About the Founder
Shunkichi Nomura, founder of Nomura Jimusho, Inc., was born in Tokyo in 1889, the eldest son of Mr. Ryutaro Nomura, who held positions as Transportation Commissioner and Governor of the Manchurian Railroad.
In 1911, after graduating from Kobe Higher Commercial School (now Kobe University), Nomura joined Mitsui & Co. and was dispatched to their New York branch. While in New York, he became acquainted with Thomas Edison and Isoroku Yamamoto, who was enrolled at Harvard University as Naval Commander (and who later on became Full Admiral) and encountered the game of golf for the first time. After returning to Japan, he left Mitsui & Co. in 1922, and then engaged in oil-field development in Texas at the request of Mr. Kojiro Matsukata, one his wife’s relatives by marriage. The business was not successful, and he returned to Japan the next year.
In 1925, he was recruited by Mitsubishi Corporation, which was planning to enter into the oil business, was appointed General Manager at their Seattle branch, and negotiated with U.S. Associated Oil to establish Mitsubishi Oil & Co. In 1931, he became the first Managing Director of Mitsubishi Oil & Co. In 1933, he left Mitsubishi Corporation and launched his own company, Nomura Jimusho, specializing in the import of crude oil at 825 Maru Building in a partnership with Mr. Isamu Iwamoto.
After World War II, he devoted extensive time to the reopening of the oil-refinery business, taking advantage of his valuable personal network with oil-related people in the U.S. and Japan, acting as a bridge between the GHQ and domestic oil companies. He also contributed time and effort to help his friend, Mr. Shigeru Yoshida, enter the political world and supported him in becoming Prime Minister in 1946.
In 1947, he launched Crane Ocean Shipping Pte., Ltd., (now Tsurumi Sunmarine Co., Ltd.) for the purpose of tanker transportation of oil products.
Throughout his lifetime, he was an enthusiastic golfer and was Champion of the Japan Amateur Tournament in 1927. He held positions at the Japan Golf Association (JGA) as Co-chairman, and at Hodogaya Country Club and Tokyo Golf Club as Chairman of the Board. He also contributed to many golf exchanges between the U.S. and Japan. In 1959, he was invited to become the first Japanese member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in the U.K., which was an unequaled honor to him.
The employees of Nomura Jimusho, Inc., hold our founder in the highest esteem .
