Story of DENSO

"The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history."

These are the words of the 19th-century German philosopher, Hegel. This means that learning from history, that is, extracting lessons from it and applying them in practice, is exceedingly difficult.

Fast forward to the 21st century, specifically the year 2025. DENSO has compiled its "75-Year History." Unlike previous anniversary histories, this one was created as a resource for employees to "learn from history." Recognizing that learning from history remains challenging even today, we have incorporated various innovative approaches into this compilation. In addition, we aimed for it to be a material that external audiences can use to grasp the essence of DENSO as a company.

DENSO has now become one of the world's leading automotive parts suppliers. This corporate history narrates the journey from its founding to the present, spanning 75 years, as a single, continuous flow. It's essentially a management history that provides a panoramic view of the entire global group.

It significantly differs from typical corporate histories. What sets it apart? Since it is meant to be a learning resource, what we wanted to depict were not just the historical facts of what happened and when. We aimed to capture the "aspirations" of the people involved, which might otherwise be buried in the sands of time.

Specifically, the beliefs, decisions, and actions of the executives who bore the fate of the group on their shoulders. We sought to objectively document these elements, reexamining their significance from a contemporary perspective, as this is the mission of this corporate history.​

Of course, it is also important to document how employees at all levels demonstrated creativity, continued to face challenges, and united their efforts in various situations. This is a vital heritage that should be preserved.

Looking back on the 75-year history, there were key "protagonists" at each critical juncture. There were various "aspirations," conflicts, hardships, and joys that intertwined, creating unique "dramas" at each stage. This corporate history weaves these elements into a continuous narrative. The culmination of the "aspirations" of these protagonists and the many predecessors who supported them forms the current DENSO Group．With this sense of pride, we have named this corporate history "Story of DENSO."