Reason for locating in Ayase City, Kanagawa Prefecture

The primary reason we chose Ayase City, Kanagawa Prefecture as the location for our newly established research building and Innovation Center is that hundreds of our employees have been conducting research here in Ayase for decades since the opening of the Tokyo Research Laboratory (at the time) in 1975. At the same time, this is an area where our employees and their families live, so considering their livelihoods, it was the most natural choice. Furthermore, considering the ease of communication with employees working in the existing research buildings, there were few other viable options.

At the new research building, we are commercializing separation/analysis and clinical testing-related materials, reagents, and equipment by applying research and development of advanced biotechnology.

The Innovation Center features a seminar venue and customer service functions, enhancing interaction with external partners.

One of the challenges we aimed to resolve through the creation of the new research building and Innovation Center was productivity in our bioscience business.

Originally, the research and development activities for this business were split between two locations: our facility in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and here in Ayase City. While both locations possessed similar functions and often operated in close alignment, the physical distance made efficiency improvements difficult. There had been many internal calls for improvement for some time.

Combined with factors such as the aging of the buildings and an increase in staff, the plan to construct the new research building kicked off about 10 years ago.

Support and collaboration from Kanagawa Prefecture and Ayase City

For the construction plan of the new research building, we utilized "Select Kanagawa NEXT," an enterprise attraction initiative by Kanagawa Prefecture.

As our construction plan evolved to include not only the new research building but also the newly proposed Innovation Center to enhance our external communication capabilities, we were highly grateful for the opportunity to utilize the prefecture's subsidy for promoting corporate location.

None of our project members had prior experience with the subsidy application process. Therefore, we were truly grateful for the thorough and supportive guidance provided by the Kanagawa Prefectural Government officials on how to prepare the application forms. Although we visited their offices many times and may have caused them inconvenience, thanks to their help, we were able to build a relationship of trust and proceed with the project without any delays.

In addition, Kanagawa Prefecture invited us to join the "Kanagawa R&D Promotion Council"*. Through this interaction, we were able to hear key insights beforehand regarding the utilization of subsidies, which we found to be highly meaningful.

Furthermore, our long-standing close collaboration with Ayase City also provided us with great encouragement, backed by a strong relationship of trust. In addition to community activities such as disaster drills and events, Ayase City regularly hosts gatherings to connect local businesses. Our company finds these initiatives incredibly reassuring, and we look forward to continuing to foster an even better relationship with both Kanagawa Prefecture and Ayase City in the future.

*Kanagawa R&D Promotion Council: An organization promoting the "Kanagawa R&D Network Initiative," in which large corporations with research institutes in the prefecture, universities, and other entities participate.

Improving operational efficiency by consolidating offices onto a single floor

Although it has only been a short time since we began using the new research building, we are already experiencing tangible improvements in productivity. For example, we consolidated our previously scattered offices into a single floor—a massive open space shared by nearly 200 employees. This has streamlined internal communication and significantly improved operational efficiency. Moreover, by adopting a free-address (hot-desking) system, we have been able to further encourage cross-departmental interaction within the company.

High expectations for innovation emerging from open spaces

The concept behind this new facility is "A Research Park that Breeds Connections Beyond Boundaries." In the new research building, we have scattered tables and chairs that anyone can use throughout open spaces like hallways. This reflects our desire to further revitalize internal communication and translate it into new innovations. The aforementioned single-floor office space and the in-house cafe corner serve the same objective. Furthermore, we connected the new research building with the existing Building 8 via an elevated sky-bridge on the third floor. We incorporated various design features to make it easier for employees to interact across different departments.

There is no other facility within our company where cross-departmental interaction is so effortless. When visiting the new research building, I often see employees engaged in discussions around the hallway tables. As a company, we would be delighted if conversations here spark the development of new products, and we have high expectations for such a future.

On the other hand, the Innovation Center primarily serves the role of external information dissemination and customer support. In addition to hosting research seminars, its other objective is to function as a venue for explaining products to customers, receiving their feedback, and absorbing their needs. By serving as two halves of a whole alongside the new research building, we aim to drive higher-quality research and development.

The future of life sciences in Kanagawa

Kanagawa Prefecture is home to many chemistry and biology-focused companies, as well as research institutes and universities, and we sense a high level of potential here. For the bioscience and related industries, including our company, the outlook remains highly uncertain due to unstable international affairs, such as the recently discussed naphtha supply anxieties. Precisely because of this, rather than taking a cautious approach, we hope to more powerfully drive innovation by revitalizing internal and external interactions. While continuing to deepen our collaboration with Kanagawa Prefecture and Ayase City, we are committed to contributing to the local community and striving for the advancement of our industry.

"Enterprise Attraction Initiative: Select Kanagawa NEXT"

To revitalize the prefectural economy and create jobs, Kanagawa Prefecture utilizes its enterprise attraction initiative, "Select Kanagawa NEXT," to attract companies from outside the prefecture and overseas, while promoting reinvestment by companies already within the prefecture. The prefecture's subsidy for promoting corporate location can be used in combination with subsidies from municipalities within the prefecture. For details, please visit the following prefectural webpage:
Information on "Select Kanagawa NEXT"