Asano Sōichirō
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Template:Nihongo was a Japanese businessman responsible for founding a number of companies, including what became today's Sapporo Breweries,<ref>Sapporo Breweries history</ref> Toa Construction Corporation,<ref>Toa Construction</ref> Oki Electric Industry,<ref>Oki history</ref> JFE Group<ref>JFE prehistory</ref> and Taiheiyo Cement (formerly Asano Cement).<ref>Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Foundation</ref>
He came from a samurai family in the Toyama region. His Y-DNA is D1a2a1a2b1a1a8a (D-CTS4093).<ref>"Bulletin of non-profit corporation Itagaki-kai." No.10 (2022)</ref> He was Doctor Asano Taijun's son. He was originally named Asano Taijiro. Although He studied medicine, he began business in his hometown and failed. He lost his money and did moonlight flit to Tokyo. He sold drinking water as a street vendor. Then he moved to Yokohama, bought coke (fuel), which a gas company threw away, sold it to Fukagawa Cement Works, and became very rich.<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.56-58.</ref>
He purchased Fukagawa Cement Works from the government in 1884 (Asano Cement),<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.61.</ref> with help from Shibusawa Eiichi, founded Iwaki Coal Mine in 1884,<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.62.</ref> Oriental Liner (Toyo Kisen) in 1896,<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.63</ref> Tsurumi Reclamation Company (Toa Construction Corporation) in 1913,<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.69</ref> Asano Shipbuilding and Engineering (Japan Marine United) in 1916,<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.67.</ref> Nippon Chuya Bank in 1916,<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.71.</ref> Oki Electric Industry in 1917,<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.67.</ref> Asano and Company in 1918,<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.68</ref> Asano Holding Company in 1918,<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.66.</ref> and diversified his business interests, which eventually became a minor zaibatsu (Asano zaibatsu). His Nippon Chuya Bank was unsuccessful, so he sold it to Yasuda zaibatsu in 1922.<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.71-74.</ref> Asano zaibatsu kept minor because it did not include a bank and was ranked fifth in scale.<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.55.</ref> Asano is called "the cement king."<ref>Janet E. Hunter, Concise Dictionary of Modern Japanese History, University of California Press, 1984, p.12.</ref>
Asano also reclaimed Tokyo bay from 1913 to 1927,<ref>Satoshi Saito, Soichiro Asano, p.69.</ref> made a coastal industrial zone (Keihin Kogyo Chitai)<ref>Toa corporation, History part 1</ref> and established the forerunner of the JR Tsurumi Line there, located between Tokyo and Yokohama. Asano Station is named after him.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He is called the "father of Keihin industrial area" now.<ref>Yurindo bookstore</ref>
He founded Asano High School in 1920,<ref>Asano High School</ref> and Asano Institute of Technology in 1925.<ref>Asano Institute of Technology</ref>