Kanichi Morimoto
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
He graduated from the Faculty of Engineering of Kyushu Imperial University in July 1915, joined Asahi Glass, and became a Managing Director in May 1940. In May 1944 he moved to Mitsubishi Chemical Industries as Managing Director, and in March 1946 became its President. Asahi Glass was relaunched and listed in January 1950 when Mitsubishi Chemical Industries was split into three under the Enterprise Reconstruction and Reorganization Law, so Morimoto had led the parent company before the split.
Selection
He became Chairman in February 1951, the year after the relaunch, and President the following February, in 1952, succeeding Kiichi Watanabe. In effect, the executive who had led Mitsubishi Chemical Industries before the split went on to lead the post-split Asahi Glass as Chairman and then President. After becoming President he also sat on the boards of Mitsubishi Cement (from February 1954) and Mitsubishi Petrochemical (from April 1956), placing him in a position linking Mitsubishi group companies.
Initiatives
During his 15 years in office he launched one product line after another beyond flat glass. Production of glass for cathode-ray tubes began in 1954 and of automotive glass in 1956; the Chiba plant opened in 1959 and the Hazawa research laboratory in 1965. In 1964 the company began producing fluorochemicals and founded Asahi Glass Thailand, and in 1965 it set up Thai Asahi Caustic Soda, entering chemical production in Asia. From November 1956 he also served as president of Asahi Fiber Glass.
Career
Career
Asahi Glass
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1915 | Joined |
| Mar 1946 | President, Mitsubishi Chemical Industries |
| 1951 | Chairman |
| Feb 1952 | President |
| Aug 1967 | Chairman |
| Aug 1967 | Stepped down as President |