Shōjirō Ishibashi (石橋 正二郎, Ishibashi Shōjirō, February 1, 1889 – September 11, 1976) was a Japanese businessman who founded the Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest maker of tires,[1] in 1931 in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. the company was named after its founder: in the Japanese language, ishi means "stone" and hashi (here voiced to bashi) means "bridge",[1] whence the origin of the company's name in English.[1]
After the end of the Second World War and the subsequent occupation of Japan, Ishibashi became extensively embroiled in Japanese politics. Ishibashi was close to Ichiro Hatoyama, who was a rival to prime minister Shigeru Yoshida.[2] Ishibashi became an advisor to Hatoyama on Japan's post-war economic development, expressing his views on the economic policy of the parties of Hatoyama's political affiliation.[3]
Ishibashi's motto for Bridgestone was to "serve society with products of superior quality". He founded Ishibashi Cultural Center and the Bridgestone Museum of Art (also located at 10 Kyobashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104) and was a major benefactor of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, having also constructed the building in which it is housed.
Tama Motor Company (later renamed as Prince Motor Company) executives at the exhibition show of the Prince vehicles heald at the Bridgestone headquarters in Kyobashi, Tokyo in March 1952. From left to right, Tamotsu Toyama (executive director. Former prototype aircraft workshop manager of Tachikawa Aircraft Company), Satoichiro Suzuki (president), Shojiro Ishibashi (chairman of Tama Motors and the president of Bridgestone) and Kanichiro Ishibashi (executive director. Son of Shojiro Ishibashi).
February 1949 – Ishibashi financed the Tokyo Electric Car Company (one of the successors of the Tachikawa Aircraft Company) and became the Chairperson of the Board.
November 1949 – Tokyo Electric Car changed its name to Tama Electric Car Company.
November 1950 – Tama Electric Car ordered the new gasoline engine from the Fuji Precision Industries (one of the successors of the disbanded Nakajima Aircraft Company).
April 1951 – Ishibashi bought the most of the stock of the Fuji Precision Industries and became the Chairperson of the Board. At this time, Ishibashi owned both Tokyo Electric Car and Fuji Precision.
November 1951 – Tama Electric Car changed its name to the Tama Motor Company.
November 1952 – Tama Motor Company changed its name to the Prince Motor Company.
April 1954 – Prince Motor Company was merged into Fuji Precision. (Prior to this, two of them were owned by Ishibashi.)
May 1965 – Ishibashi (the owner of Prince), Hidehiko Ogawa (the president of Prince) and Katsuji Kawamata (the president of Nissan) signed a merger memorandum.
^『プリンス自動車の光芒』 桂木洋二著 グランプリ出版 22 October 2003 KATSURAGI, Yoji (2003), "The Beam of Light of the Prince Motor Company", Grand Prix Book Publishing Co., Ltd., (Japanese) ISBN4-87687-251-1
^『「プリンス」荻窪の思い出II』荻友会編 私家版 16 November 1997 『Prince – Memories of Ogikubo』Private press by Tekiyukai Association, November 16, 1997 (Japanese)
