The Japan Pedometer Company, known primarily through its early product "Manpo-kei," played a pivotal role in popularizing the concept of walking 10,000 steps daily as a health goal. Founded around 1965, the company—originally Yamasa Tokei Keiki Co.—introduced the Manpo-kei in Japan shortly before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. This pedometer, whose name translates to "10,000 steps meter," was based on the research of Dr. Yoshiro Hatano, a professor at Kyushu University of Health and Welfare. Hatano’s studies suggested that walking 10,000 steps a day could burn about 20% of an average person’s daily caloric intake, which could lead to significant weight loss and improved cardiovascular health[1][2][4]. The Manpo-kei was a simple, wearable device designed to count steps and encourage physical activity at a time when obesity and sedentary lifestyles were becoming concerns in Japan. Its success was bolstered by the excitement and health consciousness generated by the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, which helped make the 10,000-steps goal a cultural phenomenon. The Japanese government even established accuracy standards for pedometers, requiring devices to measure steps within 3% of the actual count, further legitimizing the product and the concept[1]. This marketing strategy was both innovative and impactful, turning a catchy round number into a global fitness benchmark. The 10,000 steps target has since been adopted worldwide and integrated into modern wearable fitness technology like Fitbit and smartwatches, becoming a standard goal endorsed by health organizations such as the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association[2][5]. Today, the legacy of the Japan Pedometer Company endures as the foundation for step-based fitness tracking worldwide. Their early fusion of technology, research, and marketing created a lasting cultural and health movement, illustrating how a simple device can influence global health practice