00:00 [ Music ]
00:06 The surgeon's mission is to save lives.
00:09 A mission requiring not only immense skill,
00:12 but also exquisitely precise and delicate instruments.
00:16 Surgeons around the world consider instruments made
00:20 in Japan to be among the very best.
00:23 For example, this is the world's smallest surgical instrument
00:28 developed by a Japanese manufacturer.
00:33 So small, you can barely see it.
00:35 This is the thinnest surgical needle ever made.
00:38 [ Music ]
00:43 0.03 millimeters wide, it's narrower than a human hair.
00:49 Since the thinnest needles used to be 0.1 millimeters
00:52 over three times thicker, it dramatically improved the ability
00:56 of surgeons to suture extremely small blood vessels and nerves.
01:01 [ Music ]
01:04 Here in the back street of Taitoku in downtown Tokyo,
01:08 is a small family factory that's made a name for itself worldwide.
01:12 [ Music ]
01:15 Since 1905, this factory has been making surgical equipment
01:19 to support each new advance in medical care.
01:22 [ Music ]
01:29 Their main product is surgical scissors.
01:33 Neurosurgery requires micro-level precision,
01:36 and these scissors have blades with edges as narrow as 0.08 millimeters.
01:41 A special feature is the shape of the blades.
01:46 They're slightly curved, so they cross over each other.
01:50 [ Music ]
01:55 This ensures they always press together firmly
01:58 for a smooth, precise cut.
02:01 [ Music ]
02:04 Neurosurgeons, always seeking finer instruments,
02:08 quickly realized this back street Tokyo factory was making the best
02:12 scissors for their work.
02:14 These scissors are very sharp, but they cut extremely gently.
02:20 It's essential to be gentle when working on the brain,
02:23 nerves, and blood vessels.
02:25 Nothing is more dangerous than a blunt blade.
02:27 If it doesn't cut properly, you need to use strength,
02:29 and that easily damages tissue.
02:32 And that, of course, causes harm to the patient.
02:36 This is the reason why we neurosurgeons are always looking
02:40 for better instruments.
02:42 [ Music ]
02:45 Most of the workers in this small factory are young technician types.
02:50 [ Applause ]
02:52 This is unusual in Japan's metalworking industry,
02:56 where veteran skilled artisans make everything by hand.
03:00 [ Music ]
03:03 The level of medical care is advancing year by year,
03:07 and we have to adapt our manufacturing methods in order
03:10 to keep up with changing requirements.
03:13 That means continually introducing the latest manufacturing technology.
03:18 The factory originally operated in the traditional way,
03:22 with artisans relying on experience and sense of touch,
03:25 rather than blueprints and diagrams.
03:28 But this old way of working was reaching its limits.
03:32 This was clear to Takeyama Ryushi when he took
03:34 over his family firm 20 years ago, and he decided to change everything.
03:40 To achieve higher quality,
03:43 he introduced a new precision manufacturing process
03:46 that no longer relied solely on the skill
03:49 and intuition of individual artisans.
03:52 [ Music ]
03:55 And by employing modern machinery, he reduced the need for manual labor
03:59 and dramatically improved productivity.
04:02 [ Music ]
04:06 Japan's small family factories are renowned for advanced technical skills,
04:10 but they struggle to produce in large quantities.
04:14 Takeyama had found a solution
04:15 that let him maintain quality while supplying an expanding market.
04:19 Today, his instruments are used by neurosurgeons around the world.
04:25 Surgical instruments are used inside people's bodies, so safety is paramount.
04:30 Our products must meet extremely high standards.
04:36 Easier for surgeons to use, safer for patients.
04:41 With instruments that achieve both,
04:43 this factory has gained a worldwide reputation.
04:47 Each new advance in medical treatment brings with it an evolution
04:51 in surgical equipment manufacture.
04:53 [ Music ]
04:55 [ Silence ]
05:01 [ Music ]
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