Takako Kurosu

Takako is the CEO of Yotsuba Maintenance, a firefighting equipment-related services organization based in Japan. She began her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 38, with the mission to address the diversity gap — and provide a woman's perspective — in the firefighting equipment sector.  

Born in Tokyo, Takako began her career as a writer for a childcare magazine and manager of a childcare club when she was raising her two children. She then became engaged in nursing care, which included reading books to the patients at an eldercare facility. However, she left the job when she was diagnosed with chorditis. 

Later, Takako got into inspecting firefighting equipment and obtained the Fire Defense Equipment Officers License — a national qualification for fire engineering in Japan. She then established Yotsuba Maintenance and succeeded in securing a space for women in the firefighting equipment industry, which was male dominated until then. An inspiring example of women entrepreneurship, Takako continues to lead her organization as one where all engineers are rewarded well and everyone can maximize their potentials, regardless of gender.

“We have succeeded in securing a space for women in the hitherto male-dominated firefighting equipment industry. Going forward, we seek to sustain our organization as one where all engineers are rewarded well and everyone can maximize their potentials, regardless of gender.”