Brigestone Corporation (株式会社ブリヂストン, Kabushiki-gaisha Burijisuton?) (TYO: 5108) is a Japanese rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi (石橋正二郎, Ishibashi Shōjirō?) in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a literal translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese. It is currently the largest Tire manufacturer in the world.