100th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL SITE

Glory celebrated its 100th anniversary on March 2018. Based on a spirit, passed down since our founding, of continuously striving to
benefit people by creating products that have never been seen before,
we will
continue to contribute to the development of society by
creating the value needed in each coming era.

Always creating something new Starting with the nation’s first coin counter, we have constantly developed new
products/services by challenging the status quo.
The strong passion passed down through the generations remains rooted in the
background.

Security, Throughout the World

The business started as a factory for repairing and manufacturing light-bulb devices. One hundred years later, it has grown into a global company with operations in more than 100 countries around the world.

1923 Great Kanto Earthquake

1929 Great Depression

1939 World War II

1945 End of World War II

1949 5-yen Coin Issued

1950 1000-yen Banknote Issued

1951 500-yen Banknote Issued

1953 100-yen Banknote Issued, 10-yen Coin Issued

1955 1-yen Coin, 50-yen Coin Issued

1957 5000-yen Banknote Issued, 100-yen Coin Issued

1958 10000-yen Banknote Issued

1959 10-yen Coin Issued

1963 1000-yen Banknote Issued

1964 Tokyo Olympics Held Tokaido Shinkansen Opened

1967 100-yen Coin, 50-yen Coin Issued

1969 5000-yen Banknote Issued

1970 Osaka World Exposition

1973 Oil Crisis

1982 500-yen Coin Issued

1984 10000-yen, 5000-yen, 1000-yen Banknotes Issued

1989 3% Consumption Tax Started

1991 Economic Bubble Collapsed

1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake

1999 Birth of 'Euro', Single European Currency

2000 2000-yen Banknot Issued, 500-yen Coin Issued

2001 The September 11th terrorist attacks in the U.S.

2004 10000-yen, 5000-yen, 1000-yen Banknotes Issued

2008 Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers

2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes

Secure Technology,
For the World.
For the Next Generation.

Technology Advanced in Cash Handling
Machines Leaps From Japan to the World.

As a leading cash handling machine company, the cutting-edge technology developed by GLORY has been spreading
not only in Japan but also around the world.
GLORY will continue to create next generation value and contribute to the development of society based on our
spirit to "continue to develop the new products not existing but yet beneficial to the world."

With our innovative technologies and
experienced professionals,
we create a safe confident path to the future.
With this mission in mind, we now take a new
step forward to the next 100 years.

The Foundation of GLORY

Over a 100-year period, a small company in Himeji, starting as a small blacksmith shop with seven employees, has grown into a global company that delivers products and solutions to over 100 countries around the globe. Introduced here is the life of corporate rejuvenator Jusaku Onoe, who in spite of ensuing crises laid the foundation of GLORY as we know it today.

Early Life Facing Death

Early Life Facing Death Caption: Jusaku at age 15

Jusaku Onoe (hereinafter Jusaku) was born on November 28, 1903 as the third son of Sakube Onoe, a wealthy man in Himeji, Hyogo prefecture, who was the founder of Kokuei Machinery Manufacturing (now GLORY LTD.). Physically weak by nature, it was worried whether he would make it to adulthood.

In 1923, as he desperately struggled with worsening pulmonary tuberculosis, the twenty-year-old, Jusaku underwent a physical examination for military conscription at home. The military surgeon watched him struggle to sit up with a nurse’s assistance, and with an expression of sympathy and resignation, the military surgeon simply said “unfit”. That evaluation was considered to be a virtual death sentence. When faced with life-threatening circumstances in their youth many fall into despair, but Jusaku held on for dear life. While praying to the gods and trying every remedy available, he came upon ‘Mental Healing through Meditation’ promoted by a doctor in Kyoto. Clinging to hope, he undertook instruction and began treatment. The treatment was simple. He just sat quietly and controlled his breathing. Curiously enough, this worked. Day by day his health was restored. Perhaps his intense passion for life precipitated his miraculous recovery.

Making a comeback to normal life, Jusaku made a vow.
“To compensate for having been unfit to serve my nation in the military, throughout my life I will dedicate my line of work to contributing to society.” He was determined.

