Hiroo Okabe

Hiroo Okabe is the Director and Managing Executive Officer of Yamaha’s Musical Instrument Business Group. During his NAMM Oral History interview he provided the history of how Mr. Torakusu Yamaha began his career in the music industry by first repairing a reed organ and later, in 1900, introduced his first grand piano. Mr. Okabe spoke of the development of Yamaha’s production of the pianos and how it allowed the research of other instruments during the 1960s and 70s. The changes in automated production of instruments at Yamaha was also explained by Mr. Okabe, as well as the various kaizen activities adopted by Yamaha over the years.