Asano Sōichirō
Asano Sōichirō was a Japanese businessman responsible for founding a number of companies, including what became today's Sapporo Breweries, Toa Construction Corporation, Oki Electric Industry, JFE Group and Taiheiyo Cement.
He came from a samurai family in the Toyama region. He was Doctor Asano Taijun's son. He was originally named Asano Taijiro. Although He studied medicine, he began business in his hometown and failed. He lost his money and did moonlight flit to Tokyo. He sold drinking water as a street vendor. Then he moved to Yokohama, bought coke, which a gas company threw away, sold it to Fukagawa Cement Works, and became very rich.
He purchased :ja:%E6%B7%B1%E5%B7%9D%E3%82%BB%E3%83%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E8%A3%BD%E9%80%A0%E6%89%80|Fukagawa Cement Works from the government in 1884, with help from Shibusawa Eiichi, founded Iwaki Coal Mine in 1884, Oriental Liner in 1896, Tsurumi Reclamation Company in 1913, Asano Shipbuilding and Engineering in 1916, Nippon Chuya Bank in 1916, Oki Electric Industry in 1917, Asano and Company in 1918, Asano Holding Company in 1918, and diversified his business interests, which eventually became a minor zaibatsu. His Nippon Chuya Bank was unsuccessful, so he sold it to Yasuda zaibatsu in 1922. Asano zaibatsu kept minor because it did not include a bank and was ranked fifth in scale. Asano is called "the cement king."
Asano also reclaimed Tokyo bay from 1913 to 1927, made a coastal industrial zone and established the forerunner of the JR Tsurumi Line there, located between Tokyo and Yokohama. Asano Station is named after him. He is called "father of Keihin industrial area" now.
He founded Asano High School in 1920, and Asano Institute of Technology in 1925.
