Japanese business pioneer, philanthropist Inamori dies at 90

By YURI KAGEYAMA
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Kazuo Inamori, founder of Japanese ceramics and electronics maker Kyocera who also became a philanthropist singing the virtues of fairness and hard work, has died. He was 90. Kyocera says Inamori, who also founded major telecommunications company KDDI Corp., died Aug. 24 at his home in Kyoto. Inamori established Kyocera in 1959. While struggling to build his company, he came up with his philosophy of management that emphasized people, doing the right thing and what he called “corporate character,” the old-style Japanese equivalent of professionalism and ethical standards. His thoughts, which were pioneering for modernizing Japan, were based on the idea that workers and companies must be motivated by pure intentions, not by greed, and ultimately the desire to serve society.