Ando Momofuku E-Book

Jean-François Chambon

• Herausgeber: Publishroom
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 289

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

On August 15, 1945, the voice of Emperor Hirohito cried out from every radio station in Japan, announcing the end of World War II. Hurt and ruined, the Empire of the Rising Sun now faced a looming and unique demographic crisis; the country had lost its colonies along with the war, and 8 million people were being repatriated to their homeland archipelago. Hunger gripped the nation, and the queues in the streets for just a simple bowl of soup stretched endlessly.
Amidst this gloom, an idea was born from a daring spirit. Legendary entrepreneur Ando Momofoku had touched a broad range of interests in textiles, aviation, coal, and schools. In 1951, he launched into the ramen market with a guiding principle that was unprecedented: dried noodles that could be ready to eat in only three minutes. Easy, nutritious, and delicious. Resounding commercial success followed, and one of the world’s largest food companies was born—Nissin Food.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Jean-François M. Chambon spent his youth studying in Paris, France. He was married in the artists’ district of Montparnasse, which was his principal place of residence for more than thirty years.
In 1990, he suddenly left for Hong Kong and settled down in Wanchai.
In 1992, he joined the very secret world of international finance and was trained by the best.
After 2000, he again became actively engaged in the development of Asia. In this role, he travels to the land of the rising sun, Japan, on a regular basis. To this day, the main elements of his new mission remain quite unknown. All we can gather is that it concerns the financial circles of the region, and that large Japanese and Asian groups are involved.
In 2018, the author began a battle against an enemy within. What he himself calls a war, has taken him at times beyond his own limits. This fight, immortalized in the book “Papa, the fight for life”, continues to this day and can only end in victory.

Leseprobe

Jean-Francois M. Chambon

Ando Momofuku

Mister Noodles

To Yuriko, I don’t mind being alone as long as it is with you

To Nicolas, you are so better than me, I feel so proud

It is never too late to do something in yourlife

Ando Momofuku

Introduction

For the past 60 years, the Nissin Foods name has stood for Instant Noodles. These products are quite familiar to all of us. These long, thin strands of pasta made from wheat flour have several unique aspects: they are usually bought in their dehydrated form and are well known for both their low price and their easy preparation.

This book focuses on the roots of the Nissin Foods group, on what makes this company the world’s leading noodles brand that we know and love today.

For years, the innovative products created by this firm have been a discreet support for many students and workers who, during the Japanese economic boom years, didn’t have time to leave their desks. Instant noodles only require hot water to offer you a meal that matches what you need, bringing warmth, especially in winter.

More than ten years after the introduction of its first blockbuster, the Chikin Ramen, Nissin Foods launched the Cup Noodle product. Today, the group’s second flagship product has even attained the status of emergency food aid, as an effective way to send food quickly to people in remote areas who are in distress. For the victims of disasters such as earthquakes, Nissin’s Cup Noodles are a life-saving solution.

Behind Nissin Foods, there is a name: Ando Momofuku. This book tells his story. We use only the name Ando Momofuku to avoid any confusion. Actually, he was born Kure Momofuku, son of Go Shigyoku, his father, and Go Chiryu-oku (another way to read the characters in the family name is “Kure”). Behind every great man, there is a woman: Masako, his wife, is always present. Without her never-ending support during the numerous harsh times the family faced, Nissin’s founder would not have been able to carry out his work to the end. The success of the man is that of the couple.

The story of the founder of Nissin Foods is a clear guide for all entrepreneurs. His life is not only a way to success, but a path to wisdom. It does not matter how rich you are, if you have nothing to eat, you own nothing.

Part 1: Ando MomofukuA real entrepreneur

Taiwan – The earlydays

In the year 43 of the Meiji era, or 1910 in the Western calendar, Ando Momofuku was born in Kagi-city, Taiwan. The life of Ando began in pain as both his parents, Go Shigyoku, his father, and Go Chiryu-oku, his mother, died when he was young. His grandparents owned a successful textile business in the city of Tainan, Taiwan. They raised Ando as well as his two older brothers and two younger sisters.

