{"id":44247,"date":"2026-01-24T12:00:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T03:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=44247"},"modified":"2026-01-24T02:27:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T17:27:48","slug":"shirasu-jiro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/","title":{"rendered":"The Common Spirit of Soarer and Porsche Loved by Jiro Shirasu: Reflecting on Japan\u2019s Motorization History"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">\u30b3\u30f3\u30c6\u30f3\u30c4<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#Jiro_Shirasu_A_Life_of_Principles_Spanning_83_Years\" >Jiro Shirasu: A Life of Principles Spanning 83 Years<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#A_Deep_Affection_for_the_1968_Porsche_911S\" >A Deep Affection for the 1968 Porsche 911S<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#A_Letter_to_the_Soarers_Developer_The_Spirit_of_%E2%80%9CNo_Substitute%E2%80%9D\" >A Letter to the Soarer\u2019s Developer: The Spirit of \u201cNo Substitute\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#The_Uncompromising_Philosophy_Shared_by_Soarer_and_Porsche\" >The Uncompromising Philosophy Shared by Soarer and Porsche<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>Jiro Shirasu, a leading postwar Japanese businessman famously dubbed by the GHQ as <strong>&#8220;the only Japanese who would not obey&#8221;<\/strong>, remains a personal favorite of mine. I once had the chance to visit his former residence, the historic &#8220;Buaiso.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_44244\" style=\"width: 1290px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-44244\" class=\"wp-image-44244 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2017-06-07_11-09-20_000-1280x853.jpeg\" alt=\"Buaiso\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-44244\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former Shirasu Residence Buaiso<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Not only was he known as a trusted aide to Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida, but Shirasu was also a passionate car enthusiast. During his Cambridge days, he owned a 1924 <strong>Bentley 3L Speed Model and a Bugatti<\/strong>, and even past the age of 80, he continued to grip the wheel of his beloved <strong>Porsche 911S<\/strong>. In his later years, he purchased the first-generation Toyota Soarer and personally offered improvement suggestions directly to its chief developer.<\/p>\n<p>Though Porsche and Soarer might seem worlds apart, these two cars share a philosophy that Shirasu deeply appreciated. Let\u2019s explore his character and passion for automobiles to better understand the ideals Japan\u2019s automotive industry has pursued.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"style3a\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Jiro_Shirasu_A_Life_of_Principles_Spanning_83_Years\"><\/span>Jiro Shirasu: A Life of Principles Spanning 83 Years<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Born in 1902 in Ashiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, Shirasu was captivated by cars from his early days at Kobe First Middle School.<\/p>\n<p>While studying at Cambridge University, he honed his automotive aesthetic by driving a Bentley 3L Speed Model and a Bugatti Type 35. After returning to Japan, he thrived as a businessman and served as a close aide to Prime Minister Yoshida during postwar negotiations with the GHQ. Anecdotes from his tenure as chairman of Tohoku Electric Power reveal his hands-on style\u2014he personally drove a Land Rover Defender, wearing a helmet, sunglasses, and boots, to inspect dam construction sites.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"style3a\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Deep_Affection_for_the_1968_Porsche_911S\"><\/span>A Deep Affection for the 1968 Porsche 911S<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One of Shirasu\u2019s most cherished cars until his final years was the 1968 <strong>Porsche 911S<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9727\" src=\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/5390385f40193d4147c6119cbfd05dc9.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"262\" height=\"400\" \/><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">*Image source: <a href=\"https:\/\/buaiso.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Former Shirasu Residence Buaiso<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Equipped with a 2.0L flat-six engine producing 160 horsepower, Shirasu was not content with the stock setup and later upgraded it to a 2.4L engine. This was more than mere ownership\u2014it reflected his relentless pursuit of the ideal driving experience.<\/p>\n<p>Since its debut in 1963, the Porsche 911 has steadfastly maintained its rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. This unwavering commitment to its core design philosophy resonates with Shirasu\u2019s lifelong mantra of <strong>&#8220;principle.&#8221;<\/strong> Even past 80, he continued to steer his 911S, fully appreciating the car\u2019s <strong>\u201cirreplaceable value.