Japanese Firms Ready to Seize the Moment
While the ‘Made in Japan’ brand has long
been reputed worldwide, the country’s manufacturers have faced stiff competition inrecent decades from regional competitors
offering cheaper, mass-produced alternatives
to Nippon’s renowned high-quality products.
Current geopolitical circumstances, however,
have boded well for Japan, with supply chain
disruptions due to the pandemic and tensions between the U.S. and China prompting manufacturers to diversify their supply
sources. Renowned for their reliability, highquality and ability to deliver on time, Japanesemanufacturers, also buoyed by a weakened
yen, are primed to seize the moment.
“In general, it’s true that the depreciationof the Japanese yen has garnered more inter-

est from overseas markets toward Japanesecompanies,” says Shogo Kakiuchi, President
and CEO of Daiichi Jitsugyo Viswill, a leading
manufacturer of visual inspection systems forclients in a range of industries. “There is ﬁerce
global competition in this product category, andwe aim to avoid engaging in price competition.
As pioneers in the industry and technology, it’s
crucial for us to emphasize our uniqueness,particularly the high quality, reliability, repeatability, precision, capacity and speed of theinspections our devices can handle.”
Underscoring their distinguishing level ofquality standards is indeed crucial for Japanese ﬁrms in the face of ﬁerce global competition. With an established presence in Asia,
Eight Tool is looking to expand to the American,

African, Middle Eastern and European markets. “With all of the markets mentioned, wewant to place an emphasis on quality as wehave done here in the domestic and Asian market. Our company is always striving to provide
quality products no matter where the market
is,” says company president Yasuhiro Oka.
While Japanese manufacturers look to expand internationally, GPSS Group is supporting
the global shift towards renewable energy,
particularly in Japan, with its engagement insolar, wind, hydro, geothermal and biogas developments. “I would like to take GPSS and become one of the main players in Japan’s energy
business,” says CEO Masaaki Mezaki. “At GPSS,
we’re not just building power plants; we’re constructing a future where energy sustains life.”

Japan’s Leading One-Stop Provider for Marine Products

Taiko Sangyo pioneers ﬁreproof doors and maritime solutions, embodying Japan’s commitment to innovation and quality.

“Through innovation andcollaboration, we’re shaping the future of safety
and industry excellence.”
Akihito Matsumoto,President,
Taiko Sangyo Co., Ltd.
Japanese manufacturing faces
stiff competition from emerging
regional players. However, Taiko
Sangyo, a leading name in shipbuilding solutions, has managed
to thrive.
“Competitive advantage lies intechnology and productivity,” asserts company president Akihito

Matsumoto, who highlights howlabor challenges are overcome byembracing senior workers, robotics, and international talent.
As a leader in ﬁreproof doors inJapan, international competitiveness requires partnerships.
“One of the reasons why wecollaborate with other companies

Manufacture and supply of
marine equipment
is that we can provide one-stop
supplies to the customer,” thepresident explains.
Looking ahead, the company
is poised for further expansion,
eyeing new markets and industries, with a clear commitment
to diversiﬁcation and innovation.
“We are currently working on
silencers for the land use market,

Silencer
including power plants,” Mr. Matsumoto reveals.
And there are clear ambitions
for substantial growth.
“We are aiming for three times
the scale of today in six years withan expansion of our new businesses,” he concludes, outlining a boldtrajectory for the journey ahead.

https://taiko-jpn.com

Kyosei: The Control Cable Connoisseurs
Kyosei Corporation crafts top-tier control cables for diverse industries, using 40 years ofexpertise, global partnerships, and cutting-edge tech for unbeatable precision and reliability.

“After 40 years, we will
still unite industries with
precision and innovation.”Takashi Ishitani, President,
Kyosei Co., Ltd.
With decades of experience, Kyosei
Corporation supplies control cables
to diverse industries including agriculture and heavy machinery fromproduction bases in Japan, India, and production of automotive compoChina, which enables it to supply tai- nents, with ongoing plans for growth.
“We are looking at the semiconlored solutions for customer needs.
“When a client launches a new ductor industry as well as further
product, we’ll assemble our control expansion within the automotive
cables alongside them at their pro- trade,” explains Mr. Ishitani, highduction facilities,” says company lighting limited opportunities inpresident Takashi Ishitani.
the current mature ﬁelds being
The comcatered for and a desire to collabopany also has
rate with additional new partners
a proven trackoverseas in the future.
The president is also keenrecord of supNewly
that the successes of theplying aluminum
introduced
past drive the company’s
die-casts to Japan,
product agitator
future.
with machines of“I want the next genvarying dimensions,and it specializes in theeration to never forget our

