ContentsIntroduction

Management

Social (S)Environment (E)Governance (G)Recognition / Assurance

Human Assets | Diversity & Inclusion | Human Rights | Employee Health & Safety / Work-Life Balance | Supply Chain Management | Research and Development | Intellectual Property | Total Quality Assurance | Engagement | Social Contribution Activities

Research and Development
Basic Approach

Research and Development Structure

TOPPAN Technical Research Institute

ApproachPromotion framework

Promotion framework

In the more than 120 years since our foundation, TOPPAN has

We advance research and development activities centered onOur central research facility, the TOPPAN Technical Researchevolved our original specialization of printing techniques into

our core technologies from a market-oriented perspective. TheInstitute (est. in 1986 in Sugito, Saitama Prefecture, Japan)

the art of printing. Technical advances in printing, coupled with

R&D Strategy Office and Business Development Division work

promotes research integration, interdisciplinary research

the fusion of varied knowledge and expertise with processing

together with technology development departments at businessexchanges and technological development, and cross-bordertechnologies, have enabled us to systemize “printingdivisions across the Group. The R&D Strategy Office seeks toGroupwide research collaborations. Its primary focuses aretechnologies” of our own. Five core technologies now drive ourbuild a cross-departmental technical administration

fundamental research to usher in next-generation technologies

business: Information Processing, Microfabrication, Surface

infrastructure, while the Business Development Divisionand the development of highly original, competitive products.

Treatment, Material Forming, and Marketing Solutions. Theseengages in research, new business development, and strategic

The institute also utilizes its advanced expertise to provide

five technologies and the distinct benefits they offer areinvestment to create new businesses as a disruptive innovator.

technical support to TOPPAN business divisions.

We also strategically build and use intellectual property,

combined into the new solutions we offer.

In a move into R&D frontiers, the institute has developed

By strengthening core technologies to maximize synergies

generate R&D synergies within the Group, and collaborate

invivoid®, a 3D cell culture technology applying proprietary

within the Group, we continue to generate new value for society

creatively with clients and external research institutions tobiomaterials, in a joint venture with Professor Michiya Matsusaki

through co-creation with clients, universities, and startups. We

advance our R&D activities. In these ways, we deliver new value

from the Graduate School of Engineering at Osaka University. In

will continue deepening and expanding our unique technologies

to address today’s shifting society and global environment.

March 2023, Osaka University joined with Toppan Inc. and three

to develop new businesses that provide solutions to global social

other companies to form the “Consortium for Future Innovation

challenges and transform our business portfolio.

by Cultured Meat,” an alliance to promote the social adoption ofcultured meat through three approaches: the application of 3D
bioprinting technology, the formation of an integrated value
chain from production to distribution, and contributions to theResearch and Development Structuredevelopment of laws and regulations in cooperation withgovernment agencies and businesses. The consortium seeks toIntellectual
Property Division

Clients
R&D Strategy Office
Technology development
departmentsin the business divisions

BusinessDevelopment
Division

TOPPAN TechnicalResearch Institute● Fundamental research● Applied research● New business development

Companies andstartupsUniversities● Strategic investmentsResearchinstitutions

R&D departments across the Group72

pioneer edible cultured meat byenhancing consumer

Consortium logo

understanding of cultured meatthrough informative events suchas the upcoming exhibition atExpo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

Sustainability Report 2023

Contents

Introduction

Management

Social (S)Environment (E)Governance (G)Recognition / Assurance

Human Assets | Diversity & Inclusion | Human Rights | Employee Health & Safety / Work-Life Balance | Supply Chain Management | Research and Development | Intellectual Property | Total Quality Assurance | Engagement | Social Contribution Activities

New Business Creation Themes

institutions across Japan for use in research and development inPolicy

pursues the realization of long healthy life spans and inclusive

PolicyWe have been creating new businesses that address social andcommunities. We made ICI a consolidated subsidiary in January

The creation of new businesses and markets has been identified

industrial issues by leveraging business models and2023 to further strengthen the allied initiatives.

as one of our main challenges for medium-term management.

healthcare, medicine, and welfare fields. The alliance also

Strategic Investments
Activity results, performance data

DATuM IDEA, a medical-information delivery service, isWe have been developing new businesses for the dynamic

energy solutions are examples of our frontier businesses

the latest achievement stemming from our efforts focused on

growth of the Group by making small-scale investments inpursued on a priority basis.

the use of medical big data. DATuM IDEA has been developed

growth fields such as digital transformation (DX) business,in collaboration with the Japan Medical Association Medical

cutting-edge technologies, and ESG initiatives. We have formed

business alliance formed in 2019 with ICI Inc., a certified

Information Management Organization (J-MIMO), a certified

capital and business alliances with some 60 startups around theenterprise that can be trusted to handle anonymized medicalorganization under the Act.

world since July of 2016. We are generating new value for society

technologies that give us a competitive edge. Healthcare andOne notable venture we are committed to is the capital anddata under the Next Generation Medical Infrastructure ActIn March 2023 we held a seminar on the usage of medical

by combining the advanced technologies and business models(“Act”) of Japan. The core aim of this alliance is the distribution

information on the DATuM IDEA platform to promote the broadof startups with the planning and technical capabilitiesof medical big data collected from hospitals, clinics, local

use of real-world data originating from medical institutions.

throughout the Group, from both short-term and medium- togovernments, nursing care facilities, and other medical

long-term perspectives.

