Monozukuri and omotenashi: the concepts
behind Japan’s renowned manufacturing quality
Japanese manufacturers are renowned worldwide for delivering the highest quality, and that
quality comes down to monozukuri. While it can betranslated as “making things” or “manufacturing”,
monozukuri means so much more than its humble
translation. It is a manufacturing philosophy –embraced by leading companies like Toyota, rightdown to the legion of SME manufacturers that
follow – that encompasses craftsmanship, thepursuit of perfection, innovation and the strong
desire to satisfy the needs of the customer. Indeed,this last point related to the customer can also
be linked to Japanese hospitality or omotenashi,
which describes the Japanese attitude of being
caring and attentive toward guests.
“Everything that is made in Japan relates to thecraftsmanship and the principles of omotenashi,
serving the best needs of people who are goingto use these products or services introduced
by any individual or company. Omotenashi andcraftsmanship are combined in one package, and
it is the starting point of Japanese monozukuri,”explains Kazuhito Omura, President and CEO of
Fuji Kogyo, a manufacturer of original fishingtackle and rod components whose monozukuri
focuses on “making anglers’ dreams come true”.
“When you talk about monozukuri, it isn’t
just an understanding of making things in themost excellent way possible. Prior to that, youmust think about your motives behind why you
want to make something. The thought behind
it is the genesis of our own monozukuri.”
For Totani, a leading manufacturer of pouch
making machines, the company’s reputed aftersales services have been heavily guided by theJapanese spirit of omotenashi. “For over 40
years now, we have also focused on after-sales
services. Suppose we were to adopt softwaredeveloped by a third party, if they stopped supporting us, we could not provide after-sales
service to our customers, which would cause
them inconvenience. One of our biggest missions
is to support our customers long after the salesof our machines,” states chairman Mikio Totani.
“We believe the essence of our success is the
success of the customer. We aim to provide
a concierge-like service; we can listen to ourcustomer’s needs in detail and resolve any
problems they might have.”
As the ‘Made in Japan’ brand has faced stiffer
competition from regional competitors in recent
decades, having good quality products is notenough, highlights Takaki Ichitsubo, Representative Director and CEO of Morito, which is a trader
and manufacturer of apparel accessories. “Costs
and delivery times have to be considered as wellas giving value to our products through a sense of
security that we provide as a company,” he says.
“In the past 20 years, the level of productionin emerging countries has improved. We used
to cater to a stream of customers from thebottom to the very top of the pyramid, but wewere forced to focus on middle to high-end products. Combining high-quality products with ourcompany value is necessary to penetrate newmarkets. We are working with our customers tokeep building their trust and assurance throughour products and relationships.
Giving his take on the competitiveness of the‘Made in Japan’ brand amid the competition
from emerging countries, Masayoshi Masuda,
President of Iwatani Materials Corporation, says
“Japan is still a leading country in the automotive
market, optical equipment market as well as
many others, such as the air conditioning market”.
“Japanese companies are particularly good at
production control,” he adds, “so we have a very
high level of quality and stability that enables us
to manufacture very high-quality products; andwe can deliver quickly to customers.”
By combining the principles of monozukuri andomotenashi, Japanese companies continue to ensure the high quality and standards for which the‘Made in Japan’ brand is renowned worldwide.

Furniture as a solution: a perfect marriage ofJapanese aesthetics and functionality
RF Yamakawa’s design concept provides premium products to enrich one’s daily life whether at the office or at home.

“We believe thatfurniture is a solution
for people. We want tomake people’s working
lives better.”
Sho Kimura, President,
RF Yamakawa Co., Ltd.
Employee motivation stems
from many sources, with one
being the space and surroundings of where they work. In
that sense, office furniturecan play an important role,
which is why RF Yamakawa
strives to create office furniture designed to inspire

Head officeand motivate employees. Indeed,creating aesthetically pleasing, comfortable and functional furniture is
all part of Yamakawa’s
mission: to provide furniture as a solution.
“Our core competencies are design, cost
performance and functionality,” says president
Sho Kimura. “We believethat furniture is a solution for people. We
want to make people’s
working lives better.”Shoe horn

While in Japan, companies traditionally preferred cold and lifelesssteel furniture, times have changed,
and RF Yamakawa is catering to
the demand for more aestheticallypleasing office furniture. The pandemic has also had an impact on
the market, for which, in response,the company has developed innovative new products such as its
Moto antiviral desk and Lil seriesof home office desks designed forTokyo office
those with limited home space. “As
new styles of working are becoming more and more familiar, we
are investing in more innovative
products,” adds Mr. Kimura.

