Monozukuri

Monozukuri is the Japanese term for manufacturing, written in Japanese as a combination of mono, meaning thing, and zukuri, the act of making. It is also spelled monodzukuri and literally means the production or making of things. In its broader sense it describes a synthesis of technological skill, know-how and a spirit of manufacturing that values pride, dedication, innovation and the pursuit of perfection. The word came into common use for manufacturing and production only in the latter half of the 1990s, and its use was popularized after Japan passed the Basic Act on the Promotion of Core Manufacturing Technology on 19 March 1999, a law meant to support the manufacturing industry after its share of the national economy fell in the 1990s. The tradition behind the idea is traced back roughly a thousand years, to the move of the capital to Kyoto in 794, and its cultural roots are linked to Zen Buddhism and Shintoism, with craft examples such as pottery, woodworking and the Karakuri mechanical dolls. Companies such as Toyota and Mitsubishi still invoke monozukuri as a guiding philosophy of how they make things, and some writers treat the idea as a national lineage of craftsmanship, while others argue it is not unique to Japan.