Takashi Yamazaki0:38
My name is Takashi Yamazaki. I serve as the President and CEO of Yamazaki Mazak Corporation. Our company was founded in 1919. My grandfather had a keen interest and began manufacturing and selling machine tools. Since then, we have been a machine tool and laser processing machine company. Currently, we have approximately 8,600 employees worldwide, with 11 factories both in Japan and abroad. For example, the automotive industry including EVs, various industrial machinery, semiconductors, environmental-related fields, medical, construction machinery, and aerospace are all target industries for us, and many of our customers belong to those industries using our machines. I joined the company in 1990 and have been in business ever since. First and foremost, we develop innovative machines, produce them with high quality, and deliver them to customers around the world. That is what Yamazaki Mazak is today. I mentioned industries like automotive, semiconductors, and medical. These are very important. For example, semiconductor demand has fallen significantly, but medical is still strong. Environmental-related equipment is another area. Another key is having a global market. Seeing a small company gradually grow and succeed in business is very rewarding for me. When customers tell me, 'We bought Mazak machines and our company grew this much,' that brings me great joy. And providing customers with wonderful machines and discovering or creating new innovations, embodying them into products, and continuing to deliver them worldwide is very fulfilling. I always pursue that in my business. As for difficulties, they come in various forms, but many things are not as difficult as they seem; they are not complicated. I prepare to overcome them by simplifying them. Adaptability is key. Since we do business not just in Japan but worldwide, we have to work with people with different ways of thinking, values, and cultures, including customers and suppliers, and we have to do business smoothly and quickly. There is an Ironman 70.3 mile triathlon race. I participated at age 50 and finished, giving me great joy, pride, and a sense of achievement. I wake up every morning at 5 a.m., and the first thing I do is work out. Morning exercise is very important. When I do it properly, my body feels light and fatigue disappears. My work is generally from 8 a.m. to around 5 p.m. I have been doing swimming, biking, and running continuously for 19 years. Not only that, but I also play golf, enjoy cycling, and go scuba diving. Mr. Jim Watson, as I mentioned earlier, you use many of our machine tools and laser processing machines. I would like to see with my own eyes how our machines are being used and how your factory equipment is made. And although I have never met you, I have great respect for your foresight. I always feel obsession, passion, and love for business while working.