While RF Yamakawa currently
only offers its interior design accessories such as its umbrella stand

Office scene
and shoehorn internationally, Mr.
Kimura has ambitions to someday
bring the company’s full range ofservices and solutions to the U.S.
and European markets. In Japan,
not only does RF Yamakawa offer
furniture and accessories, it also
acts as a total solutions provider,incorporating complete office design and services such as electricalinstallation and renovation work.

www.rf-yamakawa.co.jp/english

Iwatani Materials brings ‘Made in Japan’ quality
products to a wider international customer baseWith a deft combination of functional materials and ﬁlms alongside home goods that strike the perfect balance
between function and beauty, Iwatani Materials is eyeing the international market.
As Japanese companies – facedwith a dwindling domestic market due to the aging population– continue to expand overseas,
many leverage their reputation for high-quality, high-end
products and the ‘Made in Japan’ brand when competing on
global markets. A renowned
manufacturer of household
wares, films for the agricultural industry, resin molded parts,
metal products and functional
materials, Iwatani Materials
Corporation is one such company doing just that.

Cover for outdoor air
conditioners
A subsidiary of Iwatani Corporation, which was establishedin 1930, Iwatani Materials wasfounded in 1967 and has sincegrown to become a leading manufacturer of plastic and metal products, with 300 employees working
across three divisions and 13 units.
Aside from its manufacturingbase in Japan, the company has
factories in Thailand and China,
where products are made to thesame ‘Made-in-Japan’ standards
as those manufactured domestically. There are about 1000 staff
members working in its Thai andChinese factories.
“Iwatani Materials manufactures various items, and we playa key role in interfacing with customers all over the world,” sayspresident Masayoshi Masuda, before highlighting the competitiveedge of Japanese ﬁrms. “Japanesecompanies are particularly good at production
control

GOURLAB

I-Wrapso we have a very high level ofquality and stability that enables
us to manufacture very high-quality products; and we can deliver
quickly to customers.”
Iwatani Materials’ commitment
to high quality and unique products
has led to the development of its‘I’m D’ brand concept for household
wares. “It’s basically about creating
beautiful and highly functional designed products. The brand concept
is for the customer to say, ‘Oh, thisis exactly what I was looking for!’,”says Mr. Masuda. “In these kinds ofindustries in general, manufacturers make something that is easierfor them to make, easier to deliver,or easier to display in stores. For the‘I’m D’ products, we consider what
the customers are actually looking
for, rather than what’s easiest for
us to produce.”

kcud
Among the other high-quality
company products highlighted by
the president are I-Wrap, a heatresistant plastic bag for kitchen
use that has been a popular seller
since 1976, and ECOWARMER, a
new type of yutampo (a productthat has been used in Japan sinceancient times) that provides users
with extra heat when sleeping.
“ Th e EC OWA R M E R i s
our latest, and most highend version. It was released
this winter. The outside coverof the ECOWARMER is madefrom a composite material of
washi and fiber, and the container is actually different fromexisting products, using special
raw materials. If you touch it,
you can feel the strength andquality of the material, and if

ECOWARMER
you put hot water in it, it gets
softer,” explains Mr. Masuda.
“By using this product you can
minimize the heating that you use
in your home, particularly while
asleep. The product itself is also
environmentally friendly, so it contributes to a sustainable society.”
Another popular Iwatani
Materials household product,
GOURLAB is a type of cooking
ware for microwaves and ovens,which offers very high temperature resistance of up to 230 degrees Celsius (446 degrees Fahrenheit). An invention of Iwatani
Materials employees, GOURLAB
is already selling well in the U.S
and China via the Internet, andthe company is considering developing new sizes.
As part of the Iwatani Materials’ sustainability drive, thecompany has also launched an
initiative focused on environmentally-friendly resin products in collaboration with the Iwatani Group.
“We procure materials from the
Iwatani Group, which is expanding“We aim to becomea creative company
through our uniqueness,originality, and our own
sustainable products.”
Masayoshi Masuda,
President,
Iwatani Materials Corporation
globally, and manufacture products using plant-derived bio-resin,which is attracting attention as anenvironmentally-friendly material,”
adds Mr. Masuda. “As we continue
to sell plastic products in the future, we will also work on productdevelopment using environmentally-friendly materials.”

