Shōjirō Ishibashi
Shōjiro Ishibashi (石橋 正二郎, Ishibashi Shōjirō, February 1, 1889 – September 11, 1976) was a Japanese businessman who founded the Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest maker of tires,[1] in 1930 in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. Bridgestone was named after its founder: In the Japanese language ishi means a "stone" and bashi(/hashi) mean "bridge".[1] hence the origin of the company's name in English.[1]
Ishibashi's daughter, Yasuko Hatoyama, became heir to Ishibashi's considerable fortune and has used the inheritance to fund her family's political causes.[1] She married former Japanese Foreign Minister Iichirō Hatoyama.[1] The couple had two sons, who are Ishibashi's grandchildren - politicians Kunio Hatoyama, who served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, and Yukio Hatoyama, who was Prime Minister from 16 September 2009 to 8 June 2010.[1][2]
Ishibashi's motto for Bridgestone was to "serve society with products of superior quality". He founded Ishibashi Cultural Center and the Bridgestone Museum of Art (also located at 10 Kyobashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104) and was a major benefactor of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, having also constructed the building in which it is housed.
References
- ^ a b c d e f Takahashi, Kosuke (2009-08-29). "Japan on the brink of a new era". Asia Times. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
- ^ "Japan's PM Yukio Hatoyama resigns". BBC News. 2010-06-02.
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