The engineer who created a Japanese technology giant

One of the direct consequences of the tragic train accident that occurred in early 2026 in southern Spain is that many people will have discovered that the Japanese firm Hitachi also manufactures trains; in fact, they are the supplier for the Italian high-speed rail operator Iryo, one of whose trains was involved in the catastrophe. Traditionally, we have associated Hitachi much more with electronics and, specifically, with high-fidelity equipment, but the reality is that they have been producing trains for many decades. As is the case with most Japanese multinationals, when we look at their origins, we find surprising facts. This is because their beginnings are not linked to electronics or railways, but to a copper mine in the former Japanese province of Hitachi.

Right at the turn of the century, the young engineer Namihei Odaira joined Fujita & Co. to work at the Kosaka copper mine. One of his first initiatives was to build an electric power plant to run all the mine's machinery and replace all the steam-powered equipment in use. In just two years, he accomplished his goal, much to the satisfaction of the owner, the entrepreneur and politician Fusanosuke Kuhara. In 1904, Odaira left the company to become an engineer at Tokyo Dento, a firm that intended to build the country's main electric power plant. The prestige he gained there led Kuhara to rehire him to electrify the copper mine they operated in Hitachi.

This new phase began in 1906 and culminated successfully, allowing Odaira to focus on a personal obsession: since entering the industrial world, he had observed that all machinery was manufactured with parts produced abroad, with Japan playing no role in technical innovation. This goal culminated in 1910 when the company produced the first 5-horsepower electric motor entirely of Japanese manufacture. This milestone spurred Odaira's department to move from simply repairing foreign machinery to designing and producing its own machines. This date marks the beginning of Hitachi's existence as a technology company and of Odaira as its founder. Incidentally, since the geographical term Hitachi could be broken down into two concepts—Hi (sun) and Tachi (standing person)—they decided that the corporate image of the newly formed company would mean "Let's move aside with the sun."

One of Odaira's main goals during his years at the company was to foster the training of the company's engineers and create a team with the highest possible talent. To this end, he launched the apprentice school, which would become the company's training ground for technicians (as part of the training program, they even provided food and clothing to the talented young people recruited from universities).

The outbreak of World War I disrupted the company's plans, forcing it to sever ties with European countries, where it still sourced some parts for its products. Having to handle the entire manufacturing process itself led to a series of problems with the quality of the final product, but Odaira was able to turn this crisis to his advantage, as it allowed him to create two new departments that would later become key in any industry: quality control and research and development.

The war ended, but not the problems for Hitachi, which in 1919 saw its Tokyo headquarters—inaugurated just two years earlier—completely destroyed by a devastating fire. Our protagonist's drive allowed Hitachi not only to recover from the blow but also to experience a major boost from 1920 onward, when it separated from its parent company in Kuhara. Four years later, they manufactured their first electric locomotive, opening a line of business that continues to this day. Later came fans, fertilizer production equipment, elevators, refrigerators, and small household appliances, until in 1947, when he was already over seventy years old, Odaira decided to retire. He retired to a modest wooden house, where he lived until his death just four years later. Today, Hitachi is a global giant operating in the energy, mobility, industrial, healthcare, construction, and digital sectors.