Working at Kokuei Machinery
Manufacturing

Working at Kokuei Machinery Manufacturing Caption: Advertisement of Himeji Electric Bulb and the Miyuki Street in Himeji around 1929 (Collection of Hideyoshi Takahashi at Hyogo Prefectural History Museum)

At that time, his father Sakubei Onoe was one of the top executives in the Harima province of Hyogo, and Himeji Electric Bulbs (now USHIO INC.) was among the many companies he had established. As a fully-fledged member of society, Jusaku began working at Kokuei Machinery Manufacturing (hereinafter Kokuei) which Sakubei had established as a factory for repairing and manufacturing light-bulb devices.
For a period of time, Jusaku studied accounting at an affiliated finance company called "Himeji Factory", but he soon found that work to be the exact opposite of the joy and significance found in making things. That insight prompted him to leave the finance company soon afterward.
Jusaku returned to Kokuei just before Japan entered into a deep recession. Subcontracted and affiliated companies were faced with factory shutdowns, and the streets were filled with the unemployed. Although Kokuei was also hard pressed financially, it managed to tide itself over by manufacturing buckets and other similar products.
While enduring the severe depression, some good news arrived. Kokuei received a

repair order from the Mitsubishi Paper Mills Limited. (hereinafter Takasago Mill) in Takasago. Kokuei’s distinguished technologies had gradually earned recognition for assembling rice threshers, match making machines, and motorcycles, as well as for repairing machinery at the Japan Celluloid Crtificial Co., Ltd. (now Daicel Corporation) Aboshi Plant and Harima Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Ltd. (now IHI Corporation Aioi Works) among others. This recognition finally bore fruit in the form of an order from an industrial conglomerate.
Before long, the repair orders produced an even greater result. The chief engineer at the Takasago Mill was impressed with the technology of Kokuei and decided to delegate all of the manufacturing facilities for a new factory equipped with the latest papermaking machines to Jusaku. The small-town factory would be in charge of constructing all the facilities of Takasago Mill. This was just a dream for Jusaku. The number of employees grew from 20 to 70, and they lived up to Takasago Mill’s expectations.

Repeated Challenges, Director’s Betrayal

Having just survived the depression, Jusaku was faced with yet another challenge. The director working closely with Jusaku in managing Kokuei suddenly submitted his resignation. He set up a similar machine repair and manufacturing company, and started taking orders from customers he had fostered during his Kokuei career, saying “The Kokuei management knows nothing about machines. Let us take care of your work.”
Jusaku rallied. Visiting customers from early morning until late at night, he kept saying “We’ll do our very best. I sincerely hope you will continue to do business with us.” Preventing customer loss caused by internal betrayal is far more difficult than acquiring new customers. Jusaku worked frantically. He studied machinery in a

correspondence course at night, and had in-depth talks with employees during the day. These efforts progressively started to improve the situation. Although the director who had resigned tried to lure workers away, not a single person responded. On the contrary, they encouraged Jusaku saying, “Don’t give up, young master!” Takasago Mill continued to give Jusaku work as before. The director’s betrayal ended with nothing but ripples in the water. Even so, it made Jusaku think.
Later on, Jusaku heard about the director’s dissatisfaction and wondered if perhaps it had been due to the company being family-run. This sentiment had a major impact on Jusaku’s management policy later on.

Dreaming In-house
Product
Development

Dreaming In-house Product Development Caption: Agricultural oil engine ”Fukuju-go” Caption: Builders in front of reciprocating engine No. 1