Functional polyethylene ﬁlm “High
Barrier” for the agro industry
As Iwatani Materials looks toreach more customers worldwide
with its wide range of products,
Mr. Masuda stresses that thecompany will continue to follow
its mission and vision focused onsustainability. “Iwatani Materials
should continuously develop, so
our goal is to achieve sustainable
innovation. We aim to become acreative company through ouruniqueness, originality, and ourown sustainable products.”

www.imcjpn.co.jp

UP-T to revolutionize the e-commerce
world of custom-designed items
A platform where you can design your own clothing and other items, allowing users to buy and sell items among
their peers, UP-T is set to take the e-commerce world by storm.

“Our users can create,
buy and sell personalized
products on ourplatform at a fast pace.”
Tomoyuki Miyamoto,Managing Director,
Marui Orimono Co., Ltd.
Customization is one of the latest
trends taking hold in the fashion
and clothing industry. While thebusiness of customized T-shirt
printing has existed for decades,
the internet and e-commercerelated technologies are helping
to take the concept to a new level– with Marui Orimono, the Japanese textiles company behind thegroundbreaking platform UP-T,
leading the charge.
Initially launched in 2015 toprovide original customer-designed T-shirts on demand, the
UP-T service has since expanded
to include smartphone cases aswell as other accessories andnovelty goods. The platform iscurrently available in Japanese,
Korean and Chinese, with theEnglish version set to launch in
April as Marui Orimono aims to

Item management through QR
bring the service to a wider global
customer base.

Press conference with Japanese comedy duo Kamaitachi“The initial idea was for customers to design their own T-shirts for
personal use, but we have further
launched a system where you canactually sell your designs to otherusers. I would say that our first innovation was expanding to further
product line-ups, and the second
innovation was creating a platform
where users can design T-shirts andthen sell those designs to other users. For example, a T-shirt costs ap-

Printing factory in an old schoolbuilding
proximately JPY 2000 (around $15),
but a customer can sell their design,
and imagine that design sells for
JPY 3400. Now the user can makeJPY 1400 just from their design,”
says Tomoyuki Miyamoto, Managing
Director of Marui Orimono.
“The third innovation for the service comes in the form of monozukuri, and through manufacturing
technology. We have been able tointroduce a 3D-modeling system
where you can see a product in 3D
online. In April, we are launchinga service that utilizes recent innovations in consumer-level 3D
scanning technology. By taking

multiple photos that cover 360
degrees of an object, you can scanthat object in a 3D space, and weare then able to print it using our
3D-printing technology.”
Of course, Marui Orimono is not
the only company to offer a customized T-shirt printing service.
Many large clothing brands allow
customers to print their own designs in store, while online there
are platforms such as Amazon’sMerch which offer similar services
to those offered by UP-T. So whatmakes the Marui Orimono platform stand out from the crowd in
a competitive market?
“Certain large brands have alimited number of items you canprint on, but with UP-T, we actually
have a choice of over 3,000 items
for our customers. Our three-day
delivery is also another strong pointof the brand, and if I’m correct,
competitors’ products take five to

Printers that can print evenwhen wetseven days for delivery,” Mr. Miyamoto responds. “Our strength lies
in our integrated product and sales

system where we have developed
our own production scheme. Currently, 97% of products are madein-house. I would say our biggest
competition currently is the Merch
by Amazon brand, but at this point,
they have only been able to produce
T-shirts. Our products are very pricecompetitive, with customers considering the price as very reasonable.”With the English version of thewebsite ready for launch in April,
Marui Orimono hopes to take the U.S.
market by storm, while the launchof its NFT service – which allows
users to buy any of the one million
images that have been sold throughthe platform – is expected to create
a lot of buzz around the UP-T brand.