His grandfather was always very proud of Ando being a “comet child”, a baby born in a year when Halley’s Comet approaches the earth, a rare event that only happens every 75–76 years. He was named Wu Bai-Fu, a Chinese name that will later give him his Japanese name, Momofuku, from the Japanese reading of the Chinese characters Bai-Fu.

He received a very strict education and quickly learned to be autonomous. Practically, that meant taking part in every household task: the cleaning, the laundry, and the cooking as well. Ando was an alert young boy, always ready to give his grandfather a hand in his textile store. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was not unusual for the children in the house to be active in the family business, an exercise in which young Ando excelled. In his grandparents’ shop, he was taught not only to appreciate the color of all kinds of textiles but the textures as well. He even dug deeper to find out why there were so many differences in the softness of fabrics from the same place. During this period, he also nurtured a special interest for the abacus, the calculator’s ancestor.

The founder of Nissin Foods always described this part of his childhood as a time of deep happiness. He discovered then something that he had a special connection with… food! Well, the first connection was basic: he liked to eat! But soon, his relationship to food took a new turn. Always very curious, he liked to explore new tasting experiences, especially with all the Chinese spices which were at his disposal on the family kitchen shelves. A Taiwanese custom says that “A boy should not enter the kitchen”, but this was definitely not followed by Ando Momofuku.

In addition, before going to school, he enjoyed preparing both breakfast and bentos for his younger sisters. Bentos are meals that come in a box, traditionally prepared in the morning for the lunches of children or workers. The meal is nutritional, but also offers a harmonious food arrangement. What the eye sees is as important as the taste. By the arrangement of the food, a bento encourages children to eat all kinds of food.

At a young age, in Granddad’s shop and by preparing bentos, Ando was already learning the importance of customers and how to pleasethem.

The years passed by, and Ando was 14 when he finished school. He then logically joined his grandfather in the cloth shop and learned all of the basics over the next six years.

When he was 20, one of his friends offered him a job as a librarian. Hungry for a change, Ando really enjoyed being able to read as many books as possible, while getting paid! The young man profited greatly from the free access to a wide range of knowledge.

But it was not long before such a solitary job weighed on Ando’s mind. For years, he was used to being in the lively environment of a textile store.

Even if he was willing to admit that such work really suited him, a heavy feeling of solitude and isolation grew more and more, every day. The totally silent environment in the midst of all the books soon became oppressive.

Every night, when he returned home, Ando entered another world. Back in the clothing shop, in the hustle and bustle of sellers coming and going, so busy answering specific requests from the flow of clients. For him, it was like coming back tolife.

As the days went by, he started experiencing trouble sleeping, and he finally asked himself the right questions...

–This job is stable and interesting… But is it really the right thing for me?

–Is it my true calling? Maybe I should follow my heart. The current lack of human contact is becoming unbearable and is making me unhappy.

After two years, unable to bear it any longer, hequit.

Welcome to the textile business

In 1932, year 7 of the Showa era, at only 22 years old, the young man decided to start his own business. Ando used the inheritance money left by his father to launch his very first company in Taiwan, Toyo Meriyasu. The company’s focus was “meriyasu”, which means jersey, a unique and easy way to knit without patterns or reliefs. It is a special technique to weave the fabric used in the manufacture of undergarments and socks. In order to differentiate himself from the competition, Ando chose to import fabric, good quality jersey from Japan, which could not be found locally, at a higher price. Customers appreciated this superior quality, especially since they were offered discounts for purchasing in large quantities. One of Ando’s mottos said “for a business relationship to be successful, both parties must win”. He often repeated that a good business relationship means shared gains between the seller and the buyer. If the seller earns too much at the expense of the buyer, the latter will not be satisfied. The seller may earn higher profits in the short term but loses the trust of the buyer in the long term. Young Ando was already showing strong sales skills, and he applied all that had been taught to him by his grandfather.

The following year, Ando decided to take things to the next level. He left Taiwan for Osaka, the Japanese city of commerce. Here he established the headquarters of his new company “Nitto Shokai”, a knitting wholesaler. At the time, the textile sector was booming.