Series of control cables
founder’s pioneering spirit,” hesays, “and always push ahead
without hesitation.”

http://kyosei-ltd.com

Trailblazing Digitalization of Japan’s Printing Industry
SELCAM is revolutionizing the Japanese printing industry through digitaltransformation and its bespoke products and solutions, aiming to expand operations
to new industries and bring its expertise to the international market.

“The Japanese textile
industry has great potential for digitalization despite the industry holding
strong on a global scale.”Motoki Ando, President,
SELCAM Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1988 as a software
vendor, Japanese printing company, SELCAM, has become oneof the leading suppliers of printing solutions in Japan, ranging
from 3D printers to laminators.
Company president Motoki Ando
attributes the company’s successto its core focus on the transition
from analog to digital, including
developing specialized softwarefor digital silk printing.

over 30,000 items, including
well-known brands, as well as its
own products such as the NeschenColdlam laminator. The company’s
primary customer base includes
the textile, visual communication, and packaging industries.
Mr. Ando points out that the company deals with a diverse range
of industries, providing tailoredsolutions ranging from signs anddisplays to building materials
Neschen Coldlam JP
and carpets. With such a diverse
Mr. Ando highlights the great customer base comes diverse
opportunity for growth in the digi- needs. SELCAM has this covered
talization of the Japanese textile however, as Mr. Ando points out:
“Inkjet printers allow us to print
industry, adding that “SELeverything
CAM is ﬁlling this gap
apart fromin the industry, having
air…with thealso assisted otherlargest share
Japanese companies
of inkjetin their digital transprinters in Jaformation through thepan, SELCAM
sale of our products”.
can provide
SELCAM’s’s prodcustomized printuct line features HP Latex 800W

SELCAM HQ entrance
ing solutions for customers’ everchanging needs.”
The ﬁrm hopes to expand its
operations to other industries bycollaborating with companies inother sectors. As well as growing
within the domestic market, Mr.
Ando hopes to begin exporting
Japanese materials and machines
to the international market, citing
potential partnerships with leading players in the printing industry
including Hewlett Packard.

https://selcam.co.jp

Eight Tool Launches New
Manufacturing Facility in Tottori
With the construction of its new manufacturing plant, hex key manufacturer
Eight Tool is ideally placed to target international expansion.
Established in the late 1950s, hex
key wrench manufacturer Eight
Tool today boasts more than
2,000 product lines and enjoys
the trust of industry professionals
from around the world.
“ O n e of o u r c o m p a ny ’s
strengths,” President Yasuhiro

Oka explains, “lies in our ability to make specialized custom
products tailored speciﬁcally toindividual client requests.”
After some teething problems,
a new manufacturing facility, theﬁrm’s fourth in the prefectureof Tottori, is now operating atfull scale, enabling it to meetincreasing customer demand andaccommodate add-on orders.
Machines have been installed towork out distortions that would
previously have been correctedmanually. Meanwhile, processes
that were once outsourced can now
be partially completed in-house.
“With greater production capacity,” Mr. Oka conﬁrms, “we can caterto even more unique requests.”
New employees working at thefacility will also bring a fresh perspective as the company strives toexpand its overseas portfolio.

“We are working on
improving the design
aspect of our products
and brand, in addition to
our strength in function.”
Yasuhiro Oka, President,
Eight Tool Co., Ltd.
With established partnerships
in East and Southeast Asia and a
subsidiary in the U.S., Eight Tool
is looking to cater to orders in
America, Africa, Western andCentral Asia, as well as the Middle
Eastern countries and Europe, adevelopment that should ensure
even greater success in the future.

www.eight-tool.co.jp/en

Daiichi Jitsugyo Viswill Continues to Leadthe Curve in Visual Inspection Systems
Having developed the world’s ﬁrst tablet visual inspection system in the 1980s, thisinnovative Japanese company continues to lead its industry with cutting-edge technologies.

