Takashi Sugiyama
Biography
Born: 1924
Died: April 26th, 2013
Takashi Sugiyama was born in 1924 in Osaka. His father was a chief engineer at Mitsubishi Electric Company in Kobe and Sugiyama graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1947, with a degree in electrical engineering, studying power electric and wireless communications system, and weak electrics. After graduation, he joined Yokogawa Electric Works, where he remained for the rest of his career.
Upon joining the research and development group in 1947, Sugiyama worked on filtering systems, electrical instruments, and measuring instruments. Around 1955, the digital voltmeter appeared and Sugiyama started to study this kind of new digital technique. In 1971, he was appointed to the General Manager for Research and Development, and was promoted to Executive Vice President in 1978. Under Sugiyama, Yokogawa expanded into office automation, including Japanese word processors. Yokogawa would also expand into medical technology, signing a contract to sell medical equipment with GE in 1976. A joint venture between the two companies was formed called Syozo Yokogawa, of which Sugiyama was appointed to be president. Yokogawa Medical Systems would form in 1982, and Sugiyama would become chair in 1988.
Sugiyama received several awards for his work, including the Prime Minister Award for invention of pulse modulation technique in 1972, and the 1975 the Purple Ribbon Medal from the Japanese Government.