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"style3a\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Letter_to_the_Soarers_Developer_The_Spirit_of_%E2%80%9CNo_Substitute%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>A Letter to the Soarer\u2019s Developer: The Spirit of \u201cNo Substitute\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In 1981, Toyota launched the first-generation Soarer.<\/p>\n<p>Its chief developer, Toshihiro Okada, imbued the car with cutting-edge car electronics and a specially developed engine, aiming to prove Toyota\u2019s technical prowess much like the legendary Toyota 2000GT. However, there was one outspoken critic: Jiro Shirasu. Then-president Shoichiro Toyoda contacted Okada, leading to Shirasu\u2019s involvement.<\/p>\n<p>Later, Shirasu sent a letter accompanied by a dozen golf balls, listing five specific areas for improvement:<\/p>\n<p>Steering wheel diameter, minimum turning radius, power steering assist level, rear seat crampedness, and insufficient battery capacity. The battery issue was particularly valid, as complaints had been reported. Shirasu\u2019s feedback hit the mark. Furthermore, when the second-generation Soarer was in development, Shirasu\u2019s memorable words were passed along: <strong>\u201cNo Substitute\u2014build a car that is truly irreplaceable.\u201d<\/strong> This ethos aligns perfectly with Porsche\u2019s enduring spirit, famously captured in their slogan <strong>\u201cThere is no substitute.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"ytube\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wSnZ5F83gro?si=76-7LI3VPd7xwO5X\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"style3a\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Uncompromising_Philosophy_Shared_by_Soarer_and_Porsche\"><\/span>The Uncompromising Philosophy Shared by Soarer and Porsche<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Interestingly, Okada himself was a Porsche enthusiast.<\/p>\n<p>While at Toyota, he favored the 911 and was a longtime owner of the 930-generation 911. The fact that the developer of a Japanese high-performance GT car deeply understood and loved Porsche\u2014a brand that had long dominated this segment in Europe\u2014speaks volumes about the Soarer\u2019s true nature.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201cNo Substitute\u201d value Shirasu championed applies equally to the Porsche 911 and the Soarer.<\/p>\n<p>The 911 has preserved its fundamental design for over 60 years, while the Soarer proved that Japan\u2019s automotive industry could compete on equal footing with the world. What unites these cars is their established raison d\u2019\u00eatre: <em>they must be this car and no other.<\/em> Shirasu\u2019s love for the Porsche 911 and his candid feedback on the Soarer reveal that he saw the same potential in both vehicles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jiro Shirasu, a leading postwar Japanese businessman famously dubbed by the GHQ as &#8220;the only Japanese who would not obey&#8221;, remains a personal favorite of mine. I once had the chance to visit his former residence, the historic &#8220;Buaiso.&#8221; Not only was he known as a trusted aide to Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida, but Shirasu was also a passionate car enthusiast. During his Cambridge days, he owned a 1924 Bentley 3L Speed Model and a...","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=44240"},"categories":[30,59],"tags":[183,725,726],"yoast_head":"<title>The Common Spirit of Soarer and Porsche Loved by Jiro Shirasu: Reflecting on Japan\u2019s Motorization History - \u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f - \u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u30ba\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore Jiro Shirasu\u2019s passion for Porsche ownership and the Soarer, revealing shared philosophies behind these iconic cars and their place in Japan\u2019s motorization history.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Common Spirit of Soarer and Porsche Loved by Jiro Shirasu: Reflecting on Japan\u2019s Motorization History - \u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f - \u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u30ba\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore Jiro Shirasu\u2019s passion for Porsche ownership and the Soarer, revealing shared philosophies behind these iconic cars and their place in Japan\u2019s motorization history.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"\u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f - \u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u30ba\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/panameralife\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-24T03:00:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-23T17:27:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2017-06-07_11-09-20_000-1280x853.