The UK isn't the only country with something to celebrate this year: some 1800 Japanese companies are celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2012. Suggests it might be a good year for manufacturers of commemorative goods...
Looking down the list of companies that started life in 1912 gives an interesting insight into the changes that were going on that year. It saw the death of the Meiji emperor, who had presided over the opening up and modernisation of Japan to the rest of the world following over 2 centuries of isolation. The transition to the new Taisho era also represented Japan's transition into a rapidly-expanding economic powerhouse.
Some of the new centenarians are major manufacturers such as Taisho Pharmaceuticals, NKK, the steel company, and Sharp, who started off by making belt buckles and propelling pencils - still called "shaapu penshiru" in "Japanese". Japan still sees itself as a manufacturing country - probably most of us do, familiar as we are with brands like Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Toshiba and Panasonic. "Monozukuri", or "making things" is considered almost a national virtue. But like most developed economies in fact the proportion of manufacturing in GDP is shrinking, and now stands at about 21%. Much production has moved overseas (partly to the benefit of the UK - half of all the cars made in the UK are made by Japanese companies), though with a good deal of high-end, high value-added components still manufactured at home in state-of-the-art facilities.
Even back in 1912 the move to service industries was evident. Amongst the other companies that started out life then were Seibu Railways, JTB, Japan's premier travel agency, and the first taxi service, all catering to the growing desire to travel, whether for business or leisure. The leisure industry itself was also well underway, with Nikkatsu, Japan's biggest movie studio, and Yoshimoto Kogyo, then a theatre, now the country’s biggest entertainment conglomerate, also founded in 1912.
At a time when industry seems to be dominated by tales of doom and gloom it's good to see that there are still plenty of companies that are surviving, and indeed thriving, 100 years on. Flexibility and willingness to adapt seem to have been the key to their success - much as they have been for our own monarch as she's navigated 60 years on the throne. So, as they enter their 100th year Sharp are now better known for LCDs and solar cells than belt buckles, and Yoshimoto have made the transition from classical theatre to zany TV comedy. A good lesson for companies – and individuals everywhere!