HOME > COMPANY PROFILE YOSHIDA METAL INDUSTRY CO.,LTD (YOSHIKIN)'s basic company objective is the pursuit of new technologies and the exploration of new possibilities. Our strong sense of this goal is the reason we employ the best people and develop their talents and enthusiasm. YOSHIKIN operates according to the enthusiasm and thinking embodied in the new directive "forge one's own way!" We attach great importance to the flexibility existing in strength, and have made it our goal to pursue the true welfare in the daily living of our customers. YOSHIKIN's sound management, which is supported by our staff, and our technologies are considered valued assets. The enthusiastic drive of each and every staff member to improve quality forms the keystone of our reliable products. The long-term application of extensive knowledge, experience and technological development to create ingenious solutions has crystallize into YOSHIKIN's high-quality reliable products. YOSHIKIN has greatly expanded its investment in equipment since 1960 and now operates the perfect system to achieve both production and quality control. This strict quality inspection, adopting technology- and knowledge-intensive programs, has helped us to realize YOSHIKIN's superior product lineup. We are also working to protect our environment, and our head factory has focused efforts on facilities for the treatment of industrial waste and wastewater. All of YOSHIKIN's products are of the highest quality and are sold all over the world. It is our firm conviction that the supply of better products to greater number of people will help create a better world. YOSHIDA METAL INDUSTRY CO.,LTD. Address : 2078-3, Nishiota, Yoshida, Tsubame-city, Niigata Prefecture 959-0221 Japan TEL. +81-256-92-4191 FAX. +81-256-92-4037 Established : December 27, 1954 Capital : 40 million yen Description of business: Manufacture and sales of kitchen knives and related products. Management : President Chuji Kamekura Director Isamu Kimura Director Hironobu Aoyagi Director Masahito Watanabe Director Mitsuhiro Wada Auditor Osamu Hasegawa Number of employees: 96 Fiscal term: Begins on January 1 and ends on December 31 of the following year. Correspondent banks : The Daishi Bank, Ltd. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. Kyoei Shinyokumiai The Hokuetsu Bank, Ltd. Niigata Credit Union Dec. 1954 : Established Yoshida Metal Industry Co., Ltd. with a capital of 2 million yen. Set up headquarters and the factory for stainless steel products at 5432 Yoshida, Yoshida-machi, Nishikanbara-gun, Niigata Prefecture. Oct. 1956 : Relocated the factory to 203 Yoshida of the town. Jun. 1959 : Yuzo Watanabe assumed the presidency. Relocated headquarters to the same property as the factory. Oct. 1960 : Set up another factory for specific stainless steel kitchen knives at 206 Yoshida of the town. Introduced“ Bunmei Gincho”, a brand of authentic Japanese kitchen knives series. Mar. 1961 : Factory certified as“ quality goods factory” by Niigata Prefecture. Apr. 1961 : “Bunmei Gincho” designated as the first among its recommended goods on kitchen knives by the Japan Food Sanitation Association. Dec. 1965 : Increased capital up to 4 million yen. Mar. 1966 : Relocated headquarters and the factory to 50-4 Matsuoka-Shinden of the town. Consolidated manufacturing function of high-quality stainless steel cutlery and kitchen knives. Set up the only forge processing facility of continual manufacturing in Japan. Dec. 1966 : Opened Tokyo office. 1983 : Introduced“ GLOBAL”, all stainless steel knives of one-piece construction, which has integrated handle and blade. Nov. 1986 : Relocated headquarters and the factory to 1447-3 Shimonakano of the town. Mar. 1987 : Increased capital up to 20 million yen. Oct. 1990 : “GLOBAL” received the“ G-Mark” award, established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Jan. 1991 : “GLOBAL” appeared in the International Design Yearbook. Sep. 1992 : “GLOBAL” received the“ Cooking Utensil Award 1992” presented by the Kookguild, a cooks’ association of the Netherlands. Jul. 1995 : “GLOBAL” selected as“ Best Knife” by the magazine WHICH in the UK. Oct. 1998 : Increased capital up to 40 million yen. Jul. 1999 : Opened directly-managed store,“ YOSHIKIN SHOP ROPPONGI” in Tokyo. Jan. 2001 : “GLOBAL” appeared in The New York Times. Mar. 2002 : “GLOBAL” appeared on a high-definition special TV program broadcast by NHK. Mar. 2002 : Participated in the WACS World Congress in Kyoto as one of the supporting sponsors representing the cutlery industry. Oct. 2002 : “GLOBAL” received the“ Long Life Design” award, established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Mar. 2004 : Participated in the WACS World Congress in Dublin as one of the supporting sponsors representing the cutlery industry. Jan. 2005 : Participated in the“ Bocuse d’Or” the 10th World Cuisine Contest in Lyon, France as one of the supporting sponsors representing the cutlery industry. Mar. 2005 : Hideyo Watanabe assumed the presidency. Mar. 2006 : Participated in the WACS World Congress in New Zealand as one of the supporting sponsors representing the cutlery industry. Oct. 2006 : “GLOBAL” selected as one of the“ Japanesque Modern Collection”, a nationwide campaign encouraged by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Jan. 2007 : Participated in the“ Bocuse d’Or” the 11th World Cuisine Contest in Lyon, France as one of the supporting sponsors representing the cutlery industry. Nov. 2007 : Appeared in“ 100 Japanese Small and Middle-sized Companies with Global Focus” in“ Newsweek Japan”. Jan. 2008 : Selected as one of“ 300 of Japan’s Dynamic Monozukuri (Manufacturing)” by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency. Aug. 2008 : Opened Osaka office. Oct. 2008 : Kiyoshi Ujita assumed the presidency. Dec. 2008 : Relocated headquarters and the factory to 2078-3 Nishiota, Yoshida, Tsubame-city, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Jan. 2009 : Participated in the“ Bocuse d’Or” the 12th World Cuisine Contest in Lyon, France as one of the supporting sponsors representing the cutlery industry. Aug. 2010 : Chuji Kamekura assumed the presidency. Jul. 2011 : “GLOBAL” selected as“ Best Knife” by the magazine WHICH in the UK. As of January, 2012