Kunihiko Iwadare
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese businessman. A graduate of the Imperial College of Engineering
(Kobu Daigaku) in Tokyo
, he worked as a telegraph engineer for the Japanese government. He left Japan
in 1886 and traveled to New York. He was introduced to Charles Batchelor, an assistant of Thomas Edison
. Iwadare was hired to work in an Edison facility in Manhattan
at Goerck Street. Iwadare was transferred to Edison Machine Works in Schenetady, New York
in January 1887.
Idaware returned to Japan, hoping to participate in building the electrical industry in Japan. He first joined Osaka Dento (Osaka Electric Lamp Company) as an electrical engineer, and, after eight years, quit his post to start his own business as a general sales agent in Japan for General Electric
Company and Western Electric
companies.
In 1895 Western Electric
wished to expand their telephone equipment sales business in Japan and proposed a limited partnership with Iwadare. Their representative was Walter Tenney Carleton
. Iwadare accepted the proposal and a new firm was created in August, 1898. In 1899, changes to treaties between Japan and the western countries went into effect. The limited partnership created in 1898 was restructured into the joint stock company
, Nippon Electric Co. Ltd. Western Electric held 54% of the stock. Iwadare was named Managing Director of what is now known as NEC Corporation. He became Chairman of the Board in 1926.
Imperial College of Engineering
The Imperial College of Engineering was founded as a university at Tokyo in 1873, though its predecessor the existed from 1871. The name "Kobu Daigakko" dates from 1877. In modern-day parlance it would have been called an institute of technology....
(Kobu Daigaku) in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, he worked as a telegraph engineer for the Japanese government. He left Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1886 and traveled to New York. He was introduced to Charles Batchelor, an assistant of Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
. Iwadare was hired to work in an Edison facility in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
at Goerck Street. Iwadare was transferred to Edison Machine Works in Schenetady, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in January 1887.
Idaware returned to Japan, hoping to participate in building the electrical industry in Japan. He first joined Osaka Dento (Osaka Electric Lamp Company) as an electrical engineer, and, after eight years, quit his post to start his own business as a general sales agent in Japan for General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
Company and Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
companies.
In 1895 Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
wished to expand their telephone equipment sales business in Japan and proposed a limited partnership with Iwadare. Their representative was Walter Tenney Carleton
Walter Tenney Carleton
Walter Tenney Carleton was an early international businessman. He was one of the three founding directors of NEC Corporation, the first Japanese joint venture with foreign capital.- Youth and education :...
. Iwadare accepted the proposal and a new firm was created in August, 1898. In 1899, changes to treaties between Japan and the western countries went into effect. The limited partnership created in 1898 was restructured into the joint stock company
Joint stock company
A joint-stock company is a type of corporation or partnership involving two or more individuals that own shares of stock in the company...
, Nippon Electric Co. Ltd. Western Electric held 54% of the stock. Iwadare was named Managing Director of what is now known as NEC Corporation. He became Chairman of the Board in 1926.