(

KBE KBE may refer to: * Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, post-nominal letters * Knowledge-based engineering Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) is the application of knowledge-based systems technology to the domain o ...

; February 28, 1919 in Tokyo – September 10, 2012) was one of the pioneers of postwar Japanese manufacturing. He served as the Chairman of the Board and Chief Scout of the

Scout Association of Japan The is the major Scouting organization of Japan. Starting with boys only, the organization was known as Boy Scouts of Japan from 1922 to 1971, and as Boy Scouts of Nippon from 1971 to 1995, when it became coeducational in all sections, leading ...

, serving for 12 years from 1994, and was the former Chair of the Board of Trustees of the

International Christian University is a non-denominational private university located in Mitaka, Tokyo. With the efforts of Prince Takamatsu, General Douglas MacArthur, and Bank of Japan, BOJ Governor Hisato Ichimada, ICU was established in 1949 as the first liberal arts coll ...

Background

Intrigued at the workings of the household radio during his childhood, Saba chose to study electrical engineering. He received a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

from the

University of Tokyo The University of Tokyo (, abbreviated as in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several pre-westernisation era ins ...

in December 1941 and went to work for the

Toshiba Corporation is a Japanese multinational electronics company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure systems, elevators and escalators, electronic components, semiconductors ...

(before he was called to active service in the

Imperial Japanese Army The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...

on February 1, 1942), where he later became President and CEO. In 1956 and 1957, he served as a representative of Toshiba to

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...

Schenectady, New York Schenectady ( ) is a City (New York), city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-most populo ...

. He was conferred by ICU with an

honorary doctor An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

of letters in 2009. Saba served as Chairman of the Japan Machinery Foundation (today, the

Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association The is a Japanese trade organization for the electronics and IT industries. It was formed in 2000 from two earlier organizations, the Electronic Industries Association of Japan and the Japan Electronic Industries Development Association. Histor ...

); Vice Chairman for the

Japan Federation of Economic Organizations The is an economic organization founded in May 2002 by amalgamation of Keidanren (, Japan Federation of Economic Organizations, established 1946; name sometimes used alone as abbreviation for whole organization) and Nikkeiren (, Japan Federatio ...

; Chairman of the

Japan Machinery Federation Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in th ...

; and Counselor to the

Bank of Japan The is the central bank of Japan.Louis Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric. (2005). "Nihon Ginkō" in The bank is often called for short. It is headquartered in Nihonbashi, Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The said bank is a corporate entity ...

. He was named a member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (, IVA), founded on 24 October 1919 by King Gustaf V, is one of the royal academies in Sweden. The academy is an independent organisation, which promotes contact and exchange between business, ...

; fellow of the

Royal Society of Arts The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, commonly known as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is a learned society that champions innovation and progress across a multitude of sectors by fostering creativity, s ...

; and foreign associate to the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American Nonprofit organization, nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. It is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), along with the National Academ ...

. During his tenure as president of Toshiba from 1980 to July 1987, he helped bring portable computers to the consumer market. Saba funneled vast resources into research and development, especially in the areas of semiconductors, computers, and telecommunications. In the Toshiba-Kongsberg scandal, Saba and President Sugiichiro Watari resigned from their official posts, though he remained as adviser to the board rather than having to sever a 45-year tie. Well into his 80s he was seen almost daily in the office. Saba was also the first Japanese director of

Imperial Chemical Industries Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) was a British Chemical industry, chemical company. It was, for much of its history, the largest manufacturer in Britain. Its headquarters were at Millbank in London. ICI was listed on the London Stock Exchange ...

as a non-executive in 1985. Saba was awarded the Medal with Blue Ribbon (藍綬褒章, ''ranjuhōshō'') in 1980; First Class of the

Order of the Sacred Treasure The is a Japanese Order (distinction), order, established on 4 January 1888 by Emperor Meiji as the Order of Meiji. Originally awarded in eight classes (from 8th to 1st, in ascending order of importance), since 2003 it has been awarded in six c ...

in 1990; the Commander's Cross (''Großes Verdienstkreuz'') of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...

; and the Honorary Knight Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1990. In 1999 he also received the highest distinction of the

, the

Golden Pheasant Award The is the highest award for adult leaders in the Scout Association of Japan. It is awarded by the Chief Scout of Japan, awarded for eminent achievement and meritorious service to the Association for a period of at least twenty years. It may be ...

. Saba's fundraising efforts supported the centenary Japan Festival event of the Japan Society of the UK, including the first sumo tournament held outside Japan.

References

External links

* http://web.icu.ac.jp/www2/en/20120915-3.html * http://oldsite.scout.org/en/multi_media/images/global/news/2004/2007_mr_shoichi_saba * https://web.archive.org/web/20090327024400/http://www.scout.org/en/content/download/11624/94866/file/Triennial_Report_EN_5.pdf * http://ethw.org/Shoichi_Saba * http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/84474c9c-0e1d-11e2-8d92-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3oAb5Mgb0 * http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/71/Toshiba-Corporation.html
The Times
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saba, Shoichi 1919 births 2012 deaths Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Scouting in Japan Foreign associates of the National Academy of Engineering Chief Scouts