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We are now in front of the underground vault's outer door
on the Old Building's B1 level. This vault had been in use
for 108 years, from its installation in 1896 until June 2004.
This door was installed in 1932 at the time the vault space
was expanded from its original size. The door, which is
90-cm thick and weighs 25 tons (door: 15 tons; frame: 10
tons) was made in the United States.
A sideline story
A president of York Safe & Lock Co., the vault's manufacturer,
apparently told his son, who was leaving home for the Pacific
War front, "You will eventually reach mainland Japan, then
go and visit the Bank of Japan and see whether the vault
door is working fine. We have made it, and if it is not
functioning well, or has any trouble, it will be a shame
on the company's honor."
After the war came to an end, the son visited the Bank and
confirmed that the door was working properly, which he then
reported to his father. Upon hearing of this episode, the
relevant Bank staff members were deeply impressed by this
manufacturer's sense of responsibility.
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