The book you hold is one of the most widely read production management publications in Japan. The book was based on educational materials prepared by Toyota specialists for seminars on the Toyota production system, which took place in the mid-1970s. A lot of time has passed since then, but the book, which has been reprinted several times, including in English, still serves as a brief guide to reducing production costs around the world. Kanban and just-in-time systems - the two production and inventory management methods used within Toyota's production system - help find the best ways to improve process performance and product quality.