“Our products represent
a fusion of a stabletransportation system,a high-accuracy lighting
and camera system,and high-speed image
processing capabilities.”
Shogo Kakiuchi,
President & CEO,
Daiichi Jitsugyo Viswill Co., Ltd.
A pioneer of visual inspection
systems for half a century, Daiichi
Jitsugyo Viswill has embraced digitalization and collaboration with
global partners as it looks to develop cutting-edge technologies atthe vanguard of its industry.
This innovative Japanese enterprise developed the world’s ﬁrst
tablet visual inspection system in
the 1980s and has consistently
led the market ever since – with its
unique solutions deﬁned by reliability, repeatability, precision, capacity,and the speed of inspections its
devices can handle. Daiichi Jitsugyo Viswill’s high-quality systems
are tried and trusted by clients inindustries such as pharmaceuticals,
electronics and automotive.
“There are three key technologies
that deﬁne the quality of our prod-

Tablet Inspection
and Printing System
TIPS-EX4-CD

ucts,” says President and CEO Shogo
Kakiuchi. “First, there is the precise
handling and orientation of items
as they pass through our inspection
system. Second, we place a strongemphasis on our lighting and camera
system. Lastly, our processing system, which identiﬁes items based onimages captured with optimal lighting, is the third critical component.”
Having started out as a comprehensive manufacturer, the company
built up years of experience in hightech manufacturing and integration,
developing everything in-house. In
recent times, however, its strategy
has focused on the integration of
cutting-edge technologies and essential components into a single
system to deliver top-tier products.

Image
Processing
Unit V-IPU“Thanks to our collaboration withpartner companies, we have thecapability to achieve this,” states
Mr. Kakiuchi. “Our products now
incorporate the latest digitalization, automation and other latest
technologies, ensuring they remain
at the forefront of innovation.”Indeed, Daiichi Jitsugyo Viswill’s
history has been marked by several innovative world-ﬁrst products,
with another particular milestone
coming in 2009 when it became
the ﬁrst in the industry to integrate
3D imaging inspection into its tablet visual inspection system. Thisdevelopment was followed by the
introduction of its TVIS-NS Seriesin 2011. And in 2015, the Japaneseﬁrm introduced the TIPS Series,
a combination of a tablet visualinspection system and an inkjet
printing system, which has gained
increasing popularity in the market.
“Additionally, we’ve enhanced
our O-ring inspection system to ac-

Rubber Products
Visual Inspection System RUVIS
commodate larger diameters and awider range of sizes. Recognizing thecost challenges in overseas markets,
we’ve also introduced a higher cost
performance model of this visual inspection system,” adds the president.
The company’s strategic moveinto the rubber O-rings segment isin response to increasing demand
from the emerging CASE vehicle(connected, autonomous, shared,
electric) sector. With the integrationof more cameras and sensors into a
car’s exterior, the need for rubber Orings and gaskets for sealing is crucial for these applications. Furthermore, the company has identiﬁed
promising growth in the automotiverelated parts and battery industries.

Tablet Visual
Inspection System TVIS-NSR“There is substantial untapped
potential in this sector since visual inspection has not yet reached
its full penetration, providing uswith ample opportunities for expansion and development,” Mr.
Kakiuchi reveals.

Expansion also entails expanding international operations, andsince August 2022, Daiichi Jitsugyo Viswill has been actively pursuing overseas sales by directly
visiting customers to expand its
business in international markets.
“The pharmaceutical market in
China is picking up momentum
faster and faster. We are preparing for sales expansion for ourtablet visual inspection systems
in this market so that when the
Chinese market fully rebounds,
we can make a strong entry into
it,” adds Mr. Kakiuchi. “There is
ﬁerce global competition in thisproduct category, and we aim toavoid engaging in price competition. As pioneers in the industry
and technology, it’s crucial for
us to emphasize our uniqueness.”

Chip Component Visual
Inspection System CCVIS-A5V
Looking ahead to the end of the
ﬁrm’s midterm plan in 2030, theoverarching goal is to continue
growing both the company andthe workforce, contributing to thesustainability of global society, thepresident highlights. “Moreover,
we aim to achieve a turnover of
10 billion JPY by the ﬁscal year2031 by supplying our products
to various industries, including
pharmaceuticals, electrical components, automotive, batteries andnew functional materials.”

https://foodtechno-eng.co.jp/en

Muromachi Chemicals: Innovating for Health and Sustainability
Muromachi Chemicals, a Japanese ﬁrm engaged in pharmaceuticals and environmental
solutions, adapts to market changes by diversifying its offerings, all while striving for
global health and environmental impact.

