CANON:COMBAT-READY

摘要

THE GIANT STATUE OF Buddha that overlooks Canon Inc.'s Ami plant in Ibaraki,north of Tokyo,is hard to miss.Standing 394 feet tall-higher than the Statue of Liberty-the Buddha watches over a landscape of verdant fields and the occasional factory.For workers assembling photocopiers in the Canon facility,though,Buddha's stare pales in comparison to Hiroshi Ishii's steely gaze.Plant manager Ishii likes nothing more than to scour the factory for any hint of inefficiency."No matter how small,we have to identify waste and find ways to eliminate it," he says,casting a knowing eye over a young worker wrapping copying machines in plastic.