Otohiko Hara was a Japanese corporate executive. Formerly Otohiko Yabashi, which family has the known pediree record dating back to Saga Genji, branch line of Emperor Saga. Former Chief Executive Officer of :ja:ユニチカ通商|Unitika Trading . One of the first Japanese businesspersons who lead Dainippon Spinners Co., Ltd. to the first overseas expansion of Japanese corporations after World War Ⅱ.
Early life
was born in Akasaka-juku, Gifu as the third son of and, a distinguished family that Emperor Shōwa officially visited in 1946. Jiro Yabashi was Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Juroku Bank and Kinu Yabashi is the older sister of Kizo Yasui. Otohiko Hara graduated from Ōgaki Junior High School. He entered the preparatory course of Kwansei Gakuin University. In 1948 he graduated from Kwansei Gakuin University. While in the University, he joined the seminar of professor, leading figure of.
Under the conscription system for university-students during World War Ⅱ called :ja:学徒出陣|Gakuto shutsujin, he joined Imperial Japanese Navy, following Vice-Admiral, called "Head like a Hammer", who was from the same Akasaka-juku as Otohiko Hara was and graduated from the Naval Academy summa cum laude. During the War Otohiko Hara was in Manchuria and the War ended when he was lieutenant of Imperial Japanese Navy.
After World War Ⅱ
Due to the long-term relationship with the Koderas, family of Karō of Finance at Ōgaki Domain since before Meiji Restoration, especially, head of the Koderas who later became Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Amagasaki Spinners,, professor at Kwansei Gakuin University, known for :ja:小寺敬一#邸宅|his house designed in a Spanish style by William Merrell Vories, and, former president of Dainippon Spinners, he came to marry Yuhiko Hara and became the adopted child of by changing his family name, who was also involved in the management of cotton spinning company like Seizo and Gengo Kodera for a long time.
First overseas expansion
After the special procurement boom in Japan brought by Korean War coming after World War Ⅱ, he was appointed overseas representative of Dainippon Spinners. Then it was the age of Propeller. He had to fly to Brazil by making international connections in many cities at that time and to start from scratch, residing in São Paulo with his wife, Yuhiko Hara, and his son,, to lay the foundation for Dainippon Spinners' starting up activities overseas ahead of other Japanese corporations, for instance, by joining Club Athletico Paulistano, the oldest sports and social club in Brazil, for building up a network of connections. In 1958 Nichibo Brazil was established as the first overseas expansion of Japanese corporations after World War Ⅱ with the financial support of The Sumitomo Bank when, who promoted volleyball actively at Nichibo Kaizuka factory, which influenced the sports policy of Kaizuka City, and was later awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure in June, 1975 for long-term distinguished service was the president of Nichibo then.
Visit of Oriental Witches
In 1960 when Otohiko Hara resided in Brazil, All-Japan Women's Volleyball National Team whose members were mostly Dainippon Spinners volleyball team players doing clerical work at Dainippon Spinners from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., called led by who was also working for Dainippon Spinners Co., Ltd. then after graduating from Kwansei Gakuin University, became politician later, and still remains in the people's minds as "Demon Daimatsu", participated in FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship held in Brazil, visited Otohiko Hara and encouraged each other. Then Japan won second place. The first place was Soviet Union.
In 1964 when won gold medal in Tokyo Olympics, Dainippon Spinners changed its name to Nichibo. On October 1, 1969 Nichibo and Nippon Rayon merged and Unitika Co., Ltd. was formed. In 1973 Otohiko Hara moved to :ja:ユニチカ通商|Unitika Trading. He was assigned to be senior managing director and subsequently took office as the president, concurrently serving as auditor of Osaka Senko Co., Ltd.. After he resigned his position, he became full-time auditor of the Osaka Senko and advisor of :ja:ユニチカ通商|Unitika Trading.