In 1936, Kokuei got out from under private management when it was incorporated into a general partnership company. Jusaku took this occasion to begin focusing on his long-desired in-house product development. One year later, just when the construction of Nittetsu Shoji Co., Ltd. (now Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation) Hirohata Works was fixed, Kokuei built the agricultural oil engine named as “Fukuju-go”. Although it did not sell remarkably well, this engine produced the first Kokuei patent, which boosted engineers’ confidence and was the real start of the company’s in-house product development.
With a substantial technical team in place, orders for military goods also began to increase. The next year after the Pacific War broke out, Kokuei was designated as

a supervisory factory for the Imperial Japanese Navy Technical Department. Due to the shortage of fuel oil, the Navy decided to build coal-powered ships. Kokuei was commissioned to manufacture the reciprocating engines. With an intense work schedule that extended even through weekends, the first engine was completed in 1943. Despite the fact that the engines continued to be built and delivered around the clock, the course of the war continually worsened. Himeji was eventually burned down in an air raid. Nearly everything, including the main factory at Nonen-cho, was destroyed. The factory being built at Shimoteno in Himeji was the only facility not damaged.

Postwar Rebuilding and Nightmare days

Postwar rebuilding began with a sinking sense of disappointment. It was most fortunate that no one at Kokuei had died in the air raids. Full-scale reconstruction began by organizing factory debris. Engineers dug out each part and tool buried in the ashes one by one. These were formed into things like ice candy makers and tobacco pipes, but they did not sell for long.
“This is not the time to worry about appearances. We should try anything and everything we can think of to rebuild the factory,” Jusaku urged everyone. A food preserving factory, fertilizer sales, dry cleaning services for the occupation army, and the like… They gritted their teeth through the continuous hard struggle in order to manufacture machines once again.
As if in answer to their feelings, the first shipbuilding boom occurred in the third year after the end of the war. Orders increased due to the reputation of reciprocating engines during the war. Anticipating future orders, large-scale facility investments were financed from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. “Now, we’ll be able to rebuild Kokuei.” That’s what Jusaku, not to mention the employees, most certainly believed.

However, the Dodge Line in 1949 drastically changed the situation. Monetary contraction policy was implemented to reduce inflation. Subsidies and reconstruction funding stopped. This happened when they were about to use financed facility investments to actually manufacture reciprocating engines. Engine orders were cancelled, and financing came to a halt. With its back against the wall, Kokuei was on the verge of bankruptcy.
To make matters worse, an affiliated company Nippon Chemical Koatsu, who was called "permanent lacquer workshop" went bankrupt. Concerns about deteriorating financial conditions spread like wildfire, and Kokuei was rumored to go bust. Jusaku sold the land at Nonen-cho to pay off debt, but there were no prospects in sight.
He was unable to sleep and every day was a nightmare. Aware that he was in a dangerous situation, two men, Keitaro Tatsuta, the president of Tatsuta Bouseki Co., Ltd., and Jiro Shimizu, the president of Nippon Felt Co., Ltd., offered a helping hand. They advocated for him with banks, urging them to resume financing for Kokuei. Support from friends was invaluable. Jusaku was given the courage to come back from the bottom.

Coin Counters Provide a Sense of Relief

Although Kokuei had hit rock bottom, Jusaku firmly believed the Kokuei technical team was still a crtical asset. Around the time the banks shored up his company, Jusaku resumed company-wide sales. It was then that Senji Onoe, who was in charge of sales, picked up some encouraging information from the Osaka Mint. “Japan will issue coins in the near future. Coin counters are available overseas, but not in Japan.” Although he had no idea what this venture might entail, Jusaku decided to pursue it. The prototype testing went brilliantly, and was approved by the Mint.
Jusaku predicted “It is not marketable yet, but financial institutions are sure to use it,” and he relied on this coin counter to fulfill his dream of in-house product development.
Jusaku’s insight turned out to be accurate. In 1952, 10 yen coins were issued, followed by 50 yen and 100 yen coins five years later, and the coins were widely circulated. Meanwhile, successive improvements to the Mint coin counters dramatically improved performance. This technology subsequently attracted the attention of Sumitomo Bank (now Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation).