Second printing factory“For our overall overseas strategy, we would like to start by focusing on the U.S. market, and thenfurther expand from there. What isinteresting is that we have a marketing page on which users can sell
their designs. Currently, this pageis only offered to Japanese, but wewant to open this up globally,” adds
Mr. Miyamoto. “Anybody should be
able to access this page and order
designs. I actually recently becameaware of DeepL, and I am thinking
we could possibly use their automatic translation neural network
to translate back and forth fromEnglish to Japanese. By using automatic translation, Korean users canpurchase designs from Americans
and Japanese for example. We
can enable the worldwide sharing
and sale of original design work.
This is the direction we are focusedon right now.”

https://up-t.jp

Morito targets becoming a 100-billion-yen company
as it looks to expand international presence
Morito combines expertise in trading of apparel accessories with manufacturing capabilities to offer
solutions for various industries, including clothing, furniture, automotive and medical.
ning to provide any life-criticalcomponents. Rather, we want
to focus on the products andother devices that we alreadyhave,” says Mr. Ichitsubo. “Ourproduct lineup is so diversified,but our philosophy is to grasp
current demands and provide
something that is a little bit
ahead of time to satisfy theneeds of society.”“We want to provide acomprehensive service
that caters to global
companies.”
Takaki Ichitsubo,
Representative Director & CEO,
Morito Co., Ltd.
Japan’s trading companies haveplayed a particularly importantrole in bridging the gap between
the nation’s SME manufacturers
and global customers, particularly in the B2B sphere. But intoday’s business environment,these traders have had to evolvein order to survive. No longer dothey merely provide financing
and logistics, they also add value
in new ways, whether throughco-creation, consultation, R&D,
or even taking on the role ofmanufacturer themselves.
Established in 1908, Morito is
one such trader that has evolved
with the times in order to builda thriving international company
engaged in the supply and manufacture of apparel accessories.

Morito’s patented item, “tapeysnapper”
Today, the products that
Morito supplies are found not

Morito’s new plating
only in clothing, they are also
used in cars, furniture and inJapan’s Shinkansen trains, withthe company also setting its
sights on expanding into the
medical industry.

Morito’s standard press fasteners“All our products are basedon the concept of our founderwhich is to create products thatconnect, fix or decorate,” states
Takaki Ichitsubo, Representative Director and CEO of Morito.
“Snap fasteners are especiallyprevalent in apparel, but they arealso utilized in the automotive
field. Car floor mats use eyelets
and snap fasteners to hold themin place. Sofas have eyelets or
small holes for ventilation. Moreover, our snap fasteners are usedin the curtains in airplanes, andour cords and laces are utilized inhooded outfits. We also provide
the mesh net that employs ourweaving technology used behindcars and Shinkansen seats.”
Acting as a bridge between
manufacturer and customer,
Morito focuses on the tradingof products manufactured inJapan by SMEs who often do
not have enough capability to
do sales. By providing informa-tion on what kind of market
requires what specific products,
it can give new ideas and hints
to manufacturers to drive innovation. Meanwhile, the company
is driving its own innovation
as a manufacturer of several
products, particularly metalprocessed parts. Twenty percent of its revenue now comesfrom its manufacturing arm.
With its sights set on becoming a “100-billion-yen company”
and a “number one niche company globally”, Morito has outlined
several pillars in its long-term
strategy, namely: expanding its
manufacturing capacity while
also targeting B2C markets;growing its international business through M&As and other alliance opportunities; strengthening its presence in markets withhigh growth potential, such as
China and Southeast; and moving into new areas such as the
medical industry.