From there, Nitto Shokai exported fabric to Taiwan. Rather than positioning itself in mass products, where the competition was tougher, the company focused on bespoke requests, quickly adapting to any specific needs and requests from its customers.

Productivity school: silkworms

In addition to the textile trade, Nitto Shokai worked with Yoshihisa Natsukawa of the Omi silk spinning company on a very specific project: namely, the improvement of silk production productivity. Ando noticed that silkworms grew faster if their usual diet of mulberry leaves was replaced with hima (tougoma, a shrub whose fruit is used to produce castor oil). The cocoon turned a bit yellow, but the growth was much faster. Two benefits came from the trees: first, giving hima leaves to the silkworms enabled them to grow more quickly, and second, the fruits could be harvested to produce castoroil.

Learn, alwayslearn

Ando decided to improve his economics knowledge in order to better understand and anticipate the external trends that could hurt or support his business. In addition to wearing his business hat during the day, he attended evening classes at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, and his efforts were rewarded in 1934 with a diploma in economics.

JAPAN: Ritsumeikan University

“Some die young, some live long lives. This is decided by fate. Therefore, one’s duty consists of cultivating one’s mind during this mortal span and thereby establishing one’s destiny”

Mencius

The word Ritsumei comes from the above passage in the Jinxin chapter of the Discourses of Mencius.

In 1869, Prince Kinmochi Saionji founded “Ritsumeikan” as a private academy on the site of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Then in 1900, Kojuro Nakagawa, the former secretary of Prince Saionji, established the Kyoto Hosei School, an evening law school open to working people. With the prince’s permission, the school adopted the name Ritsumeikan in 1913 and was awarded full university status nine years later. This center of learning was seen as a liberal alternative to the state-run Kyoto University.

The school spirit was a mixture of liberalism and internationalism advocated by Prince Saionji, combined with the ideals of academic freedom and the vivacity of Kojuro Nakagawa, a spirit that was well alive during the pre-war days, as illustrated by the acceptance of seventeen professors who were forced by the government to leave the Kyoto Imperial University for “pacifist activities”.

After the second World War, the university fully adopted the educational philosophy of peace and democracy. In 1948, Ritsumeikan became one of the first Japanese universities to be reorganized under the new education system and carried out extensive reforms to ensure democratic administration of the university in order to “better serve society as an educational institution open to the public”.

In April 2000, for its 100th anniversary as an international educational institution, the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), was opened in Oita prefecture.

Over the past century, the Ritsumeikan Trust has evolved into a comprehensive educational institution including two universities, four senior high schools, four junior high schools, and one primary school.

Soon, Nitto Shokai’s production capacity could not keep up with the ever-rising demand. Ando constantly ordered more and refused to resort to using lower-quality fabrics, even if such a strategy could have ensured greater profits... in the shortterm.

Ando felt he had no choice but to contact Marumatsu, a large knitting company. His employees were baffled by the move. How could he dare to go directly to the biggest producer in the archipelago when he only ran a small business? Even as they tried to dissuade him, he decided to go and meet the representatives of the Marumatsu company.

MENTORSHIP:Dare!

If we dare, we can succeed,

If we don’t, we are sure tofail.

Daring is definitely a common characteristic of all the greatest entrepreneurs. For Ando, it was daring to go and meet Marumatsu, then the largest knitting company. For us, it’s sometimes just daring to ask. You have nothing to lose by asking. Indeed, what is at stake? Your main risk is, at worst, a refusal.

Like Steve Jobs who, at 12–13 years old, wanted to build a frequency counter without having the necessary spare parts. He then searched for Bill Hewlett’s number in the Palo Alto phonebook.

(Note for the younger generation: a phone book was a physical book that contains an alphabetical list of the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the people in a town or area.)

Steve called to ask, quite simply, if it were possible for Bill Hewlett to supply the missing parts free of charge. 20 minutes later, not only had Bill Hewlett promised him the parts, but he also offered him the opportunity to come and do a summer internship in his company. That summer, Steve worked on the Hewlett Packard frequency counters assembly line in Santa Clara.

