History

Ryosuke Namiki and Masao Wada, the founders of PILOT, attended the then Tokyo University of Mercantile Marine and met each other on a foreign trade ship after graduation.

They got along very well with each other and told each other their dreams, saying that “Realizing our dream of bringing the world Japanese products that we can be proud of.” They established a firm friendship.

Later, Namiki succeeded in developing a 100% domestically produced, world-class fountain pen after overcoming many difficulties. In 1918. Namiki and Wada established Namiki Manufacturing Co., Ltd., the predecessor of PILOT.

They chose PILOT as the brand name, reflecting their aspiration to be the pilot leading the industry.

In 1926, not long after the company was founded, they established bases in New York, London, Shanghai and Singapore, making their wish to expand globally come true. The founders’ spirit has been preserved, and it has led to the development of creative, high-quality products that are sold in more than 190 countries and regions today.