Variety of snap fasteners“We are trying to provide andsupply to various industries,
but we envision growth in the
medical field. We are not plan-

Many brands use Morito’s trims
The president also stresses
the importance of M&As in order for Morito to reach its goals,
with the company aiming tocomplete three to four M&A
agreements per year. “Of course,
we are not only doing M&As.
Our company’s philosophy is
not only to actively seek growth
but also to steadily grow. The
current value of our company
is JPY 50 billion (approx. $368
million). In order to double that

Luggage net used in cars andbullet trainsin the near future, each company
within the group must strive topursue and excel in its individual
market with its own uniquenessand innovation. At the sametime, we have to fully utilize
our network to serve our global
customers. We want to provide
a comprehensive service thatcaters to global companies.”

www.morito.co.jp/en

Nippon Molding providing the next
generation of packaging
The number-one egg tray manufacturer in Japan, Nippon Molding is providing
sustainable solutions as the packaging industry aims to reduce its use of plastic.
Founded in 1956, Nippon Molding
is a sustainability-focused company that specializes in the manufacture of pulp mold egg trays
for the poultry industry, as wellas similar packaging for products
such as fruit and vegetables.
As Japan seeks to cut back on
its plastic waste generation, Nippon
Molding’s trays are supporting thisdrive. “Pulp mold is a molded paper
product made by mixing recycled
paper containing plant ﬁbers withwater, meaning that it’s 100% ecofriendly, biodegradable, recyclable,

Fruit tray

“One of our goals is toachieve a sustainable
society.”
Akira Ishihara, President (right),
Takehiro Ishihara, Managing
Director (left),
Nippon Molding Co., Ltd.

One-way palette “LOGIPALE”
and is a good alternative to con- the life of fruit and vegetables andventional plastic products,” says other products by maintaining their
President Akira Ishihara. “It’s a features, such as freshness and hardness or softness,” Mr. Ishihara notes.
good contribution to society.”
Among Nippon Molding’s bestAs part of its commitment to promoting the U.N.’s Sustainable Devel- sellers is the LOGIPALE transporopment Goals, Nippon Molding also tation pallet, which typiﬁes theplays a role in ensuring a stable food ﬁrm’s dedication to creating trays
supply. “Our trays actually extend that protect not only the productsApple tray gift box
they carry, but also the environment. “Companies usually use plastic, which transmits vibration to
the products being shipped, but ourpallets absorb those vibrations,”
Managing Director Takehiro Ishihara explains. “They’re made frommolded pulp and cardboard, whichis also highly recyclable.”
A company that already boasts
partnerships in Malaysia, Thailand
and Mexico, Nippon Molding islooking to add to its internationalpresence. “Whilst we’re focused
primarily on domestic demand,
we’re also putting out feelers
around Southeast Asian countries,
since they’re geographically close,”
Takehiro Ishihara says. “We’re also
pursuing certiﬁcations that will
make our products more attractive
in overseas markets.”www.mold.co.jp

From paper envelopes to shoppingbags, Mutoh Unipack delivers on quality
Having sealed its reputation as one of Japan’s top manufacturers of envelopes, Mutoh Unipack
is now making shopping bags for leading Japanese beverage and skincare companies.

Mutoh’s unique style of
shopping bags
For close to a quarter of a century,
Mutoh Unipack has been one ofJapan’s premier manufacturers of
paper envelopes, leveraging monozukuri – the Japanese manufacturing philosophy based on craftsmanship and the pursuit of perfection– to create products of the highest
quality that are free from defects.
Since the introduction of Japan’s
Act on the Protection of Personal
Information in 2003, paper envelope makers have had to focus evenmore on quality to ensure that theirenvelopes can protect and secure
the often sensitive nature of theircontents, says Mutoh president Fumio Yamano. “If the customer ﬁnds
one defective envelope, they haveto inspect all the other envelopes,
which requires extra effort. In suchcases, we are causing extra workfor the customer, and as a manufacturer of those products we should
avoid such situations,” he says.
“The essence of monozukuri
when manufacturing any products is whether our product is
accepted by users or not. Therecan be whatever type of goodmaterials, or design, or speciﬁcations between manufacturers,