Caption: 1st Domestic Coin Counter

At that time, it was generally believed that bank tellers would not be handling the troublesome coins. Bills were indeed primarily used. Nevertheless, Sumitomo bank (hereinafter Sumitomo) was paying attention to coin circulation. Some financial institutions were using coin counters made in West Germany, but there was still no sign of any full-scale installation. Furthermore, the expensive 600,000 yen per unit cost made it unrealistic to equip all branches with the German-made machines.
Contrastingly, the Kokuei coin counter sold at 125,000 yen per unit. Sumitomo did not hesitate in ordering 100 units. This is when the Kokuei name came to be recognized in financial institutions across Japan. Sumitomo installed a coin counter at each branch and used it as a sales message.
Signs announced “Coins Accepted.”
Shop owners who had previously been reluctant to take their daily coin earnings to bank tellers rushed into Sumitomo. Seeing the Sumitomo success, Sanwa Bank (now Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ) also had them installed. The year was 1954.
An unknown small-town factory had transformed into a national corporation.

Coin Counters Provide a Sense of Relief Caption: Street Demonstration of Coin Counter at Sumitomo Bank
(Provided by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation)

Vending Machine Endeavor

With confidence from the success of the coin counters, the technical team started to work on a new goal. Vending machines were becoming popular in Europe and the United States. Jusaku read new product catalogs borrowed from his friend, foresaw a vending machine boom in Japan, and gave the technical team some ‘homework’.
Haris Co., Ltd. (now Kracie Foods, Ltd.) subsequently commissioned Kokuei to develop a chewing gum vending machine. The technical team had been working on a cigarette vending machine, but immediately switched to the chewing gum machine, and completed the prototype in late 1957. A further improved machine was installed in the Osaka Takashimaya department store the following year.
The impact was beyond expectation. It was particularly popular among children. The vending machines Haris installed in department stores throughout the nation increased their sales dramatically. They were pioneers in the vending machine boom in Japan.

From then on, the demand for vending machines for things like cigarettes, gas tickets, towel sets, hair dryers, and sanitary goods grew each time the cost of labor rose. Some makers sold poor-quality machines, but Jusaku always insisted, “To make better products, more quickly, at lower costs is a given, but the sequence is important. The focus is on better products. Speed is the next important, followed by lower costs. It’s vital that you never confuse these priorities.” Jusaku ventured into in-house product development, and that was his philosophy. With this consistent line of thinking, products he successively developed included coin counters, coin wrappers, banknote counters, and banknote sorters. Most of these were the first to be made in the nation.

GLORY Expands From Himeji to the World

In 1971, the Kokuei company name was changed to GLORY LTD. The objectives were to gain momentum in the export businesses and to turn a family operation to a corporate structure worthy of the international era.
“I think corporate success comes from believing in its public nature and surrendering personal attachment to it.” This was the perspective of an entrepreneur who had nurtured his company for half a century. That year, Jusaku retired as president.

Jusaku’s spirit

Our corporate philosophy, “We will contribute to the development of a more secure society through a striving spirit and co-operative efforts”, represents Jusaku’s spirit, and our employees maintain this everlasting passion into the present.

Jusaku’s spirit

We have quoted the article of interview of the chief editor, Mr. Takamichi Nakamoto on the issue of "BanCul" No.2 (Winnter/1992),
publication of Himeji Cultual and International Exchange Foundation. (Partially edited)

Dreaming of making in-house product
starting from the striving spirit

Why did the Kokuei Machinery Manufacturing, an anonymous manufacturer, challenge the development of coin counter?
And what was the driving force behind it? Exploring the origin of GLORY that developed into a global company.

Subcontractor period; pursuing production of own products,
challenging the production of the coin counting machine

Subcontractor period; pursuing production of own products, challenging the production of the coin counting machine

Kokuei Machinery Manufacturing (hereinafter Kokuei), now GLORY, was founded in March 1918 when electric lamps were becoming popular in general households, and it began operations with just seven employees as a factory for repairing and manufacturing light-bulb devices. The real founder of Kokuei, Jusaku Onoe (hereinafter Jusaku), strongly believed that companies should produce their own products to survive adverse market situations. Based on this philosophy, Kokuei produced various machines such as diesel engines, machine tools, and an ice lolly making machine. None of them, however, were sold due to the obscurity of the company and no sales channels. There was a period after the war when Kokuei managed to survive by creating side businesses such as a laundry and a boiled food shop.　

