Kazuo Inamori

Kazuo Inamori
稲盛 和夫
Inamori in 2011
Born(1932-01-21)21 January 1932
Died24 August 2022(2022-08-24) (aged 90)
NationalityJapanese
Alma materKagoshima University
AwardsOthmer Gold Medal
Scientific career
FieldsEngineering, Chemistry, Philanthropy, Management, Zen Buddhism
External videos
Kazuo Inamori: A Conversation on Business Innovation and Philosophy (with English translation audio) , UC Berkeley

Kazuo Inamori, KBE (稲盛 和夫, Inamori Kazuo; 30 January 1932 – 24 August 2022) was a Japanese philanthropist, entrepreneur, Zen Buddhist priest, and the founder of Kyocera and KDDI. He was the chairman of Japan Airlines.

Inamori was elected as a member into the National Academy of Engineering in 2000 for innovation in ceramic materials and solar cell development/manufacturing, entrepreneurship of advanced technologies, and for being a role model for relating science to society.

In 2011, he received the Othmer Gold Medal for outstanding contributions to progress in science and chemistry.