MOTHER

The engineers of the steelmaking factory often say “Iron is alive.” There are hot struggles between the engineers and the creature behind the mass of beautiful products. Japanese technology has been the best in the world. It seems because the old engineers handle every object with awe. From the post WWII to the era of rapid economic growth, the baby-boom generation maintained this sense of traditional values, and their innovation minds made Japan developed. The generation is recently retiring from the factories in Japan. It causes anxiety for the succession of their skills. This is not easy. One of the reasons is the change of values, in which they have asked for the efficient and wealthy society. Younger generation can enjoy the result of economic growth but cannot feel the atmosphere of those days, hardship and acquisition. It is inevitable. In order to join the steelmaking struggle, each generation has to understand the gap and communicate closely. I covered a symbolic city of rapid economic growth, Fukuyama in Hiroshima, Japan. In 1960’s a gigantic steelmaker was invited to set up its plant there. The name of it was NKK corp., JFE Steel today. The population doubled in ten years and the city was highly developed. The necessity of mutual comprehension will be found in the city’s change and the succession of skills.