Aspects that protect the goodwill of a shinise (established and long standing company) are the continuous flow of tradition and innovation, philosophy of foundation and perseverance in succession, and long-term employment and contribution to society, namely, a force that lasts forever. The concept of modern shinise differs not by facts such as whether it is listed on the stock market or owned by the founding family. It depends on how the company is viewed; for its liquidation value or as an everlasting body.

The philosophy of the Spirit of SHINISE [∫inisé] is to formulate a shinise spirit that can be the social capital (social infrastructure and bond between people) of the 22nd and 23rd century by stating a perpetual business body as the Spirit of SHINISE [∫inisé] which, as a public institution of society, pursues sound and long-lasting prosperity. Furthermore, our philosophy includes learning the fundamental nature of the spirit of shinise to add new values to the conventional view of shinise. This can be achieved by taking a path different from prevailing corporate recognition that puts emphasis on being listed on the stock market, not being owned by the founding family and the liquidation value of the company.

The spirit of shinise is a force that lasts forever and forms the social capital. The target of this inauguration meeting is to jointly implement ways to globalise the spirit of shinise (globalised NOREN [goodwill]) that developed regionally if globalisation can be defined as regionalisation accompanied with grand design.

The purpose of the Spirit of SHINISE [∫inisé] covers four aspects: (1) as a sound company resides in a sound society, establish a company that can last a hundred years in a sound society by paying attention to not just the year of establishment but also the years a century ahead, (2) basic principles shall be the real guidance for management and study the fundamental nature of the spirit of shinise that creates tradition through the continuity of innovation, (3) maximise customer satisfaction by ensuring great employee satisfaction, and (4) as the responsibility of the country that has the most number of shinises in the world, convey the shinise’s perspective of the world and the moral value that supports it to the people all around the world.

 

Note: The origin of the word ‘shinise’ comes from Zeami who wrote ‘…to make all these items that look very much the same (shinise in Japanese)’ (The Flowering Spirit) and from Ihara Saikaku who wrote about ‘business that is handed down (shinise in Japanese)’ (Japanese Treasury of Ages), which both emphasised the importance of copying the way that predecessors have inculcated and implied about an essential nature or universal characteristics that are generated through the process of copying the work of the founder and passed on to the next generation. Modern Japanese well know that copying or shinise is the basic philosophy as well as the DNA of a company, which demonstrates the spirit of shinise before having the status of an established and long standing company.