Rumors about a shipbuilding system that used an assembly line generated so much interest that people from around the country visited the dockyard. The Osaka Prefectural Governor, a member of the imperial family and marine engineers from the Japanese Navy, to name just a few, came by the dockyard daily looking for more information. Toshio was answering questions and giving detailed explanations long before the first ship was even launched. In December of 1943, a launch ceremony was organized. Expecting more than 2,000 people to attend, including government and military officials, Toshio knew his reputation was on the line. Not wishing to embarrass himself or Matsushita in front of all these people, Toshio wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. A drill was held the night before to ensure that the rail trolley responsible for launching the ship worked. During the test, however, the trolley stopped half way along the rail. Toshio asked his employees to get in the water and find the problem. On realizing that they were not keen to enter the winter water, Toshio took off his clothes and jumped in. He fixed a faulty joint along the bottom of the seabed and the trolley started to move again. Toshio's eldest son Satoshi (current chairman of SANYO), who was watching the drill from the shore later remarked, "I was in elementary school then and I remember thinking as I watched my father jump into the icy water that he was a remarkable man who leads not by force but by example. It was truly an unforgettable moment in my life, and I believe that a great deal of his strength grew from his determination to see his ideas realized." At the ceremony the next day, the launch was a great success. After the manufacture of the second and third ship, production time was shortened to only six days, proving the effectiveness of the assembly line. With Japan facing defeat, however, Toshio's days in the shipbuilding business were numbered.