Visiting the United States: in 1951 at age 56

Panasonic was released from the last of its postwar restrictions in 1950.
In his annual management policy address in 1951, Konosuke announced that the time had come for the company to take its place in the international economic community.
He cautioned his employees to respect their cultural heritage as they geared up for operations on a global scale.
Visiting the United States to see for himself how American industry operated.
Konosuke noticed a huge gap between prosperous America and impoverished Japan, observing that, "An essential requirement for prosperity is a social structure that allows people to fully exert their individual talents and abilities."
In order to compete with the West, he realized that his company would need a better knowledge of electronics, and a more specialized approach to product development.