Otohiko Hara


Otohiko Hara, formerly known as Otohiko Yabashi, was a Japanese corporate executive. He was a chief executive officer of Unitika Tsusho . One of the first Japanese businesspersons who led Dai Nippon Spinning Co., Ltd., one of Japan's three largest textile makers, to the first overseas expansion of Japanese corporations after World War II.

Early life

was born in Akasaka-juku (Nakasendō), Ōgaki as the third son of and, a distinguished family that Emperor Shōwa in 1946 and Emperor Heisei in 1965 when he was crown prince officially visited.
Jiro Yabashi was Audit & Supervisory board member of Juroku Bank whose branch located in Akasaka was "Kosan Kaisha" founded by this Yabashi family in 1888 and also run by the same family, renamed "Akasaka Bank" in 1902 and transferred to Juroku Bank in 1942 according to the national recommendations and Kinu Yabashi is the elder sister of Kizo Yasui.
Otohiko Hara graduated from Ōgaki Junior High School. He entered the preparatory course of Kwansei Gakuin University. In 1948 he graduated from Kwansei Gakuin University. While in the University, he joined the seminar of professor, leading figure of.

World War II

Under the conscription system for university-students during World War II called Gakuto shutsujin, Otohiko Hara joined the Imperial Japanese Navy, following Vice-Admiral, who was said to have a "Head like a Hammer", and was also from Akasaka-juku, in Gifu prefecture, and graduated from the Naval Academy summa cum laude. During the War Otohiko Hara was in Manchuria and the war ended while he was a lieutenant.

After World War II

Due to the long-term relationship with the Koderas, family of Karō of Finance at Ōgaki Domain since before Meiji Restoration, especially, head of the Koderas who later became Audit & Supervisory board member of [Unitika|Amagasaki Spinners (later, Dai Nippon Spinning, Unitika|Nichibo, Unitika)],, professor at Kwansei Gakuin University, known for his house designed in a Spanish style by William Merrell Vories, and, former president of Dai Nippon Spinning, he came to marry Yuhiko Hara and became the adopted child of by changing his family name, who was also involved in the management of cotton spinning company like Seizo and Gengo Kodera for a long time.

First overseas expansion

After the special procurement boom in Japan brought by Korean War coming after World War II, Otohiko Hara was appointed overseas representative of Dai Nippon Spinning. Then it was the age of Propeller (aeronautics). He had to fly to Brazil by making international connections in many cities at that time and to start from scratch, residing in São Paulo with his wife, Yuhiko Hara, and his son,, to lay the foundation for Dai Nippon Spinning's (later, Unitika) starting up activities overseas ahead of other Japanese corporations, for instance, by joining Club Athletico Paulistano, the oldest sports and social club in Brazil, for building up a network of connections. In 1958 Nichibo Brazil was established as the first overseas expansion of Japanese corporations after World War II with the financial support of The Sumitomo Bank when, who promoted volleyball actively at Nichibo Kaizuka factory, which influenced the sports policy of Kaizuka City, and was later awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure in June 1975 for long-term distinguished service was the president of Dai Nippon Spinning then.

Visit of Oriental Witches

In 1960 when Otohiko Hara resided in Brazil, All-Japan Women's Volleyball National Team whose members were mostly Dai Nippon Spinning volleyball team players doing clerical work at Dai Nippon Spinning from 8 a.m. to 4 pm, called led by who was also working for Dai Nippon Spinning Co., Ltd. then after graduating from Kwansei Gakuin University, became politician later, and still remains in the people's minds as "Demon Daimatsu", participated in FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship held in Brazil, visited Otohiko Hara and encouraged each other. Then Japan won second place. The first place was Soviet Union.

As a businessperson

In 1964 when the above-mentioned won gold medal in Tokyo Olympics, Dai Nippon Spinning changed its name to Nichibo. On October 1, 1969, Nichibo and Nippon Rayon merged and Unitika Co., Ltd. was formed. In 1973 Otohiko Hara moved to Unitika Tsusho, was assigned to be senior managing director and subsequently took office as the president of Unitika Tsusho, concurrently serving as auditor of Osaka Senko Co., Ltd. After he resigned his position, he became full-time auditor of the Osaka Senko and advisor of Unitika Tsusho.

Later life and death

He died on April 9, 2018.

Kinship