In 1934, Dr. Yehan Numata founded Mitutoyo in Tokyo, Japan, with a single product: the micrometer. From the start, Dr. Numata’s mission was to make the best mechanical micrometer in the world and produce them in quantities that made them affordable and available to all manufacturers so they could improve the quality of their products.
Mitutoyo continued this idea throughout the next several decades by offering more instruments with a focus on mechanical and dimensional gaging while concentrating R&D and production efforts on creating the most advanced micrometers, calipers, indicators and other measurement tools in the world.
As electronic technology became more widespread in the 1970s, Mitutoyo applied electronics to its line of dimensional gaging equipment to include electronic, or digital, measuring tools. During this time, Mitutoyo also developed more complex and sensitive measuring instruments, including optical comparators, form measuring equipment and coordinate measuring machines. As statistical process control (SPC Software) was introduced, Mitutoyo led the world in the development of output gages, interfaces, data collectors and analysis software to take advantage of this new metrology science.
When the computer made its way into the field of metrology, Mitutoyo again shifted its focus to include this technology into its product offering and push measuring accuracies into the sub-micron range. Today, Mitutoyo presents its 8,500+ products as integrated, computer-based metrology systems that can form closed-loop measuring networks.
As the leading metrology company in the world, Mitutoyo is committed to future product development that applies breakthrough technologies to its full range of dimensional measurement tools, instruments and systems.
The History of Dr. Yehan Numata
Dr. Yehan Numata was born in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1897, and although he was born into a Jodō Shin temple, family, Dr. Numata did not follow his father into priesthood. Instead, Dr. Numata envisioned building a successful enterprise, Mitutoyo, to provide financial support for philanthropic endeavors in Japan and around the world.
Dr. Numata’s strongly believed the success of a company depended on the harmonious association of Heaven, Earth and Human. He did everything he could to improve the technology of measuring instrument manufacturing.
Dr. Numata was appointed the first President of Mitutoyo in 1938. As the company grew across the globe, Dr. Numata was appointed chairperson of Mitutoyo in 1968. Mitutoyo now has 11 production facilities in Japan and six facilities in other countries. There are Mitutoyo branches in 25 countries around the world.
Twice decorated by the government of Japan for his economic and cultural contributions, Dr. Numata received honorary Ph.D degrees from the University of Hawaii and Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan.
More history of Dr. Numata:
- Received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of California, Berkley, in 1928
- Appointed Senior Advisor of Japan Measuring Instruments Federation in 1963
- Appointed as Director of Japan Precision Measuring Instruments Manufacturers Association in 1969
- Established the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and appointed as a board member in 1965
- Founded the Buddhist Canon Translation Project
- Established the Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research in Berkley, CA, in 1982
- Passed away on May 5, 1994, at the age of 97