Subcontractor period; pursuing production of own products, challenging the production of the coin counting machine

In those days, when all the employees of Kokuei, headed by Jusaku, were struggling to contact various companies to obtain orders, Senji Onoe (hereinafter Senji), the younger brother of Jusaku, heard interesting news in December 1949 from an old school friend, who was working for the Mint: "New coins will be issued soon in Japan, and we need a coin counting machine that is made in Japan, since the overseas coin counting machines are too expensive. Can you make the machine at your company?" said the friend of Senji. Since the coins were not yet popular in Japan, the request seemed very difficult as if catching the clouds.
Jusaku, however, upon hearing this news from Senji, instantly felt this was a very promising opportunity. As such, Jusaku submitted the estimate of the coin counting machine to the Mint based on the information he heard from people working at banks with who had knowledge about the machine.
Meanwhile, Senji went to the Mint almost every day to discuss the plan for producing the machine. Senji’s passion and dedication resulted in an official order from the Mint to produce the coin counting machine.　

The days of repeated trial and error
by four engineers

The days of repeated trial and error by four engineers

The following day, they began dismantling each component and preparing the drawings for the production of the new machine. The official production began after completion of the drawings. The coin receptor tray on top of the US machine was made by patting copper plate. Since Kokuei didn't have the technology to produce the receptor in the same way as the US machine, they struggled to produce it in a different manner using cast metal or a different design.

The first coin counting machine resulted in the name Kokuei
becoming widely known in the industry.

The first coin counting machine resulted in the name Kokuei becoming widely known in the industry.

The first coin counting machine was made in February 1950. The machine was confidentially brought to the Mint having completed a thorough inspection before delivery. The trial operation of the machine at the Mint showed good performance, and the machine was officially delivered. This machine became the first coin counting machine made in Japan, and sales to the Mint become the very first step for our company to establish the status as a cash handling machine manufacturer.

The first coin counting machine resulted in the name Kokuei becoming widely known in the industry.

"A striving spirit" - the key to success

'A striving spirit - the key to success

I always say that no matter how capable a person is, he or she cannot do a large job alone.
Large jobs can be performed particularly well when the power and efforts of everybody are combined. There are some people who prefer to do everything by themselves, boasting "I did this by myself." I don't think boasting of a personal performance leads to great success. We succeeded in producing the very first coin counting machine in Japan because of our "Striving spirit and co-operative efforts".

Three junior Glory employees bearing the future of the company
discuss the present and future of Glory, from their personal point of view.
Glory creates new products by utilizing technology,
know-how and a spirit cultivated over a one hundred years period.
Our wings of imagination spread into the next 100 years.

“Teamwork” is indispensable
Sharing information internally

System Development Division,
Platform Development Department
Katsuhito KURIOKA

Trilingual and taking action fast
are her strength
Wants to be “an employee who speaks out”

Glory Global Solutions Ltd.,
Temporary transfer
Zhiyun SU

Would like to be told
“We’ve been waiting for this technology”
Listening to the voices of customers

Research & Development Center
Yusuke FURUKAWA

*Affiliation and job content at the time of the discussion.

Why has Glory been able to become a one-hundred-year-old company? Our inherited DNA.

Interviewer:: Could you please introduce yourselves and your work?

Kurioka:: I joined the company in 2005, after graduating from an electrical engineering department in a faculty of engineering. After formerly designing machines that count and store banknotes and devices to the bank teller management, I am presently in charge of designing a payment terminal that people can pay taxes or public utility fees, such as electric and water bills in person.

Su:: After graduating from university in China, I came to Japan to study business administration at a graduate school and then joined the company in 2012. Since then I have been in charge of overseas business, and am currently working at Glory Global Solutions Ltd., which is responsible for global sales and maintenance. Here, I take charge of banknote sorters and banknote strapping machines. These products are used around the globe, primarily in EEMEA (Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and Asia. My job is to provide customization and sales support for existing products, to furnish release support for new products and to cope with product discontinuation.

