Steve Jobs and Japan: documentary on YouTube now

[Joe's kitchen]

Steve Jobs and Japan is a documentary produced by Japan's public broadcaster NHK in 2023, including exclusive interviews with Bill Fernandez (Steve's friend and first employee of Apple), John Sculley (former Apple CEO), Satjiv Chahil (Apple's former senior vice president) and Hartmut Esslinger (industrial designer for Sony and Apple).

This programs is basically about how much Steve Jobs loved Japan and how he got influenced by Japan, explaining from the perspective of the Japanese.

 

[sunapple]

Just watched it, very interesting. Now I want a Shin Hanga.. Thanks for the share!

 

[Joe's kitchen]

You are welcome! There's a fun anecdote on NHK's website (not included in the documentary).

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20210728/k10013161181000.html
(Japanese only)

Steve Jobs often privately traveled to Kyoto, Japan, accompanied by his favorite Japanese guide/driver (Jobs even invited him to his California home).

While walking together in Kyoto, Jobs asked the guide,

Jobs: Where is an Apple Store in Kyoto?
Guide: There is no Apple Store in Kyoto.
Jobs: What the hell! Why no Apple Store in Kyoto!
Guide: Don't ask me. Why don't you make one by yourself?

Apple then opened an Apple Store in Kyoto.

 

[Gudi]

I'm not surprised about Steve's admiration for Japanese culture. Sony was the most revered electronics company of my youth. They had completely outdone all domestic electronics companies in Germany. Radio, TV, Stereo, Video Recorder, Walkman, Headphones all from Sony. Unfortunately their quality began to fall far behind their design and constant stream of kaizen innovations. None of my dozens of Sony products still works. I'm not even looking at them anymore as an option.