Soichiro Honda was born on November 17, 1906 in Iwatagun (now Tenrryu City) isolated in Shizuoka prefecture. Chubu region between Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara on the island of Honshu is initially full of neat tea plant, which he interrupted interrupted-planted strawberries are delicious. But now Honda has been swallowed by the birth of Hamamatsu is the largest city in the province.
His father named Gihei Honda a blacksmith-turned-entrepreneur bicycle repair shop, while his mother named Mika, Soichiro eldest of nine children, but only four made it to adulthood. The others died in childhood due to shortage of drugs and also due to slums.
Although Honda Gihei poor, but he likes to renewal. When it appears mouthpiece of Western capital, he did not hesitate to replace the traditional cigaret pipe is bent, no matter what the neighbors think it strange. Apparently it's nature and also the skill to handle the machine down on her eldest son.
Before entering school, were Soichiro was happy, helped his father in the workshop of iron. He was also very fascinated to see and hear dengum rice milling is located a few kilometers from his village.
Low achievement at school. Honda claimed repeat-ulangannya bad. He does not like to read, while he felt very difficult to fabricate. Not infrequently he is skipping. "Even now I am more efficient learning from TV than from reading. If I read, nothing is sticking in the brain, "he said.
When it's fifth and sixth grades, Soichiro talent stood out in the field of science. Although it was only a dozen years, but in science classes in Japan have raised objects such as batteries, scales, test tubes and machines. Soichiro easily capture details of teachers and easily he answers.
Some time before that, for the first time Soichiro saw the car. "When I forget everything. I chased the car and managed to hang on a minute behind. When the car stopped, lubricant drips to the ground. I kiss the ground that dibasahinya. Maybe I just like the dog's behavior. Then the lubricant that I had rubbed into the hands and arms.
Maybe that's when in my heart the desire to someday make their own cars. Since then there is sometimes a car comes into our village. Every time I hear the roar of the car, I ran into the street, no matter at that time my sister was holding. "
Soichiro had only attended school for ten years. After graduating from elementary school, juvenile delinquents were sent to junior high school in Futumata not far from his residence. Graduated from high school, he returned to his father's house. Gihei Honda have already switched from the blacksmith to be entrepreneur bicycle repair shop. Gihei Honda has the magazine The World of Wheels that Soichiro read with great interest.
In the magazine an auto repair shop from Tokyo advertise for employees. Soichiro hastily proposed and she accepted. Although the father is worried, but Soichiro also ushered into the great city.
Honda almost did not believe in his ear as he waited for the Honda felt called upon to learn to be a mechanic that really is the most severe test of fortitude, who had faced in his life. In the days after that he was no longer afraid to face any obstacle thanks to the endurance gained during his lackeys.
Honda's long career did not know much about money, only gain very little that first year. But Honda was lucky because his workshop a success. He decided to save money and the estimate for the duration of employment would be able to collect up to 1,000 yen.
Honda's famous during his life as an inventor. He holds the patent more than 100 personal discovery. The first, the discovery is the technique of making the radius of the metal car. When the cars in Japan using the fingers of combustible wood. Japanese companies exporting immediately fingers the metal to India. At age 25 he had benefited 1,000 yen a month.
The company also appreciate the young people and are always recruiting young people to give "new blood" and fresh ideas. When Honda withdrew in 1973, chosen as a replacement is Kyoshi Kawashima, Honda's head of corporate research. During its history, the company had experienced strikes Honda only once in 1954. When the Honda and management on the one hand facing workers andHonda sister in the other Contracting Party. But as companies like in Japan everything was resolved by consensus.
Since 1973, Honda moved to a four-wheeled vehicle market to continue to develop the company's total income. His staff during the Honda increased 10% every year. When they get older, it means the company will increase the weight load. Though Honda face heavy competition in the domestic market and abroad. To be able to keep creating new markets they should always look for unique techniques and efficient and to sell products at competitive prices.
But when Honda and Fujisawa resigned in the fall of 1973, Honda said, "I can retreat without feeling worried, because I believe the company will move forward vigorously, tackling the difficulties and flexible, without losing freshness."
"Frankly I feel young in terms of mental and physical," said Honda. "I guess you can not win from me. However I must admit now I often feel jealousy in young people. I was told that the American leaders of public companies was 40's and the company led people aged 60-something years often stagnated.
We now are entering a new era that requires new values. Although I and the deputy leader of the general feeling we were young, we thought our life was over for the lead. "
If I look back, I see that I've made nothing but mistakes, a series of failures and a spate of regret, "said Honda. "But I'm also proud for my success. Although I often make mistakes and failures, but it never caused the same thing. I never repeat my mistakes and always strive to improve yourself. In the event that I succeed.
"He still holds the largest stake in the company. When he resigned in 1973 revenue approaching $ 1.7 billion. Although retired his talk is still heard. He said, the future is not determined by the Japanese industries to quickly, but by the quality of the goods we make and the effect on the interests of fellow human beings. If we make things that cause much pollution we are likely to be profitable, but only briefly, after it went bankrupt.
