In this interview Masao Horiba discusses his childhood in Japan; his father, chemist Shinkichi Horiba, and his childhood visits to various Japanese chemical plants and laboratories; his education at Kyoto University, studying nuclear physics under Bunsaku Arakatsu; his work developing a radar system for aircraft during World War II; establishing his own private research laboratory, called the Horiba Radio Laboratory, to produce emergency power outage lamps, electric-pulse oscillators, and high-quality capacitors during the American occupation of Japan; modifying the laboratory's products to build a pH meter better suited to Japan's environment; continuing to improve the Model H pH meter, and developing single crystal windows and producing infrared-based gas detectors and analyzers; partnering with Hitachi, Ltd. to produce analytical instrumentation; building an analyzer for automobile emissions testing, which later became the world standard for testing vehicle emissions; and expanding production to the United States, Europe and Asia. Horiba concludes the interview with reflections on his innovations in corporate management and the importance of venture capitalism.