧接法の開発 ８ 高篠静雄 ウォークマンの開発･商品化
８ 丹波繁 合成紙の開発 ８ 深海正治 胃カメラの開発
８ 増田房義 高吸水性樹脂の工業化 ８ 持田豊 青函トンネルの建設
８ 百瀬孝夫 大容量凍結乾燥装置と応用食品の開発 ９ 今村修武 光磁気ディスクの有用性実証
９ 梶原利幸 金属薄板圧延における高性能形状制御圧延機の開発 ９ 京谷好泰 超伝導磁気浮上方式鉄道の開発
９ 桜田司 低温溶射技術を利用したセラミックス複合材料の開発 ９ 島正博 コンピュータ制御式による横編機の開発
９ 専田禎 日本の直流送電を拓く ９ 成田仁 舶用インテツレイテッドダクトプロペラの開発
９ 林雅一 自動車用超小型ターボチャージャーの開発 ９ 日高秀昌 フラクトオリゴ糖の開発
９ 吉田庄一郎 半導体製造装置ステッパの開発と半導体産業の国際競争力向上への寄与９ 吉田進 トリトロンカラーテレビの開発
１０ 江藤輝一 高分解能透過型電子顕微鏡の開発 １０ 海老原浩一 新幹線運行管理システム(コムトラック)の開発
１０ 大浜博 イオン交換膜法｢食塩電解技術｣の開発 １０ 佐藤公彦 イオン交換膜法｢食塩電解技術｣の開発
１０ 鹿井信雄 トランジスタ･ラジオの開発 １０ 国枝正春 免震･制振装置の開発
１０ 小林義隆 微量迅速分析器の開発 １０ 澤崎憲一 ヘリカルスキャン方式VTR の開発
１０ 林厳雄 半導体レーザの開発 １０ 渡辺静男 炭素繊維の開発と工業化
１１ 厚川麻須美 湿式石灰石膏法による排煙脱硫技術の開発 １１ 薄葉久 アサヒースーパードライの開発
１１ 内田康男 カメラの自動化の開発 １１ 小塚忠 自動糸切りミシンの開発
１１ 小林昭夫 球形ガスホルダー及びLNG 地下タンクの開発 １１ 鮫島政義 医薬品のマイクロカプセル化技術の開発
１１ 高嶋優 ササニシキの開発 １１ 馬田三夫 ビフィズス菌を応用した発酵乳製品の製造
１１ 三木忠直 高速電車の開発 １１ 山元正明 焼酎用優良種麹及び自動製麹装置の開発
１１ 吉田巌 長大橋の建設 １２ 岩尾煕 真空押出成形法による磁器の製造開発
１２ 岡本三宜 超極細繊維の世界を拓いたスエード調人工皮革エクセーヌの研究開発 １２ 鏡才吉 東京タワーの建設
１２ 菊池勇 小型モータ軸受けの開発 １２ 中坪寿雄 医療用ファイバースコープの開発
１２ 林虎彦 食品自動成形装置の開発 １２ 藤谷尭 SPB 方式LNG 船の開発
１２ 船田文明 電卓用液晶表示装置の開発 １２ 真鍋宏 建設用クライミングクレーン
１２ 山田宰 BS ディジタル放送の開発
原稿受付日 平成13 年8 月1 日
7. In 2002, we obtained a patent for the development of oil-free sliding components using
low-temperature thermal spraying.
Used for Futaba Electronics Co., Ltd. semiconductor lead frame mold guide posts.
8. 2004: Antibacterial fibers adopted for hospital curtains .
Adopted throughout Ochanomizu Juntendo University Hospital as a deodorizing measure. Linen supply
by Toki Co., Ltd.
9. 2005 Part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Economics, Kanto Gakuin University (Introduction to
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, 3 years)
10. Joint research with All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. in 2006
Signed a joint research and development and transaction agreement regarding the improvement of the
interior environment of aircraft, which was newly introduced from Boeing Co., Ltd.