Dreaming is good, but this is only a first step. One must take action. Many talented people get nothing, simply because they dare not ask, or don’t dare to make the first move. Action makes the difference between those who spend their time dreaming and those who actually do things and succeed, even though they may not always be the most talentedones.

Meeting thegiant

D-Day came soon enough! Ando walked towards the impressive Marumatsu building. He showed up without any appointment and was determined to negotiate as an equal with the giant knitting company. He then patiently waited for someone to agree to receive him, even though many at Marumatsu wondered why such a young man was there.

When he finally found himself in the presence of Mr. Fujimura, the plant manager, despite being a bit nervous at first, he threw himself into a long speech, enthusiastically expounding upon the activity of his company.

He then explained in detail his view on the current trend that offered a large place for comfortable fabrics with high levels of softness. What gained the respect of the 50-year-old plant manager was the amount of technical detail described by Ando. The Nitto Shokai manager, still in his twenties, was talking a lot about cotton material number 30, which was in high demand from his customers in Taiwan. At that time, the so-called number 30 cotton was a high-quality one, the higher the number, the thinner the thread and the harder it was to weave.

In search of a way to meet the growing demand for comfortable and soft fabrics, he wondered if Marumatsu could find a way to make such types of products in large quantities.

–Would it be possible to create an even finer thread to obtain a softer, more flexible, more comfortable fabric?

–Could we eventually use wool number 20, weaving it with less density and less tightness?

The Marumatsu representative was certainly impressed by Ando’s technical mastery, and by his desire to innovate in order to respond more precisely to consumer needs. He then proposed bringing in the technical manager with whom Ando could discuss matters at length.

MENTORSHIP: Beready

It is better to be prepared for something that does not happen than to be unprepared when the opportunity of a lifetime presents itself toyou.

When Ando Momofuku reached the Marumatsu building he was very well prepared. He fully understood the needs of his customers. The new emerging trends in customer demand were well known to him and he mastered perfectly all the technical aspects of the various types of raw materials from which the fabrics were produced.

He approached the market leader with a detailed plan on how to meet the ever-increasing needs of his customers. He could thereby offer a way to grow both his own business and Marumatsu’s.

Being ready allowed Ando to be taken seriously when negotiating directly with the much larger textile supplier.

Being ready allowed him to make a quick decision and to reach an agreement on thespot.

Regarding opportunities, don’t leave anything to chance. Be prepared.

The passion that fed Ando pushed him to work harder and to master the current needs of his customers and to envision the future trends for which the young entrepreneur wished to prepare. In order to grow his business, he knew he had no choice but to get the support of the largest textile manufacturing company at thattime.

The agreement with Marumatsu allowed Nitto Shokai to significantly grow its business volume with its flagship products, Jersey-based fabrics, and brand-new items added to the range.

JAPAN: Marumatsu

Tonogai Jojiro and Jingoro Tatsuki founded Marumatsu as a knitting manufacturer in 1904 (Meiji 37), when the Japanese knitting industry in Osaka was starting to take off. The first president of the company believed that for a country with scarce resources, like Japan, trade is the best path to follow. During this period, textiles became one of Japan’s core industries as many textile companies were founded, most of them employing only five to thirty people.

International markets became key for the group. Marumatsu expanded its business by exporting men’s underwear to India. In 1938, a factory was built in Tianjin, China, with up to 3,000 employees working there, and exports to Manchuria then rose significantly.

Dark times came as the head office in Ebie was completely burned down during an air raid on Osaka during World War II. In addition, the Chinese factory was requisitioned at the end of the war. In 1947, when the restrictions on private trade were lifted, the production and export of knitwear resumed.

Textile manufacturing had relied significantly on manual labor. During the appreciation of the yen and the collapse of the bubble economy in the nineties, a Chinese factory in Fujian became key for the group as a far cheaper production base. The outsourcing of labor to cheaper markets pushed many textile companies out of business.

