創業者ブログ

The future of the construction business
(Sep.3, 2007)

Fukui prefecture used to be regarded as a "kingdom of the construction business," However, it is becoming doubted that Fukui deserves such a title now. It is reported that at least a couple of medium or small construction companies went out of business. It was once said the contracting business is the business for real men. In those good old days, many leading construction companies were founded in Fukui.

When I was a young man, I was sociable with several founders of leading construction companies and leared a lot from them: ASUKA Akira of Asuka, KUMAGAYA Tazaburo of Kumagaya-gumi, and MA'EDA Matabei of Ma'eda Kensetsu kogyo. They were much senior to me. They took great care of me and gave me many fatherly advices. Their management philosophies are all unique and quite different from each other.

Among these three legendary business persons, Mr. Ma'eda had the most sane and conservative management philosophy. As a result, his company and its affiliated companies were all in incredibly good standings. He was the president of Tsuruga cement corporation, which was affiliated with Mitani trading company. For this reason, I had great opportunities for having a particularly close relationship with him and doing well to learn from him.

Mr. KUMAGAYA Tazaburo is known also as a great statesman: when he was still young, he was appointed as a mayor of Fukui, and then, he was elected as a member of the House of Councillors. So, when I talked to him, I used to think that I was talking to a great statesman, rather than a mere business person. He wished that his company would bite into the five best construction companies. For fulfilling this vision, he made a strong effort to receiving orders from abroad. As a result, three of the tallest building in the world were constructed by his company.

ASUKA, Akira is related to the founding family of Asuka-gumi, which was the biggest construction company of Japan before the WWII. The original Asuka-gumi was forced to be disposed after the war by allied occupation. Mr. Asuka acceded the company name and attained his significant goal of reconstruction of Asuka-gumi.

These three key-persons, Mr. MA'EDA, Kumagaya, and Asuka, took the lead in the growth of construction trade in Fukui.

However, the Fukui construction trade is now faced with various kinds of problems. Recently, the government reviewed the allocation of public investments and reduced it. This governmental decision produced serious effects on the economy of Fukui. This effects are much more serious then they would be in other areas of Japan because the ratio of the construction trade to the total population of Fukui is very high. Furthermore, in the aftermath of the divulgation of their bid-riggin and the resultant disqualification of nominated bidders, the CEOs had lost their grip to thrust upon the bankruptcy of their companies. This is very lamented for Fukui economy. Why didn't they recall their rouse just after the end of the WWII? If they did, they would gather their courage. It is urgent for Fukui economy to prevent the further increase of bankruptcies.
The concerned parties and the government need to take some measures.