Overview of the DATuM IDEA Service

Collaboration with Startups
Backcasted
business
concept

Solving social issues

Co-creation of new value

Startups

Strategic partnership

Printing technologies
MarketingSolutions
MaterialForming

Taken from https://datumidea.jp/ (in Japanese)

Surface
Treatment

Search for
medium- to long-term
R&D business
opportunities

Information
Processing
Microfabrication

Combining unique technologies tocreate innovative TOPPAN solutions

73

Short- to medium-term
joint service development

Missing Piece

Moonshot# High-end R&D# Web multilingualization# Smart childcare, and more

# Robots# Driving automation# Space, and more

Sustainability Report 2023

Contents

Introduction

Management

Social (S)Environment (E)Governance (G)Recognition / Assurance

Human Assets | Diversity & Inclusion | Human Rights | Employee Health & Safety / Work-Life Balance | Supply Chain Management | Research and Development | Intellectual Property | Total Quality Assurance | Engagement | Social Contribution Activities

Visualizing Technical Skills

R&D Investments

PolicyPolicyWe strive for technological enhancements through the strategic

We advance research and development to create new businesses

utilization of our human capital. From fiscal 2020 onward, forwith a view to transforming our business portfolio. We haveexample, we have been surveying human assets in technology

defined key fields in which to invest R&D resources on a priority

departments across the Group to rate their technical skills.

basis, starting from fiscal 2021. Fiscal 2021-2022 and fiscal

The surveys are structured by subdividing our five core2023-2025 are positioned as the “foundation building phase”

technologies into elemental technologies of several types, fromcurrently trending technologies to practical technologies applied

Key Investment Fields

Activity results, performance data

Sustainability

Mono-material compositions, switch to papermaterials, recycling/upcycling technologies,
biodegradable materials, etc.

5G

Next-generation FC-BGA substrates, 5G antennas,
electromagnetic wave control/absorption sheets,molds for AR glasses, sensor technology, etc.

DXCommunication business, solutions for local
government administration, digital platformbusiness, BPO, IoT technology, smart city
initiatives & community planning, etc.

Frontier

Metaverse-related business, healthcare business,
fuel cell components, energy business, genome
editing, robotics, agribusiness, etc.

Fundamental
technologies

Materials/analysis technologies, strengthened
foundation for service quality improvement,
converting technology, microfabrication
technology, etching technology, intellectualproperties, AI/data analysis platforms, etc.

and “result delivery phase,” respectively.
We have been planting seeds to achieve results in fiscal

to our products and services. The experience and skills of2023 and beyond by increasing our R&D budgets to fundindividual employees in each of these elemental technologies

technological enhancements and the faster creation of new

are consolidated into a skill map that can be used to formulate

businesses. The bulk of the R&D funding is spent in key

policies for strengthening technical capabilities through theinvestment fields to address social issues and follow

training, hiring, and optimal allocation of human assets.

technological trends (shown in the table on the right), and theestablishment of foundations such as technological platforms
that support our efforts in the key fields.

R&D Expenditure

Overview of Skill Map Utilization

Technicalsuccession

Identification ofissues that reduce
the number of skilled
personnel(million yen)
35,000Sharing ofknowledge

Human asset
development

Skills data
Optimal allocation

Setting of target skills

22,34826,081

26,591

30,000

5.4

billion yen

15,000
Rotations

Selection oftarget personnel

Determination ofinternal humanassets

Matching ofskills, needs,
and career
paths

18%

10,0005,000
010%Year ended
March 2022

Year ended
Year ending
March 2023 March 2024 (plan)

18%

5G

0.6

billion yen

billion yen

DX

30

2%

8billion yen

7.6 billion yen

27%

25%

Utilization ofinternal human assets

7490%

R&D planfor ﬁscal 2023

Frontier

Year ended
March 2021

Priority ﬁelds

Existing ﬁelds,
product development
Sustainability
3billion yen 5.4 billion yen

Fundamental
technologies

20,000HiringRecruiting

Existing ﬁelds 10%30,000
25,000Linked in-house
DBs

Fiscal 2023 Breakdown of R&D Investment Fields

Sustainability Report 2023