Despite the cost, Marumatsu kept some production facilities in Japan, and Dai Sokai (president and CEO of Marumatsu) said in 2009: “I want to keep some manufacturing in Japan even if we become the last domestic manufacturer”. The company has manufacturing sites both inside and outside Japan.

They have their own purpose, and we fully understand the cost advantage of producing in low-cost countries, so why keep facilities where manufacturing is more expensive?

Well, president Sokai was clear about it during his 2009 speech. He wants to keep some textile industry activities within Japan even if he is the last company in the sector to do so, because it is good for employment and for retaining some know-how within the country. There is an economic reason as well. When you exchange information with fabric makers and weavers, you can take advantage of having your factory nearby to change the manufacturing process immediately. Materials which are likely to be popular next season can be offered to apparel makers as soon as possible. Speed is the key here. It is far easier to adjust to final demand, especially when a specific product meets with huge success. Local production helps with quick production adjustments.

War stops everything

Nothing was able to stop the growth of Nitto Shokai, nothing… except war. The Pacific conflict began in 1941, the 16th year of the Showa era. Ando was on a business trip to Taiwan when he heard the radio report announcing the start of hostilities between Japan and the United States, and he literally fell from his chair. International textile trade as a business was nomore.

Those dark times could not prevent him from having innovative ideas. With his own vision of consumer trends and an authentic entrepreneurial spirit, he quickly started multiple commercial projects, including the production of coal, the sale of slide projectors, salt making, and the creation of prefabricated houses. It came as second nature to him; he felt a strong inner need to respond to the specific needs of customers and to make a business out of those needs. Ando was definitely a businessman, but he was more than just that. He already had the strong conviction that life is not only about getting rich, but rather about making a positive contribution to the daily lives of people, his potential customers.

During all those years, he also demonstrated real entrepreneurial flexibility, an ability which allowed him to create but also to let go of any one business to pursue new opportunities.

Buying a mountain…

Being the second largest city in Japan put Osaka in a difficult position during WWII. It was the target of aerial bombings. Life in such a big city quickly became dangerous, and many fled with their families to the safety of the countryside. Ando himself left for Hyogo Prefecture.

Life, in what was expected to be a more peaceful area, was not as easy as expected.

–Mr. Ando, you are from Osaka. It’s a big city and you are used to having everything to hand. Here in the countryside, we have nothing!

–Nothing? But I can see houses, families.

–You are right, but we don’t have jobs. Our houses are so cold inside! We have no way to heat them, especially as temperatures are dropping!

–What do you mean? You have…

–This is war Mr. Ando, and there is nothing left for us, and no jobs as well.

War is certainly the mother of all shortages. Ando listened carefully to the villagers but refused to share their discouragement; for him, no problem was unsolvable. He saw only temporary obstacles just waiting for a solution to be found. In any case, he was unable to sit idly by. After visiting the region, our entrepreneur then decided ... to buy a mountain!

–Well, Mr. Ando, you said you have an idea on how to solve our problem?

–Actually, the mountain we visited this morning… who does it belongto?

–Uh ... you should ask the mayor aboutit.

–Ok, Let’s go and meet him rightnow!

Once in the town hall, it did not take long for our hero with his negotiating skills to acquire the whole mountain! He then promptly went back to the villagers who really felt at a loss at the behavior of this man from Osaka.

–Mr. Ando, you bought the whole mountain as you wanted. What do you plan to do withit?

–Well, it’s not about the mountain itself…

–What? But then, why...?

–The trees, I want to use the trees.

–Oh, I see… But whatfor?

–Charcoal! Charcoal to put in your stoves!

–…

–And I will need your help, I will need hands, many hands to produce this charcoal.

Ando actually purchased 25 hectares of land on the mountain. The mountain was covered with forests, so it met his goals perfectly. He then recruited heavily from the currently unemployed local population, and they started making charcoal from the trees. The production process took hours, but as a result, charcoal was created and became available to everyone. Making charcoal by burning trees is an old and very simple method that has proven efficient both in the long past and during hard times. During wartime, energy networks can be often out of service or restricted to military purposes. By reviving this charcoal making method, Ando was able to offer jobs to the villagers as well as allowing them to heat their homes.

