Heartfelt condolence for Mr. Ikuo Tajima

It is with great sadness we announce that Ikuo Tajima, Advisor of Tokai Industrial Sewing Machine Co., Ltd., passed away before dawn on June 13, 2011. He died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 81 years old. Funeral services, jointly sponsored by the Tajima family and this company, took place on June 16, We have become daily accustomed to seeing his prodigious energies on display, and never doubted that he would ultimately recover from his disease. His sudden departure was unexpected, and it gives us such pain to have to say goodbye. We all miss him. Advisor Tajima was born on June 30, 1929. After studying in the engineering field, he, in cooperation with his deceased brother, Akira Tajima, helped his father and became committed to boosting his father's company, through the years of confusion after the war. Mr. Tajima mastered the technologies to assemble, repair and adjust industrial sewing machines, and, upon his father's death in 1960, succeeded him to become the president of Tokai Industrial Sewing Machine Co. Ltd. And in 1964, harvesting the very essence of all he had cultivated, he developed the first multi-head automatic embroidery machine in Japan. Mr. Tajima successfully automated what had been previously a manual operation, performed by only a limited number of highly skilled craftsmen, and broke into the embroidery industry, as he helped it grow from a small business to a thriving, independent industry. As a result, embroidery products have consistently and dramatically improved, in both volume and quality. Meanwhile, with his outstanding vision, he focused on research and development of new products. He introduced advanced electronics technologies, obtained many patents, and shaped the structure and framework of the company to a level where, as far as multi-head embroidery machinery and its peripheral equipment are concerned, we can act on any request,. In order to respond to increasing global demand and to expand production capacity, Mr. Tajima built a new plant in Ushiyama-cho, Kasugai City, Aichi Pref., in 1979, and consecutively developed proprietary special machines, including the world's first multi-head electronic chenille embroidery machine and electronic lock-stitch embroidery machine. The "Tajima" has been widely recognized as an unparalleled brand worldwide, and this has become the foundation of who we are now. In 1984, for his great contributions to high quality improvement and mass production of embroidery products, Mr. Tajima was cited as a "Craftsperson of Superior Skill" by the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare. And, in 1987, he was further awarded the Yellow Ribbon Medal, a national medal of honor, which recognized Mr. Tajima's enormous contribution to the advance of apparel and related industries, through the spread of multi-head embroidery machines, which helped reduce costs while inspiring the popularization of high-end embroidery products, such as Japanese dress (Kimono) and apparel accessories, and which triggered the explosive demand for embroidery following the widespread adoption of small logos in sportswear. Although the execution of business occupied most of his time, Mr. Tajima was very respected in the industry, and had served as director on the Aichi Prefecture Commercial Cooperative

Late Ikuo Tajima

Federation of Industrial Sewing Machines since the organization's beginning, and was a chairman of the board from 1991 to 2001. He devoted himself to not only industry, but also local community, and held such prominent positions as executive director of All Nippon Special Sewing Machinery Manufacturer's Association and senior member of the Kasugai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Tajima was also loved and respected by our customers and those in the business both inside and outside of Japan. He frequently visited trade shows across the world, including those in the U.S., Europe, Russia, and China. While exchanging friendly information with our agents and customers, he always took very seriously listening to any request, and devoted himself to "creating machines that the customer can truly enjoy." From his never-ending spirit of exploration and a passion that burned like the summer sun, I cannot tell how often all of us, at Tokai, absorbed precious knowledge. Yes, we were sometimes scolded due to that same passion, but were always made the wiser, thanks to his kindness and warm consideration. And, now, knowing we will never hear his words again, I cannot fully express how much we miss him. However, the groundwork that Advisor Tajima laid out and nurtured in Tokai and Tajima Group, and in each one of us at the company, will never disappear. This embroidery industry has, of late, been facing new and some of its most difficult challenges, and we must hurry to build new foundations to prepare for our next generation. For that, we promise to endeavor toward the further progress of this company, which Mr. Tajima heartily loved, and to ensure that we pass on to future generations all that we inherited from our magnificent founder.

June, 2011

Hitoshi Tajima

Chairman and Representative Director

Tokai Industrial Sewing Machine Co., Ltd.