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Dr. Kazuo Inamori (1932-2022)

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In Memoriam 

Dr. Kazuo Inamori was truly extraordinary and an inspirational human being who made the world a better place with his wisdom and altruistic philosophy. His contributions as an engineer, a leader, an author, a speaker, and a benevolent philanthropist will continue to have a tremendous positive impact, locally and globally. Dr. Inamori served the greater good of humankind and society and his legacy will endure.

The Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University was established in 2007 with thanks to Dr. Inamori’s vision and generosity from the Inamori Foundation of Kyoto, Japan. We are perpetually grateful to Dr. Inamori and our colleagues at The Inamori Foundation for our partnership and shared philosophies. Together, we help people live ethical lives and create a more ethical world.

Dr. Kazuo Inamori

Kazuo Inamori was born in 1932 in Kagoshima, Japan and passed away in 2022 in Kyoto, Japan. He graduated from Kagoshima University in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science degree in applied chemistry.

He established Kyocera Corporation in 1959, which has grown into an international firm supplying a wide range of communications and electronic products and services such as cellular phones and cameras.

In 1984, in response to the deregulation of the telecommunications industry, he founded DDI Corporation. Now known as KDDI, it is the second-largest common carrier in Japan.

Over the years, Inamori codified his beliefs about management and business into what is known as the Kyocera philosophy. It is based on the idea of "pursuing what is right for humankind." It was on the basis of this and two other principles—"people have no higher calling than to serve the greater good of humankind and society" and "the future of humanity can be assured only through the balance of scientific progress and spiritual maturity"—that he established the Inamori Foundation in 1984. He subsequently established the Kyoto Prize, an international award that honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the progress of science, technology, the advancement of civilization, and enrichment and elevation of the human spirit.

His principled approach to life, work and business has garnered him numerous honorary doctorates from several universities in the United States the United Kingdom and Japan. He is a member of several overseas civic and professional organizations including the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and the board of trustees of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. His representative books include A Passion for Success and For People and For Profit.

Books by Kazuo Inamori

 

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