.mw-parser-output .hidden-begin{box-sizing:border-box;width:100%;padding:5px;border:none;font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .hidden-title{font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .hidden-content{text-align:left}You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Japanese. (July 2019) Click [show] for important translation instructions. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Consider adding a topic to this template: there are already 3,789 articles in the main category, and specifying|topic= will aid in categorization. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Japanese Wikipedia article at [[:ja:早川徳次 (シャープ)]]; see its history for attribution. You should also add the template ((Translated|ja|早川徳次 (シャープ))) to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.
Tokuji Hayakawa
Two men working at a table with various electronic devices. One is standing on the left side of the table. The other, seated on the right side of the table, is wearing headphones and testing a crystal radio.
Hayakawa (right) testing a crystal radio (1925)
BornNovember 3, 1893
Tokyo, Japan
DiedJune 24, 1980(1980-06-24) (aged 86)
NationalityJapanese
Occupationbusinessman
Known forfounder of Sharp Corporation, inventor of the Ever-Ready Sharp Pencil

Tokuji Hayakawa (早川 徳次, Hayakawa Tokuji, November 3, 1893 – June 24, 1980) was a Japanese businessman and the founder of Hayakawa Kinzoku Kōgyō (the present-day Sharp Corporation). He invented and patented the “Tokubijō” belt buckle in 1912 (a belt which can fasten without perforating) and invented the "Ever Ready Sharp" mechanical pencil (from which his company would later get its name) in 1915.

The success of the “Tokubijō” belt buckle led to Hayakawa starting his own metallurgical processing, which then developed into the present-day Sharp Corporation.

Life

Hayakawa (aged 13; front row, far right) during his apprenticeship at the metallic ornament workshop, and his coworkers. (c. 1906–7)

Hayakawa was born in Tokyo in 1893. Due to difficult domestic circumstances, he was adopted by the Ideno family. He left primary school after second grade due to his family’s poverty and was apprenticed to a maker of metallic ornaments.

Hayakawa was inspired to invent a new belt that could be fastened to any length and developed a buckle that used a roller to fasten a belt without puncturing it. Tokuji applied for a patent, using the name “Tokubijō.” When Hayakawa launched his buckle in 1912, demand in Japan for the buckle increased with the spread of Western-style fashions.

The first order for the Tokubijō buckle was huge — 33 grosses or 4,752 in total. Tokuji decided to produce his buckle independently. He borrowed most of the capital and opened his own manufacturing operation in September 1912. His manufacturing process steadily improved, and the business expanded.

In 1913, Hayakawa acquired the patent of an innovative water faucet, and in 1915, he developed the prototype of the Sharp automatic pencil still sold today. Later, he expanded his enterprise into electronics manufacturing of radios, tape-recorders and televisions. He was also active in social welfare programs. He died in 1980 at the age of 86.[1]

Honors

Translated from the article in the Japanese Wikipedia

National

Other

References

  1. ^ Allan Bird (2001), Encyclopedia of Japanese Business and Management, London and New York: Routledge, ISBN 9780203996324, retrieved 15 June 2011
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