Hiromi Kanagawa, Senior Executive Vice President of Seiko Group Corporation, discusses the company’s mottos and values, especially as they pertain to people and time.
For nearly 145 years, Japan’s Seiko Group Corporation has been known for its innovations in watchmaking, from the country’s first wristwatch to the world’s first quartz wristwatch. But for Hiromi Kanagawa, who assumed the role of Senior Executive Vice President in June 2026, there is much more to the company’s story than its timepieces.
In a recent interview in New York, where the group brought all of its brands together in a setting that showcased a Japanese tea garden, historical objects and its recent film, Kanagawa discussed her desire to bring Seiko’s heritage, philosophy and distinctly Japanese approach to time to a broader global audience. It is a mission she considers important not only for consumers, but also for future generations of Seiko employees.
She recalled traveling to Germany when she was younger and seeing a Seiko advertisement on a tram. The experience made a lasting impression on her about the importance of the company’s international presence. Now, in her executive position, she hopes to communicate something deeper.
“I want to share not only the products, but the stories behind this brand, the philosophy behind this brand, not just the products,” said Kanagawa via a translator, adding that sharing those stories internally with the next generation is equally important. “I really believe this is my mission.”
One story in particular stands out for Kanagawa and captures the brand’s longstanding commitment to customers. Kanagawa said the story of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the actions of company founder Kintaro Hattori afterward speaks volumes.
The devastating earthquake and subsequent fires destroyed Hattori’s home and factory, along with approximately 1,500 customer timepieces, mostly pocket watches, that had been entrusted to the company for repair. The records identifying those customers were also lost. Rather than abandon his responsibility to them, Hattori placed an advertisement asking customers who had sent watches to the company to please come forward and he then arranged for replacement watches.
According to Kanagawa, the story remains especially meaningful to Seiko Chairman and Group CEO Shinji Hattori, the founder’s great-grandson.
“We are not a company that just crafts timepieces. We are a company that values people’s time and we cannot let time be stopped,” she said, conveying the philosophy that continues to guide the company.
That philosophy is also reflected in Seiko’s ongoing The Gift of Time initiative, launched in 2024 to introduce Japanese cultural values, craftsmanship and the concept of time to international audiences. The initiative includes a short film that explores Japan’s relationship with time through art, architecture and craftsmanship.
Earlier this month, Seiko brought the project to New York’s Pace Gallery for a one-night presentation that included the film, historical Seiko artifacts and a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in a specially designed structure by architect Kengo Kuma.
For Kanagawa, bringing the presentation to New York was particularly appropriate. She described the city as energetic and fast-paced, a place where people might especially appreciate an opportunity to pause and reflect.
As Seiko continues to expand the international presence of its watch brands, including Grand Seiko and Credor, Kanagawa says she sees communicating the company’s heritage and values as an essential part of her responsibility. In fact, that connection to Japanese culture is already evident in many Grand Seiko watches, whose dials draw inspiration from the country’s landscapes, changing seasons and natural surroundings. For Kanagawa, the goal is to ensure that the stories behind those watches are as widely recognized as the timepieces themselves.
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