| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this research is to clarify the business strategy of the Japan Steel Works (hereafter JSW), the steel and weapon company of the joint venture by Japan and Britain before WWII,especially in relation to the British Shareholders (Vickers and Armstrong Companies).
The result of the research made clear that the commitment to the top-management of JSW by the British Shareholders before WWI was strong beyond our expectations.
In the period of the foundation of the JSW (1907-10), each British Director or Auditor was able to nominate anyone as "Proxy" according to "Addendum to Agreement" at the establishment of JSW.Proxies usually attended the Board Meetings of JSW,became members of some committees of the Board, and made important proposals to the Board. Proxies often communicated with the Directors and Auditors in Britain by cable, telegram and letters. Meetings of the English Directors of JSW were occasionally held in Britain, and the results of the consultation were transmitted to Proxies in Japan.
In the next period of "the Regime of Yamanouchi", when Vice Admiral Masuji Yamanouchi was the Chairman of the Board of JSW (1910-13), he was expected to mediate between Japanese shareholder (Hokkaido Colliery and Steamship Co.) and the British ones as "Neutral Director". He could not succeed, however, to adjust those interests.
Although this research was to cover the period of WWI,it barely made an outlook for the retreat of the British Directors from the top-management of JSW.Some problems to be solved are being analyzed.
Further, a study in relation to this research was already made in 1994, and published in 1995 as "The Restoration of Properties in Japan by Vickers-Armstrons Limited after WWII".
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