Honey harvested through thebeekeeping projectbut if the users don’t accept
it, it doesn’t make sense soit’s just a matter of utility. Mutoh’s products are quality-renowned
In the ﬁ eld of monozukuri ,what I usually value is getting the bags are manufactured,” adds
the point of view, or perspective, Mr. Yamano. “We also deal withfamous Japanese skincare prodof users or customers.”
While Mutoh will continue to ucts, which are very expensive andfollow its belief and focus on the require a very high-quality productproduction of paper envelopes from us, involving precision down
(which currently makes up 80% to one millimeter. By acceptingof its business), it has been shifting these companies’ standards, thefocus to its other area of busi- quality of our products has risen.”
Apart from the main business,
ness, shopping bags, in response tolower demand for paper in our in- Mutoh is actively engaging in its
creasingly digital world. “We have local community. For example,
been manufacturing shopping bags the company joined the Koto City
for over ten years now, and the Honeybee Project and keeps bees
quality of our products has been on the grounds of its head ofﬁce
highly evaluated by customers. One for the purposes of enhancingof our major customers is one of city greening, urban biodiversity
Japan’s most well-known alcoholic and public welfare.
beverage companies which is very
strict in terms of quality, and theywww.mutoh-u.co.jp
do an audit of the plant where‘Think Sustainable’: packaging machinery
for a greener future
A leading manufacturer of pouch making machines, Totani Corporation is leading the way when it comes to developing
solutions for a greener future.
Amid increased competition
from regional peers in recent
decades, Japanese companies
have continued to excel in niche
manufacturing ﬁelds characterized by high-mix, low-volume
production. That is certainly
the case for Totani, a leading
manufacturer of pouch making
machines whose in-house developed technology and after-sales
service is second to none.
“What we have cherished overmany years is our ability to focus
on niche ﬁelds and through that,
we gained a position as the number one in the global market,”says president Ryuichi Totani.
“Over the past 50 years, we havedeveloped new technologies on
our own without outsourcing.
What we are producing now hascome as a result of that accumulated technology that we havefocused on over many years.”
Totani’s reputed after-sales
services have been heavily
guided by the Japanese spiritof omotenashi, the basis behindthe nation’s famous hospitality.
For Totani, the installation ofits machines – which may lastfor 30 years or more – is not
the end goal for the company,
but the beginning of its service.
“One of our biggest missions is
to support our customers longafter the sales of our machines,”states chairman Mikio Totani.
“We believe the essence of our
success is the success of thecustomer. We aim to provide a
concierge-like service; we canlisten to our customer’s needs indetail and resolve any problems
they might have.”

ST-30“When it comes to new materials, one of the strengths
we have is that we have accumulated test data goingback 20-30 years.”
Ryuichi Totani, President (left), Mikio Totani, Chairman (right),
Totani Corporation
www.totani.co.jp/en
As a result of this dedication to after-sales
service, and thanks tothe possibilities brought
about by new technologies such as IoT and Big Data,
Totani has developed its Data
Communications System (DCS).
By providing a large amount ofusable data in real time, theDCS enables Totani’s clients toimprove efficiency, track thecause of bag defects, and monitor the operation status of machinery. “When you deal withmachines and operators there
are always some mistakes, andthis DCS system can trace backand see what happened shoulda mistake occur,” the chairman
explains. “We are able to trace
such data using this system andthis gives us the ability to enhance the quality of production
going forward.”
Having such a close relationship with the customer has allowed Totani to keep up with
the needs of the market, such as
the demand for smaller packaging and environmentally friendly
solutions. The company invests
heavily in R&D and harnesses

BH-60DG
the power of data to develop
world-class machinery such as
the CT40, which can make standup pouches from a single ﬁlm
roll, whereas conventional machines require two ﬁlm rolls. The
advantage of the CT40 allows
for high-mix, low-volume production and sudden design changes,
while the machine can also makesmaller-sized bags, which are inhigh demand these days.

Due to environmental concerns, demands are also high for
Totani’s recyclable pouch making machine, particularly fromclients in Western countries.
“We have accumulated special
technologies to enhance productivity and speed, so with thesein place, I believe that we areable to cater to the new demandfor eco-friendly materials,” adds
president Ryuichi Totani. “Whenit comes to new materials, oneof the strengths we have is that
we have accumulated test data
going back 20-30 years.”Thanks to the development ofsuch machines, Totani’s sales havetripled in recent years, increasing from 4 billion yen in 2010,
to 12 billion yen ($89 million) in
2019. However, proﬁt is not thecompany’s only goal; so too is contributing to a sustainable society.
“We have a history of focusing on the development of newmaterials, such as recyclable
and biodegradable materials,”says chairman Mikio Totani. “Inthat sense it can be said that
we have been incorporating an
SDG (the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals) perspective
into our management over along period of time. We adopted‘Think Sustainable’ as our company slogan and are determined
to contribute to a sustainable
society through our pouch making machines, while pursuingsustainable management.”Natural ingredient-based cleaningproducts to reduce ocean water pollution

With R&D focused on alkaline electrolyzed water, Hattori Paper has been able todevelop eco-friendly cleaning products that are good for the skin and the environment.

