Purchasing

Nihokai

Year
Month
Events
1939
November
Establishment of the Kyoryokukai suppliers organization - The first meeting of the Toyota Subcontractors' Round Table Conference was held at Tokyo's Kuramae Industrial Hall, where the suppliers organization was established. Though individual partner plants had on other occasions gathered with the aim of making a Round Table Conference previously, this represented the first unitary organization of partner plants and is taken as the origin of today's Kyohokai. A total of 18 companies participated in the meeting.
1943
December
Establishment of the Kyohokai - With the aim of growing beyond the limits of a mere friendly association, the cooperative association was dissolved to form the new Kyohokai. Appointed as Chairman was the vice president of Toyota, Hisayoshi Akai. As this was during the Pacific War, there were many issues such as material supply and labor supply which the partner plants could not tackle alone and the need to cooperate with Toyota was sharply increased.
1946
July
Establishment of the Tokyo Kyohokai - The Tokyo Kyohokai was formed by partner plants in the Kanto region. Seishi Kato, managing director of Hiratsuka Industrial Works, was appointed chairman.
1947
January
Establishment of the Kansai Kyohokai - To increase the responsiveness of the association, partner plants in the Kansai region (the central-western region of Japan's main island) formed a new organization called the Kansai Kyohokai. At the same time, the existing Kyohokai changed its name to the Tokai Kyohokai, referring to the Tokai region in the center of Japan's main island. The president of Kojima Press Works (now Kojima Press Industry, Co., Ltd.), Hamakichi Kojima, was appointed chairman of the Tokai Kyohokai; the president of Yazaki Corporation, Sadami Yazaki, became chairman of the Tokyo Kyohokai; and the president of Daikin Clutch Works, Kazuma Adachi, became chairman of the Kansai Kyohokai.
1952
October
Business group diagnosis - As the post-war labor disputes were succeeded by the boom in demand during the Korean war, the major changes in the social environment meant that Kyohokai members, like other companies, faced an increasing need for modernization and rationalization. In response, their plants underwent a business group diagnosis conducted by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency. The results signaled a major success, with eight companies receiving the director's award from the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, 21 companies receiving the prefectural governor's award, and two companies receiving awards from the regional bureau of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, consolidating the foundations for further development.
1957
April
Establishment of the Kanto Kyohokai - The Tokyo Kyohokai was renamed the Kanto Kyohokai
1960
October
Establishment of Kyoho Junior College - With the aim of imparting academic and technical abilities up to a junior college graduate level, member companies of Tokai Kyohokai established Kyoho Junior College for their employees. The following year, the VA Research Meeting was instituted as part of a surge of activity aimed at strengthening the overall corporate systems of suppliers. A total of 1,683 students graduated from Kyoho Junior College before it closed in 1982 having fulfilled its intended purpose.
1962
April
Establishment of the Seihokai - Amid the growth of Toyota's production and a series of new vehicle releases, Seihokai was formed with the aim of improving the technological and managerial systems of mold, jig, and gauge manufacturers. At the time of its formation, there were 19 member companies and Suehiro Takatsu, president of Takatsu Mfg. Co., Ltd., was appointed chairman.
November
Establishment of the Eihokai - To coincide with the construction of the Motomachi Plant, the Hoenkai, which had been founded by construction and electrical duct installation businesses, was refounded as the Eihokai. The Eihokai began activities aimed at mutual improvement of the technological and managerial systems of members. The number of member companies as of its formation was 24 and Sasuke Ikeda, president of Ikeda Engineering Works, was appointed chairman.
1963
January
Completion of Kyohokai Hall - The construction of the Kyohokai Hall, which had undergone rapid construction since September 1962, was completed. It contributed greatly to the development of Kyohokai activities as a venue for study meetings, conferences, and other gatherings.
June
First issue of Kyohokai News - Kyohokai News was published as a forum for promoting mutual trust between Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. and partner plants and for forging links between partner plants.
1965

Kyohokai logo

Adoption of Kyohokai logo
1966
April
Itinerant study meetings on long-term plans - In response to capital liberalization, Kyohokai member companies began tackling in earnest the task of improving their business structures. In 1966, a series of itinerant study meetings held at different companies began with the basic principle that 'all activities should be rolled out on the basis of long-term plans'. These study meetings, which saw the participation of Toyota Director Hidetaro Mori, provided guidance on models of modern business management.
October
Dispatch of observer groups to Europe and America - With the aim of examining conditions in the European and American automotive industry, the Kanto Kyohokai dispatched observer groups to Europe and America. From the first visit in 1966 to the sixth in 1976, 130 individuals took part.
1971
April
Establishment of quality and cost committees - With the aim of giving further impetus to improving the corporate systems of Kyohokai member companies, two committees covering quality and cost, respectively, were set up within Tokai Kyohokai. A Safety and Health Committee was added in 1979. This three-committee structure, with each committee focused on their respective issues across industry sector divisions, has continued to the present with energetic activities aimed at improving the corporate systems of member companies. Similar activities were initiated in 1977 in the Kanto and Kansai Kyohokai organizations.
1974
August
Opening of Toyota Clean Plaza - While the automotive industry as a whole boomed, with ever increasing levels of production, attention came to focus on social aspects in the form of pollution and environmental issues, and meeting corporate social responsibilities became an urgent priority. In response, Kyohokai established Toyota Clean Plaza in order to roll out activities aimed at halving the amount of industrial waste and so that member companies could join together in its aftertreatment.
1976
May
Toyota Production System study meetings - In this period, when measures to cope with an era of low growth became an urgent priority, the Kyohokai and Eihokai (collectively called the Nihokai) also began to roll out activities to improve the corporate systems of member companies. As part of these activities, the Kanto and Kansai Kyohokai organizations held Toyota Production System study meetings tutored by Taiichi Ono, vice president of Toyota Motor Corporation.
1983
April

