Continuous Improvement Japanese Terms
Andon An andon light is one of the most common forms of visual management and refers to
a signal used to call for help when an abnormal condition is recognized, or that some sort of
action is required.
Baka Yoke Baka yoke is the Japanese term for ‘foolproofing’ or ‘idiot proofing’. Prevent
mistakes rather than correct defects.
Concrete Head A concrete head is someone who is resistant to change. The term “concrete
head’ is the result of a translation from Japanese.
Gemba The real place where the work is done.
Gembutsu Gembutsu is a Japanese word meaning ‘real thing’. It is one of the components of
the ‘Three Reals‘ meaning go to the real place (gemba) to see the real thing (gembutsu) and
collect the real facts (genjitsu). This term simply means that there is no substitute for seeing
something with one’s own eyes.
Hansei Hansei is a Japanese term that loosely translates to self-reflection.
Heijunka The common heijunka definition, production leveling, means transforming the
typical peaks and valleys of customer demand into something flatter. That flatness, in turn,
makes standardizing production processes easier.
Hoshin Kanri Hoshin kanri is a Japanese term meaning policy deployment or strategic
planning.
Kaikaku Kaikaku is revolutionary change. Where kaizen is generally evolutionary in nature,
kaikaku requires radical shifts in thinking.
Kaizen Kaizen is a Japanese word that loosely translates to ‘change for the good.’ So, kaizen
simply means to make improvements to a process.
Kanban The word ‘kanban’, in Japanese, means ‘signboard. ’Kanban regulates inventory and
helps promote flow.
Muda (Waste) It translates to ‘wasteful activity’, but in common practice most people
simply use this definition: muda = waste.
Mura Mura is one of three Japanese terms meaning waste. The others are muda, the
traditional form of waste in which resources are not effectively used, and muri, meaning
overburden or overexertion.
Muri Muri is a Japanese term for a specific form of waste. It means unreasonableness or
overexertion.
Poka Yoke The best way to eliminate defects is to prevent errors in processes. A poka yoke
is a mistake-proofing device that ensures that it is impossible to make a mistake in a process.
Shojinka Shojinka is a form of flexible manufacturing, where the number of workers vary to
match demand requirements. This is obviously superior to a static system that staffs work
areas without consideration to fluctuations in production requirements.
Yokoten Yokoten is a Japanese term that loosely translates into “horizontal deployment.”
Essentially, it is the spreading of information across the organization.