Furukawa:: I joined the company in 2013 with a master’s degree from a graduate school of informatics. After I took charge of developing silhouettes extraction algorithms from images of a person and examining performance evaluation, and improvement plans for existing facial recognition algorithms, I am currently in charge of technological development for the systemization of facial recognition technology. In particular, over the past year I have been working hard on developing technology to detect unregistered individuals. In contrast with the recognition of a registrant from an image taken with a camera of the existing facial recognition system, the research I am involved with detects an unregistered person from an image.

Interviewer:: How does your work impact customers?

Furukawa:: I work at the Research and Development Center most of the time, however, I occasionally have opportunities to meet with customers at exhibitions, and explain the product to customers for a better understanding of the technology. At times like that, I make an effort to grasp customer needs and put it to use in research. Also, sales representatives often come to the Research and Development Center and tell me various things like “A customer said . . .” or “Couldn’t you make something like this?” To begin with, the technology to recognize an unregistered person was developed due to the needs of preventing an undesired person entering hospital rooms, as well as preventing unanticipated accidents before they occur. Besides, our sales staff receive various needs from customers who installed our facial recognition systems at a supermarket, such as, "If a face can be recognized, can't the number of people that come in and out also be counted?", or, "Can't a smaller PC be used for a facial recognition system?" It is this information from customers that leads to the next development of technology.

Su:: Since we do not sell our products directly to customers like sales staff in Japan, I basically hear of customer needs through an agent. Nevertheless, when I meet with customers at bidding presentations, I often receive good feedback on the high quality of Glory products.

Kurioka:: My department basically designs products based on the specifications requested through the product planning division. Depending on the device I have worked alongside customers in the form of a “trial” as we construct the product. Since we get direct customer feedback, refinement becomes quite speedy. When I receive good feedback from customers about how pleased they are, I get the feeling that I was able to be helpful.

Interviewer:: What do you think is Glory’s strength and identity?

Su:: I think Glory’s greatest strength is it has built a great brand reputation. As soon as our new products are introduced to the market, overseas manufacturers produce similar inexpensive products at an astonishing speed. However, even though appearance and functions can be copied, durability and high quality cannot be imitated. Customer confidence in the brand is high, and I presume that we don’t become involved in price competitions precisely because we are Glory. I regard the fact that we have earned high customer loyalty worldwide as wonderful.

Kurioka:: I believe after all that the amount of experience that Glory has cultivated for 100 years is significant. The Tax and Official Payment Deposit Station which I take care of, enables the registering of various payment formats and complete self-payment. I think that our technology which improved in the field of cash handling where accuracy and strictness is required, made this development possible.

Furukawa:: I agree that the amount of Glory experience has made our work easier. “Recognition and identification technology” and “mechatronics technology” are surely core technologies that Glory can boast about to the world. The field of facial recognition is newer than the field of cash handling and its brand value is still low. However, when we explain to customers that “we originally applied recognition and identification technologies to cash handling machines, where even a one-yen mistake cannot be permitted, highly accurate facial recognition becomes possible” they are convinced. In addition, Glory’s strength lies in the fact that relevant divisions from planning, development, and manufacturing, to sales and maintenance unite to resolve issues. I consider this to be Glory’s identity.

Overcoming issues creates strength.
We are here to achieve that.

Interviewer:: How would you describe your work style?

Furukawa:: “We’ve been waiting for this technology.” is the motto I use in new technology development. Our company is working on reducing overtime hours, in order to produce results even within a short period of work time, and I make a conscious effort to work as efficiently as possible. For that, I always listen to those on the worksite and develop with needs in mind, and try to eliminate reworks due to the un-matched developed technology.

