For the 70,000 employees of Osaka-based Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., every day begins with the same ritual.
Some 20 minutes before the working day begins, most workers turn up for voluntary gymnastics, in the factory or in the office.
Before the machines and the computers are switched on, a member of each relevant department steps out in front of the rest and makes a little speech containing his personal message for the day.
Then, all together, they strike up a rousing chorus of the company song,
”Love, Light and a Dream.” The text conjures up the spirit of the company:
”We trust our strength together in harmony, finding happiness . . . animating joy everywhere, a world of dedication, let us fulfill our hopes, shining hopes of a radiant dawning, with love, light and a dream.”
Every firm in Japan worth its salt has its own song. Yet Matsushita-with its National and Panasonic brands Japan`s largest producer of televisions, radios and household goods-places particular value on the idea.
”It is an old custom, and everybody has become used to it,” says company spokesman Agira Nagano.
Yet the Osaka-based concern has made some concessions. In the mid-1970s, the original hymn was replaced with a modern version. Nagano adds that, ”many employees no longer take it so seriously. Those who are no good at singing can also stay silent.”
For Japanese firms, which traditionally see themselves as big families, a feeling of togetherness and the belief of all employees in a common goal retain great significance. The songs are designed to express the spirit-in Japanese, ”shafu”-of the company.
Karel van Wolferen, author of the best-seller ”The Enigma of Japanese Power,” says the company songs remind him of church hymns. ”The songs often mention belonging to a large family, helping to build the nation and great determination to reach goals more often than not only vaguely defined.”
The songs almost always contain the expression ”future” or ”harmony.” ”Now it`s time to take actions, there are no limits for our ideals,”
proclaims the NEC computer firm`s song.
At the Hitachi Zosen dockyard, the magic formula explains that ”our ambition is to connect the countries of the world with ships.”
The Obayashi construction firm urges its workers to ”make a rainbow bridge in the sky.”
Employees don`t always have to sing, however. Toyota, whose lyrics proclaim that ”for the bright future, our heart is one,” is satisfied with playing the company song three times a day over the intercom.
The electronics firm Canon merely gives a rendition of its ”we are opening the door of the future together” on special occasions.
In 1988, Canon held a competition for the employees to write a new company song. Pop composer Kitaro made the hymn into a real hit with the work force, prompting a Canon spokesman to say it was ”so good, many employees play it … at home.”
