That Which Does Not kill Us Makes Us Stronger
Jujiro Matsuda planned a massive party for his 70th birthday and celebrated his company's achievements on a Monday in August 1945. His family, business colleagues, local government officials, and most importantly, his employees were invited to celebrate his birthday. When Jujiro Matsuda was asked to run Toyo Kyogo Cork Company in 1921, he was a successful businessman. Matsuda turned the struggling cork business into a manufacturer of industrial tools, which helped create a well-known car manufacturer. Traditionally, Japanese men get a haircut on their birthday. Matsuda wanted to get in first, being the busy businessman he was. At 7:30 am, Mr. Matsuda awaited the opening of his favorite barber's shop. He was not the only one waiting for the shop to open. When the barber opened the door, there was an actual race to the door. As soon as the door opened, Matsuda sped up and got his foot in before the other guy. He beat him by a split second. After a 30-minute haircut, Matsuda headed back to his company's headquarters, only 3.5 miles away. At 8:15 am, Matsuda was about halfway to his destination when a large explosion flipped his car. Both he and his chauffeur were thrown from the vehicle but somehow managed to survive. Their clothes were ripped, and they were bleeding. However, they managed to reach the factory. His factory and the automotive headquarters were partially destroyed, but there was enough structure left. A mountain between Matsuda and the blast took most of the impact, so the factory and Matsuda survived with more or less minor damage.
The date was August 6, 1945, and the city was Hiroshima. The nuclear bomb called Little Boy obliterated the barbershop only 50 yards from ground zero. The blast and radiation poisoning killed an estimated 135,000 people or about 30 percent of the city's population.
The factory and the automotive headquarters were still partially intact, allowing them to be used as makeshift hospitals and temporary city halls to aid the survivors and lay the groundwork for the city's eventual recovery. Jujiro Matsuda saved countless lives and provided comfort to hundreds more who were taking their last breaths.
Rebuilding the company after the war was challenging, but Matsuda persevered. The company eventually became a successful automaker. The company honored him by changing its name to a westernized version of Matsuda (Mazda). Following his retirement in December 1951, he was proud to see his son, Tsuneji, succeed him as president. Jujiro Matsuda died at the age of 76, just three months after his retirement and six years after his 70th birthday. As a result of Jujiro Matsuda's profound understanding of the preciousness of life, he was able to accomplish the remarkable things he did with his remaining years.
Jujiro Matsuda, narrowly escaped being vaporized by an atomic bomb on that day in August. Some of the world's greatest cars might not exist today if it hadn't been for the way a split second played out that morning. This story serves as a perfect reminder of the Tsunami culture of this Japanese island. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously said: "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."
