It was a cruel time - The Great Depression in America had ramifications in Japan, too. Many banks and private enterprises went bankrupt, and only about 10% of those who graduated from Tokyo Imperial University were able to find jobs. Streets were full of unemployed people. In addition, cold summers resulted in a scanty crop of rice two years in a row, forcing farmers to feed on tree barks and bamboo leaves. Katsuji Kaneda, the 17-year-old owner of Kaneda Oil Shop, worked from dawn to late into the night selling oil with a passion, firmly determined to restore and develop the shop.

In the years between 1933 and 1938 there was an upturn in the oil industry, as the need increased due to the expansion in the building of armaments, and because of this Kaneda Oil Shop survived the depression. However, following the outbreak of World War II in 1941, the supply of oil became scant and ended up being rationed. Kaneda Oil Shop was open, but was not making sales.