The transfer of the technological style from USA to Japan, 1920s-1930. Focusing on the analyst Ide Daijiro
This presentation aims to analyze the idea of Japanese electric engineer Daijiro Ide, who introduced an American electric power technology to Japan. In the 1920s, many Japanese engineers referred to the power systems in America. After 1936, Ide played an important role to unify power systems by promoting the nationalization of electric industries in Japan. It was influenced by his experience and researches in 1920s America.
As an employee of Toho Electric Power Company, Ide had been to Europe and United States in the 1920s. While studying at Harvard University in America, Ide introduced the business model or electric power plans to Japan. In this sense, it can be said that Ide was an important actor who transferred the technological style from America to Japan.
The reason why Ide researched the American electric power industries belonged to the situation of Japanese electric power industries. In the era, the Japanese electric power industries in the 1920s were divided and then unable to operate electric power systems unified due to the coexistence of private and public power companies.
The unification of power systems integration was a top priority due to excessive competition in the late 1920s. Ide was the one who found the problem as "who should unify the system?” At first, Ide thought that autonomous unification was lead by private power companies. He learned about the pooled calculation system in the United States. Later, however, he sought that the electric power systems should be unified by financial capitalists, not by power companies.
The idea of Ide was wider than most of technician. To unify electric power systems, he understood the necessity of economic and political factors, except for technological factors.
