Message from the President & CEO

More than 100 years ago, Ichitaro Iwaki, the founder of IWAKI & CO., LTD., lost his wholesale drug store in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Nevertheless, he headed to Osaka just two days later to purchase medicines. As the market prices in Tokyo soared, Ichitaro maintained his commitment to selling at the listed price. From then on, IWAKI became trusted as “the best place to go to buy medicines in Tokyo.”

Ichitaro’s commitment remains at the heart of the Group to this day. Integrity, confidence, and contribution form our Fundamental Philosophy—the basis for everything we do. To these three ideals, we have added change and cooperation. Together, these five ideals make up our Spirit, which is now deeply ingrained as the Group’s guiding principle.

Since transitioning to a holding company structure in 2021, we have continued to grow in five business segments—fine chemicals; health & beauty care, food; medical; industrial chemicals; and social impact. We have established a distinct position with our “niche-top” and “platform” strategies, and are promoting a shift to higher added value, including through M&A.

At the same time, we emphasize the appropriate distribution of value generated through growth. Our management approach is to allocate profits in a balanced way, returning value to shareholders, making ongoing business investments, developing human capital, and contributing to society. Doing so increases the overall value we add, thereby supporting sustainable growth.

The relocation of our headquarters functions to Suzu City in Ishikawa Prefecture symbolizes the practice of our philosophy. It is in this region, which is struggling with all the challenges facing rural Japan, that we are developing our social impact business. This business is engaged in cosmetics development that makes use of locally sourced raw materials, as well as cultivation of rice, the herb Apocynum venetum, lemons, and other agricultural products. Believing that the success of the community is our success, too, we will create social value as well as economic value.

Our sustainable growth is based on three sustainability strategies. And that starts with each and every Group employee consciously taking actions that will lead to the happiness of stakeholders.

President & CEO
Satoshi Setoguchi