“Our mission is to enhance
global health and theenvironment throughinnovation and collaboration.”
Resin processing plant
In the realm of chemical innovationand pharmaceutical excellence, one
Japanese company stands out for
its commitment to quality, sustainability, and societal impact: Muromachi Chemicals. Led by President
Junichi Aoki, the company’s approach blends traditional Japanesevalues with cutting-edge technology, securing its position as an upand-comer in the global market.
Mr. Aoki credits Japan’s culturalethos for the company’s resilienceamid regional competition, stating:“Japanese ﬁrms prioritize customer
satisfaction, a commitment thathas propelled us forward.” This
dedication to excellence is evident

Junichi Aoki, President,
Muromachi Chemicals Inc.
in Muromachi Chemicals’ three membranes. This enables us to promain divisions: pharmaceuticals, duce APIs in a safe, efﬁcient, andcost-competitive manner.” Whilechemicals, and health foods.
Muromachi Chemicals’ focus on the company’s API market share inpharmaceuticals, particularly in Japan stands at approximately 1%,
APIs, reﬂects a strategic shift. Mr. potential for growth remains vast,
Aoki highlights the company’s unique with a 99% untapped market.
In the chemicals division, Muromasynthesis technology and capacity toremove impurities generated dur- chi’s Separation technology using ion
ing the synthesis of APIs. “We can exchange resins and membranes ispivotal. Their Muremove theseromac UL Series,
byproducts
boasting oxidathrough our seption resistance,
aration technolﬁnds applications
ogy, utilizing ion
in water treatexchange resins
Ion exchange resin
ment, aligningand separation

API synthesis plantwith global sustainability goals. Collaborations with local SMEs overseas ensure quality and functionality,
highlighting the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
Looking ahead, Muromachi
Chemicals eyes expansion in key
markets like China, India, and beyond, while seeking out reliablesuppliers. Mr. Aoki emphasizes theimportance of strategic partnerships and diversiﬁcation to navigate
evolving regulatory landscapes andfoster sustainable growth. As it
continues to pioneer advancements
in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, andhealth foods, the company’s vision
for a healthier, more sustainable
world remains steadfast.
www.muro-chem.co.jp

KJ Chemicals Given Eco-Vadis Gold RatingWith its unique production methods, KJ Chemicals looks to consolidate
market position while developing new products that will enable it to achieve
its carbon neutrality goals.

“Our company’s mid-term strategy
is to halve CO2 emissions by 2030,
with a target of complete carbon
neutrality by 2050.”
Takashi Maruyama, President,
KJ Chemicals Corporationwww.kjchemicals.co.jp/en
Since originating in the 1970s as the Fine
Chemicals Division of Kohjin Co. Ltd., KJ
Chemicals has sought to create high-quality,
environmentally-conscious products for use
in a wide range of industries.
“Our corporate philosophy,” President Takashi
Maruyama explains, “is to contribute to therealization of a sustainable society throughthe provision of superior functional chemicals.”

Despite the challenges presented by Japan’s well-documented
demographic shift, the ﬁrm has
continued to pursue its uniqueproduction methods. These involve the manufacture of acrylamide derivatives as a core technology, which, in turn, is used todevelop monomers and polymers
that no other company can offer.
Mr. Maruyama takes up thethread: “Many of the products wemanufacture have strong adhesive properties. This, in conjunction with their ability to mix well,means they are being used in various adhesives, as well as in medical
materials such as inks, paints andcontact lenses; and, more recently,
to make advanced semiconductor
and electronic materials.”
Looking to the future, the company is looking to strengthen its
research and development arm,and hopes to establish a separate
overseas R&D base. Countries ofinterest include the U.S.A.,
China, and Vietnam.
The recent New Functional
Materials Exhibition, meanwhile, held at Tokyo Big Sight,
was an opportunity for thecompany to move beyond its
established product line-up.
Mr. Maruyama again: “Weintroduced new products
manufactured from biomassderived raw materials, andhave already received a large
number of requests for samples for this new product.”This is in line with a renewed
focus on sustainability, which
has seen the company apply foran evaluation from Eco-Vadis,
the world’s largest sustainability organization. For the second consecutive year, the result
was a gold rating, meaning KJ
Chemicals scores within the top
5% of all companies engaged insustainability practices.