TY  - CONF
TI  - The Hidden Lean: Lessons From Japan
C1  - Osaka and Kyoto, Japan
C3  - Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 33)
SP  - 1345
EP  - 1356
PY  - 2025
DO  - 10.24928/2025/0140
AU  - Kon, Wataru
AU  - Tommelein, Iris D.
AU  - Saragih, Gregory F.
AU  - Kasih, Richardus N.
AU  - Coelho, Rafael V.
AD  - MS Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Project Production Systems Laboratory (P2SL), University of California, Berkeley, USA, watarukon@berkeley.edu, orcid.org/0009-0009-2254-8089
AD  - Distinguished Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Director, Project Production Systems Laboratory (P2SL), University of California, Berkeley, USA, tommelein@berkeley.edu, orcid.org/0000-0002-9941-6596
AD  - MS Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Project Production Systems Laboratory (P2SL), University of California, Berkeley, USA, gregory.saragih@berkeley.edu, orcid.org/0009-0001-4698-3722
AD  - MS Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Project Production Systems Laboratory (P2SL), University of California, Berkeley, USA, nugrakasih@berkeley.edu, orcid.org/0009-0001-9821-0481
AD  - PhD Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Project Production Systems Laboratory (P2SL), University of California, Berkeley, USA, rvcoelho@berkeley.edu, orcid.org/0000-0003-3298-3622
ED  - Seppänen, Olli 
ED  - Koskela, Lauri 
ED  - Murata , Koichi 
AB  - Lean Construction, rooted in the Toyota Production System, has revolutionized the global construction industry. However, its explicit adoption in Japan—the birthplace of Lean principles—has been surprisingly limited. This paper investigates the intersection of traditional Japanese management systems and Lean principles to uncover latent Lean principles within Japanese construction practices. By combining a systematic literature review and field observations, the research explores the cultural, historical, and industrial factors that have shaped Japan’s approach to construction management. The study highlights unique aspects of Japanese management, including the WA culture of harmony, the Monozukuri and Hitozukuri spirit, and the membership-based employment system, which collectively foster a quality-centric environment aligned with Lean principles. Challenges such as labor shortages, workforce aging, and overwork culture are also examined alongside innovative initiatives like i-Construction. The findings aim to bridge the gap between Japanese management styles and the global LC philosophy, offering insights for enhancing Lean adoption worldwide.
KW  - Japanese Management
KW  - Monozukuri
KW  - Hitozukuri
KW  - WA culture
KW  - Kaizen
PB  - 
T2  - Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 33)
DA  - 2025/06/02
CY  - Osaka and Kyoto, Japan
L1  - http://iglc.net/Papers/Details/2334/pdf
L2  - http://iglc.net/Papers/Details/2334
N1  - Export Date: 01 June 2025
DB  - IGLC.net
DP  - IGLC
LA  - English
ER  -