Eihokai logo

Establishment of the new Eihokai - To respond to the challenging environment by strengthening and expanding organic ties among member companies, the former Eihokai, made up of facility manufacturers, and Seihokai, made up of mold, jig, and gauge manufacturers, were united to form the new Eihokai. The number of member companies was 62 (former Eihokai members: 36; former Seihokai members: 22; new members: 7; duplicate members: 3) and Kazuo Kito, president of Kito Machine Industry Co., Ltd. was appointed chairman.

It was at this stage that the current system of three sections?jig and tool section, facilities section, and machinery section?took shape. Collaborations between the Eihokai and the Kyohokai (Tokai, Kanto, and Kansai regions) were called the Nihokai. Joint events were already being organized together and the merger of the two organizations had three aims: 1. increasing the efficiency of the organization's activities; 2. further enhancing its activities with the emphasis on cost and quality; 3. strengthening its ability to organize independent activities.
1986

Step toward internationalization - The first overseas-based manufacturer to become a member of the Kyohokai, Nihon Michelin Tire Co., Ltd., joined the Kanto Kyohokai, marking a fresh step toward internationalization.
1987

Joint Kyohokai-Eihokai convention - In this year, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Toyota Motor Co., Ltd., the first joint Kyohokai-Eihokai convention was held to promote a group-wide sense of unity. To mark this occasion, TMC Chairman Eiji Toyoda gave a special lecture entitled 'Genka tono Tatakai (The Struggle with Costs)'. Quoting from notes left by Toyota founder Kiichiro Toyoda, he declared: 'in the 50 years since our foundation, we have faced many different cost struggles, but now we need to face a cost struggle on which our survival depends'. Amid an increasingly challenging environment, convention participants made mutual commitments to increased solidarity and continued development Toyota-wide.
 
1st National Quality Control Convention
1st Cost Improvement Convention
Holding of Kyohokai national conventions on quality and cost - In this year, Kyohokai held its 1st National Quality Control Convention and 1st Cost Improvement Convention.
1999
February
Holding of Suppliers Convention - From 1987, Kyohokai and Eihokai held joint national conventions, as part of which award ceremonies and social receptions took place. Briefing meetings on purchasing policies were held separately in mid-February. In response to globalization, a Toyota Suppliers Convention was held from 1999 to which non-Kyohokai/Eihokai member suppliers from Japan and overseas were also invited, and policy briefings, award ceremonies, and social receptions took place (events were held on separate days for parts suppliers and facility/logistics suppliers). In 2001, purchasing policy briefings for parts suppliers and for facility/logistics suppliers were integrated as a joint event, and the awards for domestic suppliers and import suppliers, which had previously been organized separately, were also integrated. In 2002, the event's name was changed to Toyota Global Suppliers Convention to reflect this actuality.
April
New Kyohokai logo
First Kyohokai convention
Integration of Kyohokai - At the Kyohokai convention of April 1999, the establishment of the new Kyohokai was agreed and Kyohokai, which had until then been divided into the three regional organizations of Kanto, Tokai, and Kansai, was integrated into a single organization. The aim was to create a shared awareness of issues among member companies and to further boost the combined strength of Toyota and its parts manufacturers by integrating the activities of Kyohokai, which had been dispersed and duplicated in the three regional organizations, thereby promoting the renewal of its operations as a more global and open organization. To this end, a clear statement of membership criteria was made and Kyohokai membership was opened to a wider range of companies.

Kyohokai study meeting activities - Before the integration of the three regional organizations, the activities of the Cost Committee, Quality Committee, and Safety and Health Committee (Tokai region only) for each region had been continuing. However, starting from the integration of the three regions, themes reflective of the times were addressed. As a general rule, study meeting activities took place once a year, with member participants invited depending on the theme. Member companies provided mutual support in resolving difficulties and issues, and adopting successful practices from each other. They also made suggestions to Toyota. A presentation of activity results was made at the end of the fiscal year to render them accessible to members not participating in the study meetings.
2000

Kyohokai's former print publication
Homepage of the Kyohokai TIME
Electronic version of Kyohokai newsletter - From this year, the organization's newsletter, Kyohokai TIME (published since June 1963 as Kyoho News, renamed Kyohokai TIME in January 1994), was changed from paper to electronic medium and posted on the organization's website.
2006

Kyohokai and Eihokai Business Managers Round Table - Previously, the Business Managers Round Table had taken the form of a simple discussion, but from 2006, the format was altered and discussions were from then preceded by a site visit relevant to the chosen theme. Observing concrete examples of business practice (at dealerships, Toyota facilities, supplier facilities) assisted in reaching a deeper understanding of the theme.
2009

Tenth anniversary (April) of Kyohokai integrating three regional organizations - Ten years after the integration of the Kyohokai in April 1999, many impressive 10th anniversary events were held. These included the holding of a commemorative general assembly, the publishing of a commemorative pamphlet (April), a commemorative seminar (September), and a commemorative tree planting (October). These events were attended by many people, including former chairmen. Participants celebrated and pledged their support for the future development of the organization.

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