“I would like to pass on
our mission to ‘clean
up kitchens safely andsecurely worldwide’ tothe next generation.”
Masakazu Hattori, President,
Hattori Paper Mfg. Co., Ltd.
In today’s green-conscious world,most consumers are acutely awareof the impact of household cleaningproducts on the environment, not tomention on our skin and overall health.
Having long held a desire to clean
up the oceans, Masakazu Hattori,

Alkaline electrolyzed water wet
cleaning wipes
the fourth president of Hattori
Paper, decided that the company
should reorient its focus to develop
environmentally friendly productsin the early 2000s . As a result, hesucceeded in developing kitchen
wet cleaning wipes using alkaline
electrolyzed water.
Hattori explains: “Alkaline electrolyzed water is alkaline, but it isgentle on the skin and environmentally friendly. We are the only company developing wet cleaning wipes
using alkaline electrolyzed water
without using a pH stabilizer.”

With Hattori’s products alreadypopular in Japan, the company
now aims to reach a wider global
audience. “We are a small manufacturer, but we have a big dream.
Our mission for alkaline electrolyzed water is to make kitchensaround the world cleaner,” adds
the president. As part of its strategy to appeal to U.S. and European
consumers, for example, Hattori
has increased the capacity of its
Wet Cleaning Wipes packaging tohold 80 wipes instead of 20.
As the company looks to expand its international reach, Mr.
Hattori’s vision is to “contributeto health and the environment
on a global scale”.
“Our ‘sodium bicarbonate
electrolyzed water’ and ‘alkaline
electrolyzed water’ are cleaning
agents that do not use synthetic
surfactants and are therefore lessharmful to the skin and the environment,” he says.

Strongly acidic electrolyzed
water skin care sheets“In addition, we hope to contribute to relieving skin problems around the world by selling these products as strongly
acidic electrolyzed water is askin care material with no reported side effects. To achievethis, we would like to spread our
products in every way.”

www.hattoripaper.co.jp

ATEX: driving automation in agriculture
Japan’s ATEX is developing automated machines that improve the efﬁciency andcapabilities of farms of all sizes.

“Our strength is with
our out-of-the-box
innovation and webelieve what satisﬁes
the customer is quality
and cost.”

Kariba-O
Automation in agriculture is often associated with large farms
and heavy machinery, but a newgeneration of hybrid machines
is changing the working livesof smaller ones too. One of thecompanies providing forwardthinking solutions for farms of
all sizes, as well as society as awhole, is Japan’s Atex Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1934, Atex producesbrush cutters, electric scooters, andcarriers, among other products.
The company is dedicated to using research and development tocreate new solutions centered on
quality. One such machine is the
Kamigari, the ﬁrst hybrid remote

Masahiro Murata,
President, ATEX Co., Ltd.
controlled brush cutter to featuresmartphone connectivity. Kamigari
can run for one hour when
fully charged if it runs out ofgas, so it is possible to comeback to refuel. Not only
that, it can cut grass at
an angle of up to 45 degrees, making it possible
to work in places thatare difﬁcult to cut.
Company president Masahiro Murata reveals Atex’s Mypia

Kariba-O ride-on brush cutter
has sold well overseas, and thecompany’s international presence
includes a Chinese
factory which itruns directly. Mr.
Murata says Atexis always looking
for new partners
both at home andabroad, explaining: “We have directcontracts with local agents to

Kamigarisell our branded products, and we
also do OEM.”
Atex’s products are not limited
to the agriculture industry, withthe company also producing its
Mypia electric scooters with thesame dedication to performance
seen in its brush cutter. Mr. Murata says as Atex targets further
overseas expansion and develops
new products for the digital age,
it will not lose sight of the qualitythat drives the company forward,
stating: “We believe that whatsatisﬁes the customer is quality
and cost.”