11. Broadcast on World Business Satellite in 2006.
Special feature on "New technologies to save lives" aired.
12. In 2007, we jointly developed an air purifier with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.
We installed the antibacterial agent we developed in the air purifier filter. We started developing and
selling air purifiers for commercial use (sold by Melpal Holdings) and home use (sold by Catalog
House).
13. 2011 Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry "Sapoin Subsidy of 100 million yen adopted"
Infection use countermeasures .
Shinshu University School of Medicine (Professor Honda) co-authored paper published in overseas
journal, Tohoku University School of Medicine (Professor Kaku, President of the Japanese Society for
Environmental Infectious Diseases) panel presentation at the International Society of Infectious
Diseases in Lyon, France. Arizona University (Professor Gerab) co-authored paper published.
14. In November 2012, with the support of JETRO, we exhibited at MEDICA COM PAMED 2012 in
Dusseldorf, Germany.
15. In 2013, with the support of JETRO, we exhibited at MD&M West, a medical exhibition held in
Anaheim, USA.
16. In 2014, the solid continuous disinfectant “earthplusTM” was invented and patented in Japan
and the United States.
Later, an investigation with the premise of FDA registration revealed that there were several critical
safety issues, and we decided to develop a new long-lasting fungicide, AbedulAg+, and to establish a
new company, Shinshu Co., Ltd. Connected.
17. Adopted as JICA's "Project Feasibility Study" in 2014.
Infectious disease control measures are being considered at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam.
18. Implemented business succession in 2014.
After 30 years since its founding, the CEO turned 70 years old, which was one of the catalysts for the
business succession. He had planned to step down completely, but some directors strongly urged him
to stay on, so he decided to remain as chairman of the board of directors on the condition that he
would not be involved in management.
19. Selected as JETRO Export Consortium in 2018.
With the appropriate guidance of consultants dispatched from JETRO, we evaluated the continuous
disinfectant "earthplusTM" owned by Shinshu Ceramics Co., Ltd. with the aim of registering the anti-
infectious disease control agent with the U.S. University of Maryland and the FDA as an anti-infective
fiber. As a preliminary step, we applied for approval to conduct clinical trials. The two professors in
charge are Professor Bentley, the head of the department, and Professor LeX, a former FDA chief
examiner, who is in direct contact with him.
20. 2019: 2-year course on career design at Shinshu University's Faculty of Science.
21. 2021: Susumé Co., Ltd. established.
[Business specialized in infectious disease control]
1. Dec. 2021: Selected for METI mono subsidy.
2. Mar. 2023: Developed, patented, and trademarked new antibacterial agent "AbedulAg+" for
FDA registration.
3. Mar. 2022: Selected for Chino City Startup Fund.
4. Jul. 2022: Selected for Suwa Shinkin Bank fund.
5. Jun. 2023: Selected for JETRO New Export Consortium; Apr. 2024: Signed business contract
with Silicon Valley Partner in the US.
6. Jul. 2023: Selected for JETRO Small and Medium Enterprises Overseas Application Support
Business (USA).
7. Oct. 2023: Signed contract with FDA consultant in Dallas, Texas.
Established Susumé Co., Ltd. in 2021
[Founded to advance a business specializing in infectious disease countermeasures]
1. Dec. 2021: Selected for METI Mono Subsidy.
2. Mar. 2023: Developed long-lasting antibacterial agent "AbedulAg+" for FDA registration,
and obtained a patent for its use in "anti-infective textile" to differentiate them from "anti-
bacterial textile".
3. March 2022: Adopted Chino City Startup Fund.
4. July 2022: Adopted Suwa Shinkin Bank Fund.
5. June 2023: Adopted JETRO New Export Consortium.
6. July 2023: Adopted JETRO Small and Medium Enterprises Overseas Application Support
Project (USA).
7. October 2023: Signed contract with consultant in Dallas, texas for FDA acquisition.
８.April 2024: Signed business contract with partner in Silicon Valley, USA.