The disappearing iron light The city of Kure is on February 16th at 16:15

The "Navy Arsenal" of the former Japanese Navy in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, where the battleship "Yamato" was built.

The steelworks in the Nippon Steel Kure area, which was built on the site, will be completely closed in two and a half years.

From postwar reconstruction to economic growth, the fire of the steelworks that has supported the local economy for over 70 years will be extinguished.

We interviewed Kure, one year after the announcement of the closure.

(Hiroshima Broadcasting Station Kure Branch Reporter Airi Enoshima)

The fire of the blast furnace goes out, the "light" of the city goes out

"If the steelworks are closed, we will have to close the business. If the fire of the blast furnace goes out, the city of Kure will decline at once." The

steelworks suddenly announced in February last year. ..

Immediately after that, the president of a partner company that has a deal with the steelworks said:

This was when my interview began when I was made aware of the magnitude of the impact on the community.

The Kure Naval Arsenal, which had a steelmaking department, was the only naval arsenal of the former Japanese Navy.

Nippon Steel's Setouchi Works Kure district was built on this site in 1951, six years after the end of the war.

A blast furnace with a height of over 100 meters rises on a vast site of 1.43 million square meters, equivalent to 30 Tokyo Domes.

When you step inside the site, you will find huge equipment that has turned brown with iron powder, and the brick building from the Navy Arsenal era is still in use.

You can feel the technology and its history that have been passed down from before the war.

At the steelworks, where 3,300 people, including partner companies, work, the fire in the blast furnace goes out at the end of September.

Then, it is entirely closed to the prospect of the end of September 2023 after two and a half years, and then close the curtain followed history more than 70 years.

Here, we have mainly produced steel products for automobiles, but we were forced to reduce production equipment due to the shrinking domestic market and intensifying competition with overseas.

The complete closure of a steel mill with a blast furnace is the first time for Nippon Steel, the largest steel company, and the impact is immeasurable.

I went to the interview to hear the voice of the area.

The days I couldn't sleep continued

The first thing I talked to was a partner company that has a deal with a steel mill.

One of them, "Takeda-gumi," which has 13 employees, has an office and a workshop on the premises of the steelworks, and almost all of the sales are made up of transactions with the steelworks.

We are good at installing large machines, such as installing machines over 20 tons at a height of 30 meters above the ground, and have been responsible for the installation and maintenance of equipment.

Mr. Michi Egami (46), the president, heard the announcement of the closure and said he seriously considered folding the company, which has continued for 46 years since its predecessor.

Takeda Gumi President Michi Egami

"The moment I heard it, my mind was blank. I couldn't think of anything anymore and I didn't know what to do. Even if I went out of business, I and my family might be able to survive. But the employees ... I couldn't sleep for a long time thinking about that. "

Two weeks after the announcement, Mr. Shigenori Murakami (54) of Murakami Kogyo, whose workshops are next to each other at the steelworks, spoke to Mr. Egami.

Mr. Murakami also undertook equipment-related work.

If you go out of the steelworks, you will have a relationship with other companies in the same industry, “rivals”, but I tried to develop new jobs from scratch by making the best use of each strength.

Murakami Kogyo President Shigenori Murakami

"We have only five employees, but I thought that if the two companies cooperated, the range of technology would increase and we could undertake a big job. If it didn't work, When I cried, I called out to cry together. When I crushed, I was prepared to crush together. "

Takeda Gumi President Michi Egami

"Thanks to the voice, I was able to switch to the desire to look forward and do my best. I was really happy because I can't let my employees and their families get lost on the road. "

The two of them worked on creating a base for the restart.

Since I will have to leave the workshop of the steelworks someday, I bought a second-hand factory in November last year, splitting 25 million yen in half.

After that, the president himself became a salesman and visited companies inside and outside the prefecture.

We also undertake repair work on the roofs of buildings that we have never experienced before, and are gradually developing business partners.

We are selling the technical capabilities that have a reputation for durability even in the high temperature environment of steelworks, the track record of performing maintenance in a limited time without stopping the equipment, and always responding to difficult orders. Attitude to work.

In the future, we would like to undertake equipment work such as plumbing for factories and commercial facilities.

Takeda Gumi President Michi Egami

"I still have days when I can't sleep whether what I'm doing is really right. However, I'm full of gratitude to the steelworks. I've been working for a long time and let me acquire the skills. I got it. I think I have to take the lead for the employees and do what I can. "

While there are companies that are working on business conversion in this way, some of the partner companies have decided to close the business due to the closure because there is no successor, and employees who felt uneasy about the future quit and continue the business. Some companies are short of manpower even if they want to.

It should be safe until the age of 60 ...

Not only for the partner companies, but also for the 1,000 employees of Nippon Steel who work at the steelworks, the closure was overwhelming.

An employee who has been working for more than 10 years talked to me in my heart.

"I was told that if I joined the steelworks, I would be safe until I was 60. The announcement of the closure was really shocking, and I immediately held a family meeting. I also bought a detached house to live in Kure for the rest of my life. I thought about changing jobs and staying in Kure because of my child's school, but considering my income, I had to accept the transfer. "

Many of the employees working at the steelworks were hired in the local city of Kure.

Nippon Steel has stated a "policy to maintain employment", but if it is closed, it will be forced to move or transfer from Kure.

Some of the employees have already retired to stay in Wu, according to people familiar with the matter.

On the other hand, many employees accept transfers and leave Kure.

An indispensable presence in the area

If hundreds of employees and their families leave Kure, the impact on the local economy is inevitable.

"Nabe Taxi" has been associated with steelworks for over 40 years.

At times, steelworks-related sales amounted to more than 3.5 million yen per year.

If there was a year-end party for employees or a tour of the premises, we could charter a large bus for one day, so it was our number one customer.

Nabe Taxi Kenji Hiyama Managing Director

"I am most worried that the area will lose its vitality. However, I have no choice but to accept the reality, and I would like to strengthen sales and manage to survive in order to increase the number of customers."

In addition, steel mill employees and alumni who have been rooted in the community for many years have participated in many local festivals and children's association events.

When I talked to the executives of the residents' association, it was "an indispensable existence" for the local people.

I am worried that the area would be deserted if these people disappeared.

"Triple pain" Kure city

As I walk around the center of Kure City, I feel that the number of stores whose lights are off due to the influence of the new coronavirus is increasing.

The closure of the steelworks that came to catch up there.

We often hear from the local business community that the damage caused by the heavy rains in western Japan three years ago, the impact of the new corona, and the closure of the steelworks this time are "triple pains" for Kure City.

I was keenly aware that structural changes in the globalized economy would have a major impact on local employment and livelihoods.

"I have no time left and I have to think about ways to survive, but it's hard to think because of the influence of the new Corona."

I was impressed by the fact that the companies and people in the area who interviewed said so.

Can you find new lights in the area?

The closure of the steelworks is approaching two and a half years later.

Hiroshima Broadcasting Station Kure Branch Reporter

Airi Enoshima Joined the

police in

2017

After working as a police officer, Kure Branch has been in charge for two years.