The Japan Productivity Center had been engaging in a host of international cooperation schemes since the establishment. Its main objective was the transfer of Japanese technology and know-how for improving productivity to countries abroad.

In the 1960s, a number of leaders of Asian countries began to show great interest in the miraculous recovery of Japan’s postwar economy and its relation to the productivity movement, and subsequently requested the JPC’s assistance in acquiring productivity technology. In response to such demands of the international community, the Japanese government, in collaboration with the JPC, established the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) in 1962 for the explicit purpose of systematically promoting international cooperation. Thus began Japan’s involvement in supporting productivity improvements in the Asian countries.

Countries outside the Asian region also requested the JPC’s support. The increase in such demands prompted the JPC to establish an International Department within its organization. The department is now responsible for managing technology-transfer activities and other programs for improving productivity on a worldwide basis.

The productivity movement in Japan is fundamentally based on the philosophy of respecting humanity, and it is primarily dedicated to achieving the following goals: stability and expansion of employment, cooperation between labor and management, employee participation in corporate management, and fair distribution of the fruits of improved productivity. In effect, the human element was essentially regarded as the greatest asset for socio-economic development. This concept attracted the attention of many developing countries with large populations and a powerful latent workforce, and was adopted and implemented by many countries over a period of almost 50 years. The concept and technology are today the standard throughout Asia.