https://atexnet.co.jp

Making anglers’ dreams come true
A top manufacturer of fishing tackle and rod components, FUJI Kogyo leverages monozukuri to develop unique products
loved by anglers and is constantly innovating to meet the ever-changing demands of the sports fishing industry.
the company is established bycontinuing to serve stable andvalue-added quality to customers,
and that enables us to distinguishourselves from our competitors.”
While to an outsider, the fishing rod market may not be seen
as one which is constantly evolving, that could not be further
from the truth. Indeed, the needs
and demands of anglers are con-

expanding its product range forthe anglers who want to create
a “one-of-a-kind” rod in a “DIYtype concept”.
“We can say our business isshifting slightly from B2B to
B2C where you have much morecustom-made solutions, this is atransition we have been making
for the past several years,” states
the company president.

“We listen to the voicesof anglers, and develop
products which match
their needs, in order tobring the joy of fishing
to them. It is simple, but
this is the starting pointof FUJI’s monozukuri.”in its Chinese factory, the company
ensures the highest Japanese standards are followed to ensure thehighest quality components are
created. “We pursue monozukuri
at our Chinese plant, thoroughly
sticking to the quality standard of‘Made in Japan’,” says Mr. Omura.
“‘Quality first’ is the principle ofour business and that is the mantra shared by all our employees.
No matter where a product ismanufactured, to achieve ‘Japan
quality’ and ‘FUJI quality’ is themost important consideration andthat is the objective of our production plant in China. We have beenworking and cooperating closelywith our staff in China in order toachieve ‘FUJI quality’ there.”

Kazuhito Omura, President& CEO, FUJI Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Followed by Nippon companies
both big and small, monozukuri
is the Japanese manufacturing
philosophy focused on craftsmanship, attention to detail, thepursuit of perfection and constant innovation. And in the caseof FUJI Kogyo, a manufacturerof original fishing tackle and rod
components, the principle of thecompany’s monozukuri is “making anglers’ dreams come true”.

FUJI hand tag“FUJI’s product development
and manufacturing is to provide
excitement to anglers by making
original products,” says president
and CEO Kazuhito Omura. “We
would like to be an independent,
stand-alone rod component
manufacturing company, a oneof-a-kind and unique enterprise.
We believe that the reliability ofVariety of rod components
tinuously changing. And with theevolution of materials and components, as well as changes in fishing methods and rod usage, FUJI
expects that it will become evenmore important to meet various
needs and take manufacturing
one step further in the future.
“We strive to manufacture
something that best fits the needsof the customers. We are a manufacturer of rod components, butrather than only trying to sell
the components themselves, wetell our customers how the performance of their fishing rods
is improved by using our rod
components,” adds Mr. Omura.
“This means that we believe that
it is very important to propose
both the ‘Hard (products)’ and‘Soft (concept)’ to customers.
And our mission is to keep innovating products which meetvarious needs from customers, inharmony with new materials andnew styles of fishing.”
Besides its mainstream business, FUJI is also now focusing
on creating a new market for“custom-made rod building” by

The needs of anglers acrossthe globe differ from country tocountry, and to cater to varying needs, FUJI has built up a
product catalog comprised of astaggering 10,000 types of rod
components, including guides, reelseats, top cover, butt accessories, grip materials, metal parts,
sinkers, and hook keepers. As Mr.
Omura ensures: “All our products
are developed for the needs ofanglers. We listen to the voicesof anglers, and develop products
which match their needs, in orderto bring the joy of fishing to them.
It is simple, but this is the starting
point of FUJI’s monozukuri.”

Product test by pro-staff
Monozukuri is firmly associatedwith ‘Made in Japan’. And althoughmany of FUJI’s products are madeSiC (Silicon Carbide) guide
For FUJI, its commitment tosociety and the environment isjust as important as its commitment to anglers. In 2008,
the company introduced the“We Love the Earth” concept,
which shares the same values
as the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals. “We, of course,
try to decrease the burden of
our production processes andin addition we are doing somenature conservation activities incooperation with the local community,” adds Mr. Omura. “We
are a manufacturing company,
but want to raise the value of
our existence by contributing to
the environment, local society,and the fishing tackle industry,as ‘a company creating culture’”.

www.fujitackle.com