CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE November 19, 1999 School of Business at the City University of Tsushin Kogyo, Or the Tokyo Telecommuni- One of Mr
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November 19, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE 31143 will bring their insight and innovation A TRIBUTE TO ERIC sumers, ahead of American companies like to the task of helping to end this epi- HARNISCHFEGER General Electric and Coca-Cola. A tireless traveler who moved his family to demic. ∑ Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I want to I was proud to be a supporter of the New York in 1963 for a year to learn Amer- mention the efforts of Special Agent legislation which established this ican ways, Mr. Morita also spearheaded the Eric Harnischfeger, who has been on internationalization of Japanese business. group, and am pleased that such an detail from the U.S. Secret Service to Sony was the first Japanese company to eminently qualified Georgian has been the Appropriations Subcommittee on offer its stock in the United States, in 1961, selected to serve as a member. Mr. Commerce, Justice, State, and Judici- one of the first to build a factory in the President, I offer my congratulations United States, in 1972, and still one of the ary for the consideration of the fiscal to Dr. Ball for this honor, and am con- only ones to have even a couple of West- year 2000 bill. Eric has been a consider- fident that she will continue in her role erners on its board. able asset to the subcommittee, as- of outstanding service and leadership Sony also became a major force in the tutely handling some of our more dif- to the youth of Georgia, and our coun- American entertainment business, acquiring CBS Records in 1988 and Columbia Pictures, try.∑ ficult law enforcement accounts. His management of counterterrorism pro- the Hollywood studio, in 1989. The latter pur- f grams, office of justice programs, and chase, however, turned into an embarrassing IN COMMEMORATION OF state and local law enforcement ac- debacle as Sony suffered big losses in Holly- wood. NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK counts is greatly appreciated. Eric’s ability to provide keen insight and a A JAPANESE EXECUTIVE AMERICANS ∑ Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, the RECOGNIZED friendly manner toward any task he is week of Nov. 21–28 is an important time In the process, Mr. Morita, with his white for houses of worship and individuals of asked to deal with assured a competent mane and quick tongue, became the unoffi- all religions across the country—Na- resolution. cial representative of Japan’s business com- tional Bible Week. Eric’s professionalism, wit, and jovial munity, generally working to smooth trade As this year’s National Bible Week manner will be missed. Agent relations between his country and the United co-chair, it is my privilege to pay trib- Harnischfeger exemplifies the high States, but sometimes stirring resentment in ute to the Bible and its remarkable in- standards that the Secret Service is both countries with his pointed criticisms. fluence on American life. As in past known for and has done an excellent ‘‘He was truly a statesman par excellence years, the National Bible Association job for us. I just want to thank him in a business sense,’’ Mike Mansfield, the former senator and United States Ambas- is hosting the week-long salute to the publicly for all his efforts over the past sador to Japan. ‘‘Internationally, he did Good Book. This year, the tribute hap- year. Based on his performance here, I more for Japan in a business sense than any- pens to fall during the Thanksgiving am sure he has a bright future at the one else in Japan.’’ holidays; this seems fitting, because we Service. We wish him the very best.∑ In Japan, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, who was one of several hundred people to should be eternally thankful that we f have the teachings of the Bible to help visit Mr. Morita’s Tokyo home following his guide our daily lives. ON THE DEATH OF AKIO MORITA death, called Mr. Morita ‘‘a leading figure who played a pivotal role in developing Ja- And old maxim states that ‘‘A ref- ∑ Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, ormation happens every time you open pan’s postwar economy,’’ according to Kyodo today I rise to note the passing of Akio News Service. the Bible.’’ Indeed, no book over the Morita, the brilliant Japanese business Sony’s current president, Nobuyuki Idei, course of human history has had a leader who did so much to rebuild his said in a statement, ‘‘It is not an exaggera- more profound effect on how we live country after World War II. I ask that tion to say that he was the face of Japan.’’ and act. The Bible has influenced West- his obituary that appeared in the Octo- To the day of his death, nearly six years after the stroke that removed him from an ern culture in myriad ways, shaping ber 4 New York Times be printed in the areas as diverse as government and art. active role in business, he was still no doubt RECORD. John Wycliffe, the great religious re- Japan’s most famous business executive, and The obituary follows: former, once wrote, ‘‘The Bible is for the only one many Americans could name or the government of the people, by the [From the New York Times, Oct. 4, 1999] recognize in a photograph. Time magazine recently selected him as one of 20 ‘‘most in- people, and for the people.’’ The AKIO MORITA, CO-FOUNDER OF SONY AND JAPANESE BUSINESS LEADER, DIES AT 78 fluential business geniuses’’ of the 20th cen- writings found within it inspired many tury, the only non-American on the list. of our nation’s founders’ most cher- (By Andrew Pollack) In his own country, where executives tend ished ideals—ideals that remain cor- Akio Morita, the co-founder of the Sony to be self-effacing, Mr. Morita was viewed as nerstones of democracy today. The Corporation who personified Japan’s rise a bit flamboyant and arrogant. He was the Bible, for example, advocates faith in a from postwar rubble to industrial riches and first to fly around in a corporate business jet greater good, the glory of freedom, the became the unofficial ambassador of its busi- and helicopter. He appeared in a television ness community to the world, died on Sun- importance of family, and the sanctity commercial for the American Express card. day in Tokyo. He was 78. He served on the boards of three foreign com- of every human life. The Bible is at the Mr. Morita died of pneumonia, according panies. He took up sports like skiing, scuba heart of America’s civic religion. to Sony. He had been hospitalized in Tokyo diving and wind surfing in his sixties. He ca- Far from archaic, the Bible is as im- since August, after returning from Hawaii, vorted with the rock star Cyndi Lauper after portant today as it has ever been, par- where he had spent most of his time since Sony bought CBS Records. ticularly as many Americans feel this suffering a debilitating stroke in November Shortly before he suffered his stroke, Mr. country slipping into moral decline. 1993. More than anyone else, it was Mr. Morita made waves in his home country by Our best hope of righting our national Morita and his Sony colleagues who changed saying that Japan was like a ‘‘fortress’’ and ship is to instill in future generations the world’s image of the term ‘‘Made in that its unique business practices were alien- Japan’’ from one of paper parasols and shod- the core values of love, truth, honor, ating its trading partners.’’ Although there dy imitations to one of high technology and is much to commend in Japan’s economic and service enshrined in the Bible. high reliability in miniature packages. system, it is simply too far out of sync with As an Orthodox Jew, my faith orders Founded in bombed-out Tokyo department the West on certain essential points,’’ he my life, gives me a sense of purpose store after World War II, Sony became indis- wrote in The Atlantic Monthly in June 1993. and direction, and provides comfort in putably one of the world’s most innovative He advocated shorter working hours, more uncertain or difficult times. The Old companies, famous for products like the dividends for stockholders of Japanese com- Testament or Torah serves as a con- pocket-sized transistor radio, the video- panies and a sharp cutback in government stant reminder of my obligations to cassette recorder, the Walkman and the com- regulation. Now, as Japan struggles through God, country, and family. pact disk. an economic slump that has lasted most of So as Thanksgiving approaches, I en- And Mr. Morita, whose contribution was the decade, some of what Mr. Morita advo- greater in marketing than in technology, cated is being adopted. courage every believer in this land to made the Sony brand into one of the best ‘‘Japan was coming closer to him and see- open the Bible, read a favorite passage known and most respected in the world. A ing the need for that kind of leadership,’’ or two, and give thanks to God for this Harris poll last year showed Sony was the said Yoshihiro Tsurumi, professor of inter- wonderful, sacred Book.∑ No. 1 brand name among American con- national business at the Baruch Graduate VerDate jul 14 2003 09:06 Jul 27, 2004 Jkt 029102 PO 00000 Frm 00317 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR99\S19NO9.011 S19NO9 31144 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE November 19, 1999 School of Business at the City University of Tsushin Kogyo, or the Tokyo Telecommuni- One of Mr. Morita’s cardinal tenets was to New York.