Kunimasa Shigeno, Director, Representative Executive Officer and President, Yokogawa Electric Corporation

2026.08.18

Continuing to take on challenges and supporting the future of social infrastructure.

■ Profile
Born in 1968 in Okayama Prefecture. After graduating from Kyushu Institute of Technology, he joined Yokogawa Electric Corporation in 1991. He started his career as an engineer and has since been involved in project management overseas and the management of local subsidiaries in the Middle East and Africa. With the motto "A commitment made is a commitment kept," he leads the YOKOGAWA Group in solving the challenges of society and its customers.

Founded in 1915, Yokogawa Electric Corporation is a B2B company that continues to provide products and solutions to industries that support social infrastructure, such as oil and gas, chemicals, power, food, pharmaceuticals, and water treatment. It is a global company operating in 63 countries. We spoke with President Shigeno, who describes Yokogawa Electric Corporation as "a company that supports companies that support society."

During my student days, I would return to my hometown during summer and winter breaks and dedicate myself to part-time jobs selling white peaches, muscat grapes, watermelons, and other fruits. At supermarkets, I would wear a headband and energetically call out to customers, while at department stores, I would serve customers in a suit and tie. Even with the same product, the customers and sales methods were completely different depending on where I sold it. I spent my days constantly thinking about and devising ways to get customers to pick up my products, while sensing the atmosphere of each sales location.

■The origin of business is part-time work

When I was working as a salesperson at a supermarket, customers often asked me, "Which one is the tastiest?" At first, I would recommend the best product, but in the end, I had to sell all of the nearly 100 items. So, I was constantly thinking about how to explain things in a way that would convince customers to buy, and how to sell everything. There was also a system where we would receive an incentive if sales exceeded a certain amount. I worked desperately to sell back then, but looking back now, I think that target was set brilliantly by the president. Through this part-time job, I naturally learned the importance of creating systems that inspire people to take on challenges and the importance of motivation. Looking back, it might have been the starting point where I learned about the fun of business and management.

■ Encounter with Yokogawa Electric

I majored in science at university and used Yokogawa Electric products in my research lab. My professor told me that "Yokogawa Electric is a company with such high quality that it sells itself without needing to advertise," and that's what made me aware of Yokogawa Electric as a company. It was during the bubble economy, and the term "lifetime earnings" was commonly heard. In addition to being attracted to the company's compensation package compared to other manufacturers, I was drawn to its reliability in quality and the possibility of working on a global scale, so I decided to join the company.

■The thrill of manufacturing that I experienced on the job site

After joining the company, I worked as an engineer, responsible for setting up control systems for factories and plants. One particularly memorable experience was working at a steel mill in Taiwan. We used red-hot iron, melted from scrap metal at over 1500 degrees Celsius, and after months of adjusting the massive equipment, the moment the iron first flowed out as a finished product was incredibly moving. I remember all the engineers on site stopping their work and cheering. I'll never forget seeing the site manager in tears.
To complete a single plant, many companies and many engineers work together. It was a moment when I truly realized that our technology supports society, and I sincerely felt that I had made the right choice in choosing a career in manufacturing.

■ Our mission to support social infrastructure

Yokogawa Electric has celebrated its 110th anniversary. Its main product, control systems, has been used in plants around the world for over 50 years.
Our technology supports essential social infrastructure such as oil and chemical plants, power plants, water treatment plants, and waste incineration facilities—all vital to people's lives. Because these facilities operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, high quality and reliability are paramount.
Currently, approximately 73% of our sales come from overseas. We have established sales and service systems in countries around the world, and we value being a "Trusted Partner" that supports our customers for a long period of time, not just after delivery.

■Building trust is our greatest strength.

Our work doesn't end with delivering the product. Because plants operate for decades, we spend a long time with our customers, from post-installation maintenance and upgrades to troubleshooting. Equipment malfunctions can have a significant impact on production and social infrastructure, so prompt and sincere responses are essential.
I believe Yokogawa Electric's greatest asset is its people. While technical expertise is undoubtedly important, it is our commitment to taking responsibility and working closely with our customers from their perspective that has led to the trust we have built over the years. Even now, as we operate globally, our dedication to quality and sense of responsibility, cultivated in Japan, remains unchanged. That's why we want to continue to be a company that customers can turn to when they have a problem. This accumulation of trust is the reason we have been able to continue our business for over 100 years since our founding, and it is a corporate culture that we will continue to cherish and protect.

■ Transforming into a company that embraces challenges

From now on, Yokogawa Electric will no longer simply be a company that responds to customer requests. We are transforming into a company that proactively proposes new value, such as AI-driven automation, CO₂ reduction, and energy conservation.
To achieve this, we must embrace challenges rather than maintain the status quo. I tell my employees that "those who maintain the status quo will fall behind." I urge them not to be afraid of failure and to take on challenges. I believe that those who challenge themselves with new technologies and ideas will be the ones who build the company of the future.

■Message to university students

During job hunting, you'll likely think hard about your strengths and reasons for wanting the job. However, there's no need to dwell on those things too much. Work is something you do for decades. You'll often discover what you truly want to do and your strengths after you've entered the workforce.
That's why I urge you not to limit your potential from the start, but to broaden your perspective and explore various companies and jobs. When you're young, you have the great advantage of being able to take on challenges without fear of failure. I believe that the accumulation of these challenges will not only lead to your own growth, but also to becoming a force that supports society.

Student Newspaper Online, May 9, 2026, Interview by Reina Inomoto, 1st year student at Kyoto University of the Arts