Su:: My motto is “Be strict with myself and be strict with others” (laughing). I am aiming to be “an employee who speaks out,” and unless I can first do things properly I can’t comment to others, I am meticulous about that. My job does not end just introducing products to customers. I grasp customers' needs by asking, what are their problems and what they are aiming for. Then I make suggestions to customers by saying: “If that is the case, we can offer this product/solution, the current issue can be resolved by taking such an approach,” at times the development division gets involved.

Kurioka:: Since development work deadlines are determined in advance, teams share information without exception regardless of how trivial the matter in order for work to go smoothly. Perhaps because of that, our teamwork is very good as well as the atmosphere of our workspace. We often have barbecues at our managers’ house during holidays.

Su:: That sounds very nice. I can see how close you all are. (laughing).I think we have a good work environment for women. I am married and have a child. I feel female employees can easily take maternity leave and childcare leave in necessary. People who I work with are nice and friendly. When I have to work overtime, they always ask “Are you sure to work overtime today?” Besides, at the headquarters we have a nursery facility for employees and we also can hire a babysitter which is supported by company. That really helps.

Interviewer:: What kind of difficulties have you run into during your work?

Furukawa:: Up to my third year in the company, I sometimes worked independently on technology development, and it was difficult to get results. In those days, I was busy completing the task at hand and I thought that being able to resolve the issues facing me was enough. However, inspired by advice from my manager, I concentrated on listening carefully to what others had to say. Then, I begun to understand the purpose and the needs, where and what kind of system the technology that I was designing would be used, I was able to produce good results.

Su:: It was tough to make a development plan for next financial year for a newly released product, which hasn’t been lined up yet. I felt very relieved when I submitted the draft plan somehow, by confirming the previous sales status and potential in each country, listening to local sales staff and development staff’s opinions. I shouldn’t have achieved it if I hadn’t accumulated knowledge, experience and personal connections through my work.
The next step is to make an official plan by discussing with all relevant people based on this draft plan.

Kurioka:: Unlike banknotes which are limited in variety, there are a wide range of types of payment statements for the subcompact motor vehicle tax, public utility payments, for electricity and water charges, come in different sizes and types of paper. There were so many challenges to ensure that the machine could handle all those forms without any problems that it nearly drove me crazy. I resolved the issues one by one and when I was finally able to clear all of them, the sense of accomplishment was enormous.

Su:: At my workplace, I speak frankly about what I think is correct, and I am even aggressive with my manager. So, I sometimes get comments from my co-workers that I am harassing boss by my words. (laughing).

Kurioka and Furukawa:: That’s surprising! (laughing)

Su:: Such a disposition may be acceptable at my workplace. However, I realized that I may be putting pressure onto people around me, even if I say things with the best intentions. Now, I try to express myself kindly to others.

Interviewer:: What are the issues you think Glory faces now, and how can they be turned into strengths?

Kurioka:: I feel that the fact that Glory has become a leading company by primarily dealing in cash handling machines has conversely become a shortcoming. I think that the characteristic of the products we have manufactured up to now are biased. We are prosperous in cash handling and image recognition technology, but what about everything else? For example, if cash were no longer circulating in society, the need for cash handling machines would decline. When the things society requires change, the challenge for Glory will be “how to create something that we have not created before”. If we can achieve that, it would become a huge advantage.

Su:: Glory tends to be avoid of taking on challenges and give up before try. I consider that as Glory’s shortcoming. I think it’s important to find out how to make something impossible become possible. For instance, nobody would have expected smartphones to be so popular 10 years ago. It will be difficult to survive the next 100 years if we are not able to envision products, which no one has never imagined, before it comes to customers’ mind. Nevertheless, I believe Glory has the value to create “products that no one has seen”.

Furukawa:: I agree. I also think promoting technology development with "foresight" to anticipate needs as indispensable for maintaining Glory’s brand value. Typically, a position called researcher tends to stand aloof from the user. However, if we do not focus on development to the point that products are released on the market, users support cannot be earned. Furthermore, we will not overcome the competitor even if we develop the product at the same speed as other companies. As Mr. Kurioka said, I think that what will make possible to develop such technologies is a good teamwork, the teamwork of the company.

