Childhood
Konosuke Matsushita was born on November 27, 1894 in Wakayama prefecture. His father was an affluent landlord in the farming village of Wasa, in the Wakayama Prefecture. Matsushita was born into a well-to-do family but the family became impoverished because his father made some bad investment decisions, primarily in rice speculation. In 1899, the family's entire fortune was gone and anything of value was sold off. The family was forced to move to a cramped three bedroom city apartment where conditions were less than sanitary. There was always a lack of food, clothing, and medical care. Within several years, Matsushita's health declined rapidly and three of his older siblings died due to infectious diseases. Matsushita's formal education ended at the age of nine.
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