Postscript

The decision to compile the "75-Year History" was made in the autumn of 2021. At that time, the entire automotive industry was experiencing a period of unprecedented upheaval, often referred to as a "once-in-a-century transformation." Amidst this turmoil, compounded by challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and quality issues, we faced a harsh business environment. In response, we resolved to get back to our founding principles and confront this significant crisis as the "second founding." At the core of this initiative was an unprecedented activity aimed at rediscovering the essence of "DENSO Culture," thoroughly revisiting our work from its roots, refining it, and passing it on to the next generation.

The activity of rediscovering DENSO Culture was based on the leadership and exemplary actions of our top executives. We began by thoroughly reassessing and reaffirming the fundamental purpose of our work. Building on this foundation, we have been examining the ideal state and reflecting this into our current operations. To properly instill and pass on this rediscovered DENSO Culture among our employees, we adopted the basic approach of providing regular reminders through events and training, and establishing and offering “learning foundations.”

As concrete measures for building this "learning foundations," we focused on two main pillars: the establishment of the "DENSO Heritage Center" and the compilation of this "75-Year History." The former is a gallery designed to allow people to deeply feel the "origins" of DENSO Culture, not just with knowledge, but with heart, through artifacts and episodes by narrators from the founding period. The latter, this 75-Year History, presents our company's history as “stories,” encouraging readers to interpret DENSO Culture, reflect on it deeply in their minds, and utilize it as a standard for actions and behaviors.

Thus, unlike the traditional company histories that serve as "anniversary commemorations," the compilation and publication of the 75-Year History is an integral part of our management activities aimed at "inheriting DENSO Culture." The compilation team took on the challenging mission of creating a resource that all our employees, including those at overseas locations, could read and contemplate "as needed, where needed, and in the amount needed." To achieve this, we incorporated various innovative approaches, such as digitalization, multilingualization, and distinctive writing styles.

Through the process of compiling this 75-Year History, several issues came to light. One such issue is the "importance of archiving (recording and preserving)." While our company has grown and developed with a forward-thinking and innovation-oriented mindset, we have not given sufficient attention to recording, organizing, and passing on significant achievements. Without this, valuable sources of learning, especially the aspirations and commitments of those involved, may disappear as people come and go. The compilation activities have reaffirmed that "DENSO’s history" is a valuable asset of our company, serving as a catalyst for competitiveness and further growth and development.

After nearly three years of trial and error, I believe we have produced a truly unique company history. I encourage you to take a look, even if you start with the parts that interest you most. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who provided us with valuable information and advice, and who participated in lengthy interviews. Thank you very much for your support and cooperation.

Aspirations of the Compilation Team

In compiling DENSO’s 75-Year History, we were fortunate to receive the cooperation of many individuals, for which we are deeply grateful. We extend our sincere thanks to the representatives and executives of various departments, the former and current employees who participated in interviews, and the publishing company that provided tremendous support for this project.

Throughout the compiling process, our primary goal was to convey the essence of DENSO Culture. Beyond merely recording historical events, we aimed to capture the aspirations and behaviors of those times in concrete detail. We depicted DENSO’s management and employee aspects, by highlighting the key figures through interviews, we endeavored to present DENSO’s history from a more three-dimensional perspective.

Additionally, for the first time, we created "Stories of Our Worldwide Teams " from the viewpoint of overseas local employees, developing stories for each of the seven regions. To ensure that people in each region could read these stories, we have translated it into English. Additionally, to allow readers to access "the necessary sections when needed, and as much as needed," we have created our company's first web-based history. This enhances convenience by making it accessible not only on PCs but also on smartphones.

In conclusion, we hope that this 75-Year History will serve as a resource for reflecting on DENSO’s past, present, and future, and assist in taking new steps forward. We look forward to your continued support and patronage.

Compilation Chair
Kenichiro Ito (until 2023), Yasuhiko Yamazaki (from 2024)

Editorial and Production Cooperation
TOPPAN INC., Shuppan Bunka Sha Corp., TERA Inc.