Prefabricated houses

The charcoal production business was soon not keeping our entrepreneur busy enough. Many people were left homeless after the numerous bombings. Ando then threw himself into manufacturing simple houses, a kind of precursor to the current prefabricated house industry. But don’t compare them with today’s beautiful structures. These were simple barracks, but they did the job and provided roofs over the heads of families who had lost their homes.

Once again, the enthusiasm and the strong will of Ando gave courage to the people around him. He was an inspiration and stubbornly refused to sink into the gloominess that so many felt during this period. He mixed business and helping people who were in difficulty, an amazing balance that followed him all hislife.

Magic lanterns

Ando Momofuku’s brain could not stand still. He quickly noticed how difficult it was to train workers, so he launched a business for manufacturing “phantom light machines”. These so called “phantom light machines” were also called magic lanterns, and actually these were the forebears of slide projectors. This may seem strange today, but that time was before the era of television! Many specialists were called to serve in the military outside of Japan. In factories, the number of student workers rose sharply. As most of them didn’t know how to handle the machines, instructors used magic lanterns to project photos and technical drawings onto large screens.

Spare parts for aircraft engines

With the war in full swing, the manufacturing of aircraft engine parts was also a growing sector. Raw materials were supplied by the military government which kept a precise register of the flows of all the spare parts.

One day, as Ando was checking the production figures as usual, his face suddenly turned pale. The raw material inventory level appeared significantly lower than what was recorded in the accounts! No doubt, an unscrupulous person was acting behind the scenes!

–There is no doubt, somebody is stealing from us! I have to go to the police atonce!

Without any further delay, he rushed to report the facts to the Kempeitai, the Military Police. Alas, periods of war are very troubled, dark times. Even though he went in person to declare the disappearance of a part of his inventory, the police hardly listened to what he said. They rejected what they defined as false accusations and charged Ando himself for the misappropriation of goods!

–Where are the missing spare parts?

–I don’t know, I just noticed that some have disappeared, this is why I camehere.

–You lost them?

–No, I am in charge of the company, and while checking the inventory…

–Stop! I wonder… Haven’t you sold them to make profit for yourself?

–Absolutely not! I’m the one coming to you to declare…

–It wouldn’t be the first time we saw such behavior! Trying to mask a theft by declaring it to the authorities!

–But…

–Accusing somebody of stealing while you are actually making money on the black market! You are not stealing from the army, you are stealing from the country itself!

–But…

Ando was then quickly thrown in jail for the misappropriation of military material. This was one of the hardest moments of his life. In prison, he was undernourished, beaten every day, and tortured by the military police for 45 long days. He only gained his release due to the intervention of loyal friends. When he finally got out, he seemed to be temporarily cured of his love for commerce.

A new school

This war period was very difficult for Japanese families. The fathers and older sons were forced to fulfill their military obligations. The mothers were then alone to carry the burden of looking after the house and finding the resources to feed the younger children. During the day, children were often left on their own, hanging out on the streets.

Ando decided to build a vocational school. The Chinese Institute of Transport Technology or Chuka Kotsu Gijutsu Gakuin (Chuka – Chinese, Kotsu – transportation, Gijutsu – technology, Gakuin – institute) was established in Nagoya (Aichi prefecture).

The establishment specialized in technologies related to transport. The main objective of the school was to train poor children in order for them to avoid being left without any form of education. All wars end, sooner or later. When that day came, Japan would definitely need a workforce with high industrial and technological knowledge in order to rebuild the country.

Masako-san

“I fell in love at first sight with this very kind and gentle woman”

Ando Momofuku

Fortunately, it was not all darkness during this troubled period. In 1943, an unexpected event came to brighten the life of Ando Momofuku. It all started with a knock on his front door. Some friends were there and were quite enthusiastic about a young woman who worked at the Osaka Club, a place where all the important businessmenmet.

–Momofuku! We have been doing some thinking… don’t you feel this is the right time for you to start a family!

–What? A family? You must be joking! Have you forgotten there is a war going on?

