1. The Foundation (1928)
In October 1928, Masao Saneyoshi founded the Japan Gasoline Co., Ltd. (now JGC Holdings Corporation). Originally intended to construct and operate domestic oil refineries, it evolved into Japan’s first and most prominent engineering contractor.
2. Development and Industrial Impact
In the late 1920s, Japan was heavily dependent on imported refined petroleum. Saneyoshi secured the rights to an advanced American thermal cracking process, intending to refine domestic gasoline. However, the economic realities of the era forced a pivot. Instead of operating refineries, JGC transformed into an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) firm, building facilities for other petroleum companies. This required pioneering new project management techniques and amassing deep technical expertise. Post-war, JGC became the driving force behind the construction of Japan’s sprawling petrochemical complexes, eventually exporting its engineering prowess globally to build massive energy infrastructure projects.
3. Historical Site / Headquarters
4. Legacy
JGC Corporation is now a global powerhouse in industrial engineering and EPC, having executed tens of thousands of projects worldwide. Its 1928 foundation marked the birth of the modern Japanese plant engineering industry.
Historical Archive Footage
Sources
- S1 — National Museum of Nature and Science Tokyo — Chemical Engineering Records — https://www.kahaku.go.jp/
- S2 — Hidemasa Morikawa — A History of Top Management in Japan, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001, ISBN 978-0198288633
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