Takeo Fujisawa

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Takeo Fujisawa

Role / Field:

Co-founder of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.; oversaw the company's financial growth.

Born:

1910-11-10

Died:

1988-12-30

Century / Era:

1910s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Takeo Fujisawa (藤沢 武夫, Fujisawa Takeo; November 10, 1910 – December 30, 1988) was a Japanese businessman who co-founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. alongside Soichiro Honda. Fujisawa oversaw the financial side of the company while Honda handled the engineering and product development. Together, they took the company from a small manufacturer of bicycle engines to a worldwide car manufacturer. Takeo Fujisawa was born in Yuki, Ibaraki as the eldest son of Hideshiro Fujisawa and his wife Yuki. After a series of jobs in banking and other sectors, his father Shushiro had become the manager of the Jitsueisha, a publicity company that made slide commercials for display at movie theaters.

Career & Major Achievements

In 1923, when the young Fujisawa was in his first year at Kyoka Middle School, the Great Kantō earthquake dealt the whole family a terrible blow. The Jitsueisha was destroyed and the elder Fujisawa was left with nothing but borrowed money to live on. Later he planned to revive the movie industry but the tremendous efforts he had made after the disaster had wrecked his health and he became an invalid. The young Fujisawa hoped to become a teacher but failed the official Tokyo school examinations and worked as a professional copyist, writing addresses on envelopes in order to support the family and devoting his leisure time to reading literature. In 1930, he was called up for military service and after a year in the army he resumed his work as a copyist.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Fujisawa’s first permanent employment started in September 1934 when he was twenty-three years old. He worked for the Mitsuwa Shokai, a company in Hatchobori, Nihonbashi, Tokyo, a dealer of steel products, Fujisawa was employed as a traveling salesman, visiting small factories to promote Mitsuwa Shokai’s steel products. When asked why he had chosen this particular job when his interpersonal skills were so weak, his only reply was that he had felt an intuition that this was the path he should follow. His hidden talent suddenly blossomed and he gradually developed relationships with a range of new clients, becoming the company’s top-performing salesman. He adopted the slogan “Always tell your clients the truth” and if ever it looked as though a delivery was going to be late, he would not try to make up excuses but would apologize and give an honest explanation of the reason for the delay.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1910 (1910-11-10): Birth of Takeo Fujisawa — Co-founder of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.; oversaw the company's financial growth.
2. 1923: 1923 Milestone — In 1923, when the young Fujisawa was in his first year at Kyoka Middle School, the Great Kantō earthquake dealt the whole family a terrible blow.
3. 1930: 1930 Milestone — In 1930, he was called up for military service and after a year in the army he resumed his work as a copyist.
4. 1934: 1934 Milestone — Fujisawa’s first permanent employment started in September 1934 when he was twenty-three years old.
5. 1988 (1988-12-30): Passing & Historical Legacy — Takeo Fujisawa passed away on 1988-12-30, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Notable Quotes by Takeo Fujisawa

“Always tell your clients the truth”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Takeo Fujisawa

True or False: “Takeo Fujisawa was primarily responsible for the engineering and product development at Honda Motor Co., Ltd.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Fujisawa oversaw the financial side of the company, while Soichiro Honda handled the engineering and product development.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. J. Ayer — Contemporary (Born in 1910) (1910): Influential English philosopher known for logical positivism and emotivism.
• Ahmed Ali (writer) — Contemporary (Born in 1910) (1910): Pioneering Urdu writer, poet, and diplomat from British India to Pakistan.
• Akira Kurosawa — Contemporary (Born in 1910) (1910): Master of Japanese cinema, known for dynamic style and epic storytelling.
• Abdul Basit 'Abd us-Samad — Contemporary (Died in 1988) (1988): Renowned Egyptian Quran reciter, celebrated for his melodious and emotionally engaging style.
• Abdul Ghaffar Khan — Contemporary (Died in 1988) (1988): Pioneering nonviolent activist and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement.
• Adele — Contemporary (Born in 1988) (1988): Iconic English singer-songwriter celebrated for powerful mezzo-soprano vocals.
• Abel Gance — Shared historical date (11-10 · Died) (1981): French cinematic pioneer, celebrated for his mastery of montage and epic filmmaking.
• Aldo Nadi — Shared historical date (11-10 · Died) (1965): Italian fencing champion known for his Olympic success and teaching in the US.
• Abdurrahman Wahid — Shared historical date (12-30 · Died) (2009): Influential Indonesian politician, Islamic leader, and fourth President known for pluralism.
• Ahmed III — Shared historical date (12-30 · Born) (1673): Sultan of the Ottoman Empire during the period leading to the Tulip Era.
• 1910 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1910
• November 10 (11-10) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 10
• 1988 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1988
• December 30 (12-30) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on December 30

Frequently Asked Questions about Takeo Fujisawa