–We have not forgotten that, but war doesn’t mean the end of everything.

–A family! With all the bombing we all live in permanent danger.

–We know this,but…

–I think this is definitely not the right time for me to enter into a relationship.

–You are right, this is wartime, but have you stopped conducting business or building new companies?

–Well… it’s not thesame!

–You bet it is! This is calledlife!

As a true entrepreneur, Ando knew that the best way to be successful in business is to solve other people’s problems. To be able to do that, he observed and listened a lot. What his friends told him made sense; for a few years, he had been totally focused on his business and… time flies. He then put aside his own initial reservations, and in the same way that he rushed into new professional activities, he left at once to see for himself who this young woman was that he had been told so much about. Masako was the daughter of a priest at the Nihonmatsu Shrine in Fukushima Prefecture. Very smart and well educated, she was working at the Osaka Club receptiondesk.

Well, Ando’s skill for building new businesses was of little help here. When he finally managed to have tea with Masako, the young woman was far from enthusiastic about the idea of getting married.

This war period was not favorable to starting a life plan to be initiated by marriage. But all was not lost; her words said no, but her heart was not made of stone. Actually, in her bag she kept the many love letters that Momofukusent.

One day as they walked together, she shared her concerns…

–Ando, what will become of the country with this never-endingwar?

–Wars always come to an end, Masako.

–But how can we cope with all this destruction? People have lost their homes. Look around us… So many buildings are now nothing but ruins…

–Well, we’re going to rebuild them, all of them. We’ll make them bigger and stronger!

–You are a dreamer, Ando. Right now, we can’t build anything. Bombs would destroy all of it. I wonder how anyone can make any plans for the future in such a situation. There is absolutely no visibility for the future of the country itself.

–We have no visibility in the short term, but our country and all of the children do have a future.

The entrepreneur had already experienced so many ups and downs. All his past successes as well as his numerous failures made him resilient. He stubbornly refused to be overcome by discouragement and continued to speak with enthusiasm and confidence.

–Masako, worrying is useless. What is important is not the current situation but our dreams and how we implement them to turn them into reality.

Momofuku finally found the right words to convince his beloved. Their marriage was celebrated in a country that was still suffering from war. Momofuku took his wife’s Japanese surname as “Ando” was a respected name from Masako’s father, Ando Shigenobu, the High Priest at the Nihonmatsu temple in Fukushima.

Post-war

On August 15, 1945, the voice of Emperor Hirohito rose from every radio in the country. The message itself was dramatic: the end of hostilities was finally announced. Emotions ran high for the Japanese population. First, the war was lost, but perhaps even more astounding, for the first time, the emperor addressed his people through a recorded speech, a real surprise for a nation who had never heard his voice before.

Working by thesea

In Izumiotsu, a small seaside town near Osaka, Ando settled down with his family. To have a rest? Not really—it is hard to imagine him lying on the beach enjoying the sun... He quickly decided to start a new business. He took a group of young people under his wing, and on land donated by the government, he decided to produce salt. Sea salt produced with free energy: thesun.

The operation was carried out with thin metal plates on which seawater was poured. The water evaporated under the heat of the sun’s rays and the salt crystals were then collected and sold. In this post-war period, young people had lost everything and were wandering without purpose, but with this work, Ando gave them hope for the future. His role was more that of a father. They learned to work to make money, and they learned to be generous as well—unsold salt was distributed free of charge. Often, in addition, neighbors receive furikake, a Japanese seasoning often added on top of white rice, vegetables, or cooked fish. Furikake is usually a mix of dried fish, sesame seeds, and dried seaweed. These kind gestures were much appreciated during a time when people were sometimes starving. This seasoning is a good source of protein and calcium. At the same time, he chartered two fishing boats to catch sardines at sea. The fish were dried andsold.

–Momofuku, you do seem to enjoy what you are doing recently. Have you noticed that all your current activities revolve around the same sector?

–What do you mean Masako?

–Salt, fish, and furikake are all related to food. And your coal business is mostly used for cooking meals.

–You are right. I always had a special connection with food. I love this area of business.

The importance of being well insured