Published 3/16/2011

Disaster in Japan: A Spirit of Generosity Will Prevail

Despite last week’s horrendous disaster, Japan will carry on.

Mark Albert

Editor Emeritus, Modern Machine Shop

The unimaginable power of nature displayed in the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last week must humble every citizen of this planet. What puny creatures we are! Yet the human capacity to respond with sympathy, material aid and respect is also great. Generosity of spirit will prevail.

Through strength of personal and collective character, the people of Japan will themselves show this assertion to be true. The world will, and must, do what it can to support their lead in the recovery, rebuilding and healing that is already underway.

Although the full impact of this disaster on Japan’s mighty industrial base is unclear for now, statements from U.S. representatives of key metalworking technology suppliers based in Japan reflect the resilience and resolve of that great nation:

Brian Papke, President, Mazak USA

Our thoughts here are with the people of Japan. Yet even as we share their grief, we admire their fortitude. Those of us who have traveled often to Japan have built wonderful friendships over the years and these friends now relay to us stories of people bonding together to restore their daily lives and carry on with their business.

Yamazaki Mazak was fortunate in the recent disaster. Our five plants are located in areas that received only minor damage and our employees in the country are safe. The areas most damaged by the earthquake and tsuanmi were not heavily industrialized, though we do have some customers that were affected. Additionally, Japan’s current power shortages will impact most of the country’s industries. We will have a much better picture of the scope of these issues in the days and weeks to come, as Mazak employees work with our customers in the country to restore their operations. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the people of Japan.

Saturo Iijima, President and CEO, MC Machinery Systems, Inc.

First of all, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the people who have been forced to face this devastation. I hope for the soonest recovery, at least to the level that people can be safe in their day-to-day lives. I’m intending to do whatever I can do to support the recovery, and I believe everybody at MC Machinery Systems has the same intention.

As far as our business is concerned, it was fortunate that almost of all our suppliers in Japan have been spared damage in their production sites as they are located in western part of Japan. Therefore, we won’t have any immediate problems on deliveries.

We are confident about our business and will continue to do everything we can to support our customers to the best of our ability, in every way.

Scott McIver, Chairman, Methods Machine Tools, Inc.

Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the battered citizens of Japan. This is a horrific disaster of epic proportions, yet despite the challenges they face, we are confident that the people of Japan will overcome this tragedy and rebuild their injured nation. We are also relieved that aside from the periodic power shortages the entire country is experiencing, our machine tool partners Matsuura, Nakamura Tome, FANUC and KIWA-Japan, did not incur any damage and remain solid and fully operational.

Tad Yamamoto, Chairman and CEO, OKUMA America Corp.

In response to the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the northeastern area of Japan, we would like to sincerely thank you, our distributors, customers and suppliers, for thinking about us. Our facility in Japan was not damaged. Our employees and their families were not directly affected by this disaster. Okuma (Japan) has sent a Reconstruction Support Team to help customers rebuild facilities that were damaged. It will take a little more time before we find out how much this disaster will affect our own business.

In the next few months, as all of us in Japan work toward returning to normal conditions, please continue to keep us in your thoughts. Thank you again.

Don Lane, President, Makino

Fortunately, our employees and factories came through the earthquake and tsunami without suffering any damage and are continuing production. Our customer support and field service organizations are working to help Makino’s domestic customers return to production operations as quickly as possible in those regions most impacted by the tragic events of last Friday.

We are encouraging our employees, customers and friends to help with the relief efforts of this terrible human tragedy by making a donation to the Red Cross.

Tomoaki “Tomo” Ishibe, President, FANUC FA America

FANUC FA America expresses our sincere sympathy to all of the victims, their families and our customers who were impacted as a result of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

As a result of the current situation, we want to let our customers know that FANUC HQ in Japan experienced little impact. Thankfully, no one was injured and there was no facility damage. All factories are currently running at almost 100 percent, and we are utilizing all resources to do our best to operate as business as usual.

Scott Walker, President, Mitsui Seiki USA, Inc. and Koichi "Ken" Iwakura, President, Mitsui Seiki Kogyo, Ltd.

Thank you for your heartfelt inquiries about us after the major earthquake and tsunami events in Japan. We are very fortunate. Our employees and their families are all accounted for and safe. Our factory only experienced very minor damage that has been inspected and addressed already. There are challenges, of course, particularly with the country-wide energy conservation strategies; however we are working around those temporary tactics effectively. We are continuing to support our customers, and our deliveries remain on schedule. We value our business relationship with you, and on behalf of the entire Mitsui Seiki staff, we have been touched deeply by your concern, encouraging words, and gestures of support.