What lessons did Subaru learn from the 2011 Japanese earthquake, tsunami?

Editor’s Note: This story is part of a package in the March 8 issue looking back on the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Nearly 10 years ago, Tom Dole and two executives of the US company Subaru boarded a plane in Newark, NJ, and headed to Tokyo to attend the annual board meeting of Fuji Heavy Industries.

It would have been a routine business trip had it not been for the date: Sunday, March 13th, 2011.

Two days ago, Japan was hit by a magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami. Despite the apparent devastation caused by the natural disaster, the full extent of the impact remains unclear.

Yoshio Hsunuma, the then CEO of US Subaru, and Sam Komen, the executive liaison between American Subaru and Fuji, was in Tokyo for the meeting.

Dole, who was the Director of Operations at the time and is now the CEO, told Automotive News: “I got a call first thing Saturday morning from Sam Comin, and he says that by the time you guys get here on Monday, everything should be back. Back to normal. ” Via video last month from Subaru’s US headquarters in Camden, New Jersey

Dole had his doubts, which he voiced to colleagues he was to travel with: Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer for the brand, and Tim Colbec, senior vice president of sales.

Before we got on the plane, I told Colbec and Mahoney, ‘Are you sure you want to travel? Dole noted that there was also a nuclear reactor in Fukushima that was damaged and leaked radiation.

“They said,” Yes, we’re going. ” It will be an adventure. And things may be fine. ”

But when their plane landed at Narita International Airport, it became clear that things were not going well.

The flight attendant comes and says, ‘Oh by the way, when we get there, please don’t panic, but the energy at the airport is very little. The moving sidewalks do not work and you will notice that the lights are only dimmed. “We got there and the situation was much worse than we thought,” Dole said. “Not only were the moving sidewalks working, they were really dark because we had hit a rainstorm.”

Buses from the airport to downtown Tokyo cannot run regular roads. Instead of passing through Tokyo Bay, Dole said, there were buses circling around it, causing delays and massive lines.

Ultimately, a car was sent to pick up the executives. It was the first and only time that Dole spent a private flight from the airport to his hotel, he quipped.

The three executives arrived at their hotel, were unloaded and were greeted by aftershocks.

Dole said, “We had some drinks to calm ourselves down because the place shook all the time as if you couldn’t believe it.” “I’ve visited Japan a lot, and I’ve seen a lot of earthquakes and earthquakes, but I’ve never seen anything like that.”

The sound of hangers in the lockers intertwined together and safety announcements filled their rooms as they tried to sleep.

“At 3 in the morning, after a strong jolt, I called Colbec and told him, ‘I don’t know about you guys, but I’m out here. I don’t think I can handle this for three or four days. I’ll make a comeback immediately,’” Dole recalls. “Tim said, ‘Come back’, and Mahoney said the same.”

Finding a taxi ready to take executives to the airport on Tuesday morning was difficult. Dole remembers they eventually found one, but it cost them about $ 1,000.

The three made their way through the chaotic airport and took an afternoon flight to John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. The only problem? Their cars were still in Newark.

“All we cared about was going back to the country,” Dole said. “We didn’t care if we were going to San Francisco or Chicago or New York.”

They attended Wednesday’s board meeting via videoconference. At one point, Fuji CEO Eko Mori addressed Dole.

He said to me, “I heard you came to Japan. But then you came back right away? “Remember Dole. He said, “I wouldn’t have attended if I were you. I would never have come to Japan. It was silly to try to come. “”

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