Founder Profile
Dr. Seiuemon Inaba
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is Dr. Seiuemon Inaba?
Dr. Seiuemon Inaba is a founder of FANUC Corporation, which was founded in 1972.
- Company founded
- FANUC Corporation
- Founded
- 1972
Background
Seiuemon Inaba (1925-2020) was an engineer at Fuji Tsushinki, later Fujitsu, where he led the company's numerical-control development team from 1955 before becoming FANUC's founding president.
Founding Story
Dr. Seiuemon Inaba led the small numerical-control group inside Fujitsu that produced Japan's first commercial NC and servo systems in 1956. When the business was spun out as Fujitsu FANUC in 1972, he became its first president. He emphasized reliability and in-house engineering, moved the company to a campus at the foot of Mount Fuji, and made yellow the company's signature color. His son, Yoshiharu Inaba, later served as president and chairman.
Education: University of Tokyo. Dr. Seiuemon Inaba was born in 1925.