Glory to be the company contributing to the development
of a more secure society 100 years from now.

Interviewer:: What do you think how environment surrounds Glory will change in the future?

Kurioka:: The labor force working population will decrease along with the declining of Japanese population in the future. At the beginning of the 2000s when I entered the company, the labor force working population was approximately 80 million, it is said that will decrease to approximately 45 million in 2060. Under these circumstances, work-style reforms underway in Japan presently, and the improvement of productivity will be accelerated. As I mentioned earlier, I anticipate that new technology tailored to social needs will be in demand, while cashless advances and the growth of currency processing machine businesses which Glory assumes the main force slows down. Inevitably, it will be a condition in which Glory’s value is tested.

Su:: Since acquired TARALIS which accounts for 40 percent of the world market share of currency handling machines for financial institutions, in 2012, Glory has expanding overseas rapidly. However, Japanese companies, even companies which has overseas bases in many countries like Glory, tend to concentrate on the domestic market. I have developed a critical feeling as other countries, especially Asian countries, are steadily growing. I hope everyone at Glory look at what’s happening around the world.

Furukawa:: As Mr. Kurioka and Ms. Su said, as society becomes more globalized in the future, I expect the Glory business field and sales area expansions will accelerate more than ever before. Regarding the business field, our original technology that we cultivated, as the leading cash handling machine manufacturer, has already been put to use in new fields including biometrics and the SI business utilizing collaborative robots. I would like to continue to play a part in technology development in these fields.

Interviewer:: What should Glory do in order to survive the next 100 years?

Furukawa:: The starting point of Glory is expressed in our corporate philosophy: “We will contribute to the development of a more secure society through a striving spirit and co-operative efforts.” And I think it becomes the strength of Glory that its philosophy is shared by Group employees. Based on our philosophy, we should go out into the world more extensively over the next 100 years. I think Glory will succeed globally by promoting business globalization, and expanding its sales area and the business field, and play an active part with more people of the world.

Su:: We chant Glory's corporate philosophy in my workplace. I was surprised to know it was chanted even in the Shanghai office every morning. Of course, the philosophy is translated from Japanese into Chinese. There are only a few international employees working in offices of Glory in Japan including myself. I hope it to be increased. I believe Glory will become a global company which creates better products by mobilizing wisdom and effort of people all over the world towards the next 100 years.

Kurioka:: From its establishment to the present, Glory has consistently been manufacturing products that improve customer productivity. We will create new products to meet the needs and increase productivity of customers, without being tied to pre-existing fields of expertise. By doing so, Glory will become the company that contributes to and is needed by society for the next 100 years.

Interviewer:: What kind of innovative products would you like to see in future?

Furukawa:: It is currently possible to recognize and identify individuals in real time with considerable precision. I next anticipate the arrival of the “Era of Prediction”. It is kind of adding “Action Prediction” to the recognition and identification functions. If target behavioral pattern analysis enables predicting the future occurrence before anything actually happens, this technology could be put to practical use for various purposes such as proposing a branch layout more suitable for visitors.

Kurioka:: If that can be realized, new fields will expand for Glory. By the way, I have a question for Mr. Furukawa. Could you develop a translation machine that uses facial recognition? If a translator could read a subject’s mouth movements and facial expressions, and even gestures, accuracy would improve and that it would be very useful. What do you think?

Furukawa:: That is interesting. Japanese who are not good at English might have a need for that. Although I consider Ms. Su’s command of English, Chinese and Japanese an asset, would the development of such a high efficiency translator cause a predicament?

Su:: No. I am rather looking forward to that. Since I am currently in charge of cash handling machines, I am very interested in how such unique technology can be applied to products I am in charge of. For example, I think customers would like to have a product which does what is instructed such as “Count the banknotes”, “Sort the banknotes” in any language. I believe it will help increasing productivity as well. Please do consider to develop such a new product in future.

We will contribute to the realization of a more secure society
through the development of new products and solutions.