Okamoto Launches New Condom Aimed at Improving STD Prevention, Rate of Condom Use Jun. 14, 2019. - Okamoto Industries Inc. (TYO:5122) recently announced that it has launched a new condom in the Japanese market. Named the VivaGel condom, the product is aimed at preventing the transmission of STDs and encouraging more people to make use of condoms. The new product is the first in the Japanese market to make use of VivaGel coating in its lubricant. Developed […]
Bridgestone Installs Accessible Curbs at Bus Station in Okayama Jun. 13, 2019. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) has teamed up with Yokohama National University, the Japan Transportation Planning Association (JTPA) and Advance KK to install accessible curbs at the Korakuen bus station in Okayama, Okayama Prefecture. Making use of features such as a specially shaped side, these accessible curbs for bus stations facilitate smaller gaps between the curb and a bus’s entrance and exit. […]
Bridgestone Installs Accessible Curbs at Bus Station in Okayama Jun. 13, 2019. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) has teamed up with Yokohama National University, the Japan Transportation Planning Association (JTPA) and Advance KK to install accessible curbs at the Korakuen bus station in Okayama, Okayama Prefecture. Making use of features such as a specially shaped side, these accessible curbs for bus stations facilitate smaller gaps between the curb and a bus’s entrance and exit. […]
Japanese Production of Transmission Belts Falls Year-on-Year Amid Shifts in Automotive Sector Jun. 12, 2019. - Japan’s domestic production of transmission belts fell 2 percent year-on-year in 2018 to end at 11,701 tons, according to statistics from the Japan Belting Manufacturers Association. General-purpose industrial products performed well for the year, with demand increasing for use in the likes of semiconductor production equipment, injection molding machines, machine tools and industrial robots. This was offset, however, by a […]
Bridgestone Begins Supply of Turanza Tires as OE for New Mazda 3 Jun. 10, 2019. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) has started supplying its Turanza T005A line of tires as OE for Mazda Motor Corp.’s (TYO:7261) new Mazda 3. Designed with a focus on people, the new-model Mazda 3 is said to bring radical improvements to basic vehicle performance. Mazda is touting this as including significant refinements in terms of how smooth the car feels to operate, […]
Bridgestone Plans 3% Price Hike for Domestic Aftermarket Tires Jun. 7, 2019. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) is set to increase its prices on aftermarket tires shipped within Japan starting Aug. 1. With distribution-related costs surging amid factors such as a labor shortage, and the expectation that this trend will continue going forward, Bridgestone has decided on the strategy of increasing its own prices in response. This marks the company’s first price increase since […]
Okamoto Launches New Condom Aimed at Improving STD Prevention, Rate of Condom Use Jun. 14, 2019. - Okamoto Industries Inc. (TYO:5122) recently announced that it has launched a new condom in the Japanese market. Named the VivaGel condom, the product is aimed at preventing the transmission of STDs and encouraging more people to make use of condoms. The new product is the first in the Japanese market to make use of VivaGel coating in its lubricant. Developed […]
Mitsuboshi Belting Targets R&D, Increased Production in Largest Ever Plan for Capital Investment Jun. 3, 2019. - Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd. (TYO:5192) is setting aside approximately 5.7 billion yen ($52.64 million) for capital investments in fiscal 2019, marking a 74 percent increase over fiscal 2018 to make for the company’s largest ever year of such investments. This will go toward updating and expanding the company’s production facilities, both in Japan and abroad; enriching test research facilities; and reconstructing […]
Keeper Develops Electromagnetic Shielding Materials That Capitalize on Rubber Properties Jun. 4, 2019. - Keeper Co. Ltd., a manufacturer of rubber auto parts, has developed electromagnetic shielding materials from rubber. The company has high hopes for the commercialization of these going forward. With regard to applications for the new materials, Keeper is envisaging use in the likes of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and electronic toll collection (ETC) systems. A particular merit of the […]
Global Supply Remains Tight for Chloroprene Rubber May. 30, 2019. - The global supply–demand balance for chloroprene rubber (CR) continues to sit tight. And with no significant reversal expected in these market conditions for the time being, CR manufacturers are rushing to deal with the situation. In Japan, this has seen Tosoh Corp. (TYO:4042) recently give details on a plan to bolster its production capacity for CR, set to be achieved […]
Shin-Etsu Polymer Posts Increased Sales, Profits for Fiscal 2018 May. 7, 2019. - Shin-Etsu Polymer Co. Ltd. (TYO:7970) has posted year-on-year increases to both sales and profits as part of its results for fiscal 2018. The company recorded sales of 85.46 billion yen ($770.76 million) for the year, up by 7.7 percent; operating profit of 8.15 billion yen, up by 13.1 percent; ordinary profit of 8.03 billion yen, up by 10.3 percent; and […]
Interview: Toyoda Gosei President Highlights Plans for Lighter, Quieter EVs Feb. 15, 2018. - Sitting down for a recent interview with Japan Rubber Weekly, Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) President Naoki Miyazaki said that the automotive industry is entering a massive, once-in-a-century turning point. Such a shake-up to business is an opportunity for growth, he said. Miyazaki spoke on the impact of electrification and Toyoda Gosei’s strategy to deal with it, saying that although […]
Toyo Tire Develops Drive Simulator for Virtual Tire Performance, Safety Education Apr. 17, 2019. - Toyo Tire Corp. (TYO:5105) has developed a driving simulator with realistic steering, accelerator and brake controls for tire performance safety education events. Control software developed by Toyo Tires will enable drivers to virtually experience how tire wear can change braking distance under rainy conditions or cause hydroplaning, as well as how differences in inflation pressure can alter operational stability. It […]
Toyoda Gosei Develops Lightweight Resin Turbo Duct for Vehicles Apr. 3, 2019. - Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) has developed a lightweight resin turbo duct for automobiles. The use of resin for the turbo duct, which conducts air to the engine, makes it possible for the newly developed product to improve vehicle environmental performance. It is installed in new HiAce vans launched outside of Japan by Toyota Motor Corp. (TYO:7203) in February. A […]Japanese Production of Transmission Belts Falls Year-on-Year Amid Shifts in Automotive Sector Jun. 12, 2019. - Japan’s domestic production of transmission belts fell 2 percent year-on-year in 2018 to end at 11,701 tons, according to statistics from the Japan Belting Manufacturers Association. General-purpose industrial products performed well for the year, with demand increasing for use in the likes of semiconductor production equipment, injection molding machines, machine tools and industrial robots. This was offset, however, by a […]
Mitsuboshi Belting Targets R&D, Increased Production in Largest Ever Plan for Capital Investment Jun. 3, 2019. - Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd. (TYO:5192) is setting aside approximately 5.7 billion yen ($52.64 million) for capital investments in fiscal 2019, marking a 74 percent increase over fiscal 2018 to make for the company’s largest ever year of such investments. This will go toward updating and expanding the company’s production facilities, both in Japan and abroad; enriching test research facilities; and reconstructing […]
