1956-1957

In 1956 the economy of Japan was on the ascent and industries were eager to learn new technology. They were developing the viable power which blossomed in the 1960s.

A quotation from the Asahi Newspaper on August 2, 1957 states, "Automation is the key to the new Industrial Revolution. The remarkable development of electrical engineering makes it possible to let machines do the work of the human brain. The aim of automation is the quick and precise production or treatment done without human hands. In America and Britain it seems already in practice."

Returning to this environment, it did not take much time for Yasundo to get involved and become extremely busy. Besides teaching at Tokyo University's Institute of Industrial Science and Waseda University, he presided at Automatic Control Group meetings, served on the Executive Board of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME), gave special lectures, and consulted at some companies.

Privately it was a hard time for Yasundo because Kuwako became ill in November 1956 and was bed-ridden for six months. During these days he came home with shopping bags full of nutritious foods. Very few pictures are available from that period.

Yasundo in his Control Laboratory with his assistants, colleagues and graduate students. Young Masahiro Mori is at the extreme left.

In August 1957 Yasundo received the Asahi Science Award from the Asahi Newspaper for his contribution in control engineering and for organizing individual researchers to form an Automatic Control Group. NHK-TV broadcast Yasundo's talk on Automation on November 21, 1957.

Professor Rufus Oldenburger gave a lecture at a meeting of JSME (Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers), with Yasundo interpreting. Japanese industries invited and sponsored visits from many scholars from abroad.

Yasundo accepted a formal appointment as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

Yasundo and Kuwako are shown leaving their home in Chiba.

The journal San Francisco Engineering, dated October 1957, featured the following announcement:

Prominent Engineers Join U.C. Faculty

"Three prominent engineers recently appointed to the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley, will commence teaching and research activities with the coming fall semester. The University has announced appointment of Victor H. Rumsey as Professor of Electrical Engineering; Dr. Yasundo Takahashi as Professor of Mechanical Engineering; and Dr. Irving Fatt as Associate Professor of Petroleum Engineering. Dr. Takahashi, 45, is an internationally recognized authority on automatic control systems. He has authored three books on the subject in the past several years. Holder of a doctorate in heat engineering from the University of Tokyo, Dr. Takahashi has taught at that and other institutions in Japan and has held executive positions in Japanese engineering societies."

The Takahashi family in 1957, Yuri, Kuwako and Yasundo.