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Common Spirit of Soarer and Porsche Loved by Jiro Shirasu: Reflecting on Japan\u2019s Motorization History - \u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f - \u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u30ba\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0","description":"Explore Jiro Shirasu\u2019s passion for Porsche ownership and the Soarer, revealing shared philosophies behind these iconic cars and their place in Japan\u2019s motorization history.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Common Spirit of Soarer and Porsche Loved by Jiro Shirasu: Reflecting on Japan\u2019s Motorization History - \u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f - \u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u30ba\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0","og_description":"Explore Jiro Shirasu\u2019s passion for Porsche ownership and the Soarer, revealing shared philosophies behind these iconic cars and their place in Japan\u2019s motorization history.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/","og_site_name":"\u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f - \u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u30ba\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/panameralife\/","article_published_time":"2026-01-24T03:00:07+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-23T17:27:48+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2017-06-07_11-09-20_000-1280x853.jpeg"}],"twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/"},"author":{"name":"","@id":""},"headline":"The Common Spirit of Soarer and Porsche Loved by Jiro Shirasu: Reflecting on Japan\u2019s Motorization History","datePublished":"2026-01-24T03:00:07+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-23T17:27:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/"},"wordCount":701,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2017-06-07_11-09-20_000-1280x853.jpeg","keywords":["Porsche 911","\u767d\u6d32\u6b21\u90ce","\u30bd\u30a2\u30e9"],"articleSection":["Porsche 911","Porsche Trivia"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/","url":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/","name":"The Common Spirit of Soarer and Porsche Loved by Jiro Shirasu: Reflecting on Japan\u2019s Motorization History - \u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f - \u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u30ba\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2017-06-07_11-09-20_000-1280x853.jpeg","datePublished":"2026-01-24T03:00:07+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-23T17:27:48+00:00","description":"Explore Jiro Shirasu\u2019s passion for Porsche ownership and the Soarer, revealing shared philosophies behind these iconic cars and their place in Japan\u2019s motorization history.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2017-06-07_11-09-20_000.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2017-06-07_11-09-20_000.jpeg","width":5472,"height":3648,"caption":"\u6b66\u76f8\u8358 | \u5efa\u7269, \u9580, \u6728, \u7802\u5229\u9053, \u8eca, \u77f3\u57a3, \u5c4b\u5916, \u99d0\u8eca\u5834, \u89b3\u5149\u5730"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/shirasu-jiro\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"\u30db\u30fc\u30e0","item":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Common Spirit of Soarer and Porsche Loved by Jiro Shirasu: Reflecting on Japan\u2019s Motorization History"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/","name":"\u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f - \u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u30ba\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0","description":"\u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u306b\u9b45\u4e86\u3055\u308c\u305f\u59bb\u304c\u66f8\u304f\u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0\u3067\u3059\u3002\u6240\u6709\u3059\u308b\u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7 911\u30ab\u30ec\u30e9\uff08964\uff09\u3001911GT3\u3001\u30dc\u30af\u30b9\u30bf\u30fc\u3001\u30d1\u30ca\u30e1\u30fc\u30e9\u306e\u30ec\u30d3\u30e5\u30fc\u3084\u7dad\u6301\u8cbb\u3001\u30c4\u30fc\u30ea\u30f3\u30b0\u8a18\u306a\u3069\u3002\u30cb\u30e5\u30fc\u30b9\u8a18\u4e8b\u3067\u306f\u5206\u304b\u3089\u306a\u3044\u751f\u306e\u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u306e\u58f0\u3092\u5b9a\u671f\u914d\u4fe1\u3059\u308b\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0\u3067\u3059\u3002","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/#organization","name":"\u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f","url":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/unnamed.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/unnamed.jpg","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"\u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/panameralife\/","https:\/\/x.com\/Mina_Panamera","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mina_porsche\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCoyAW0ifcnk05Iryf7-bkhg"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44247"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44247"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44247\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}