Chapter 4 Birth of Setsuden-mushi (a profitmaking device) 4.2 Setsuden-mushi's Growth Expectations and Setbacks 4.2.5 Environmental awareness 4.2.5.4 Public Recognition
At the same time, in the spring of 1995, I was applying for Projects Approval by Hiroshima Prefecture for the research subsidy in order to get public recognition of Setsuden-mushi's research and development, rather than relying solely on PR through articles in the media.
On June 14, 1995, we were the best applicant to pass the initial document review. Encouraged by the response I received from Professor Yonekura, I explained my ideas and approaches to energy conservation and environmental preservation to the review committee members with even more enthusiasm at the second interview in July a few weeks later.
As a result, the development and research of Setsuden-mushi was approved as one of the projects to be subsidized by the Hiroshima Prefectural Government in 1995, and we were able to produce 100 prototypes of Setsuden-mushi for the purpose of the second test production and sales and its technological improvement.
Mr. T. Hirata, who had been transferred from the Design Department of the Eastern Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Technology Center to the Industrial Technology Division of the Commerce, Industry, and Labor Department of Hiroshima Prefecture as an assistant director, provided me with guidance on how to apply for the 1995 Hiroshima Prefecture Research Grant. As my main business has been technical translation, I had known Mr. Hirata since the 1980s through my work translating their research papers at the Industrial Technology Center, and I had maintained a good relationship with him and other staffs there.
As I mentioned earlier, human networks are very important for small and medium-sized companies to carry out their work, and this network once again helped us.
After the first free trial campaign and sales (from December 1994 to spring 1995) did not yield good results, I decided to conduct an effective market survey with the second 100 prototype Setsuden-mushi, and to find a way to publicize Setsuden-mushi and let people know my own thoughts on environmental awareness. It was the latter half of the second year of the development of Setsuden-mushi, and the year 1995 was coming to a close.
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