Pilot Museum - Tokyo

\PILOT MUSEUM,

Pilot Pen Museum - Tokyo
 

Corporate name: PILOT CORPORATION
Headquarters: 2-6-21, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo,104-8304, Japan
 

The Guiding Principles of Pilot Corporation

When the founders of Pilot Corporation, Masao Wada and Ryosuke Namiki, commenced business operations in 1918, they decided to adopt five Guiding Principles (shown above) for the company.

In the era of civilization and enlightenment after Japan opened up to the world in the second half of the 19th century, the nation worked hard to modernize, modeled on the developed nations of Europe and America. When these two founders were young, they studied at a mercantile marine college and they aspired to greatness on the seven seas of the world. They felt that business was not just a way to make money. They wanted to demonstrate the true spirit of Japan to the world, so they decided to make products of a very high quality that would be accepted worldwide. They established a company, and engaged in exporting, an activity which contributed to the nation and to society. Their way of thinking was very much like the corporate social responsibility concept of today.

"Sansha - Teiritsu" Three forces in balance with each other

If one leg of an ancient three-legged Chinese bronze vessel is too long or too short, it will topple over.
The same thing can be said of corporate management in terms of the relationships linking the manufacturer, the seller and the consumer. We believe that if any of these three should suffer loss or gain excessive benefit at the expense of the other two, business would not run smoothly.
The manufacturers should think about their own profits based on consideration of the efforts of the sellers of these products as well as the convenience and ease with which people can use the products. The sellers of these products must have a good understanding of the efforts of the designers and the makers of the products.
 

"Ukiwa - Seishin" Shared joys and shared sorrows
The spirit of shared joy and shared sorrow is linked to the idea of an unsinkable lifebuoy (ring buoy), our initial trademark.
The meaning extends to strong solidarity among the company's employees, enabling them to experience both suffering and joy together in the pursuit of the same objectives.
Also, the company and its sales outlets must work together in total unity to ensure mutual corporate prosperity.

"Nankan - Toppa" Overcoming difficulties
In September 1905, the ship on which Ryosuke Namiki served as an engineer was caught in a massive gale of unusual strength in the Genkai Sea area.
The ship struggled valiantly in the storm for two days and two nights, and by a miracle it narrowly escaped destruction.
Later, Ryosuke Namiki commented, "The ship was saved from this unprecedented ordeal by two principles of nautical ethos. Namely, the captain constantly made the crew practice emergency drills and he never for a moment lost awareness of the ever-present possibility of a major disaster striking coupled with the fact that the entire crew made superhuman efforts, obeyed his orders implicitly and carried out their duties unheeding of their own danger."

Masao Wada had served as a ship's captain, and when he heard this comment by Ryosuke Namiki, he commissioned a painting by the artist Ichiro Shirakawa of Tokyo Fine Arts School. Masao Wada showed this picture to all the employees and explained that this depicts the core spirit of mariners when overcoming difficulties.

"Ichinichi - Isshin" One step, one day
A pilot is a marine guide and a leader!

If constant, step-by-step progress is made, be it ever so slow, the company will eventually become top of the sector. So, we must make daily efforts to ensure we become the top firm. With this, Masao Wada named the company's first product "Pilot". Without constant efforts for improvement, even leaders eventually falter and fail. We have learned the truth of this through actual bitter experiences.

"Shisei - Shinken" A very sincere approach

This means that if we make truly sincere efforts, nothing in this world is impossible. This also means that, however good our ideas or measures are, if we do not have a sincere and serious approach to our work, we will not attain success. This has been our constant, unfaltering stance in R&D, production and marketing, and we always put ourselves in the place of the customers and maintain this very sincere approach.