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Message from President and CEO
~Offering Satisfaction and Joy～
NIDEK aims to be a company to excite and impress our customers.
Since our establishment in 1971, we have endeavored to be a company that brings “invisible to visible” “visible to recognition” and build the relevant “eye instruments.” To this end, NIDEK has expanded our business within our three core fields : Ophthalmology and Optometry, Lens Edging and Coating.
Nowadays, we work on developing diagnostic devices for disease prevention and early detection, along with less invasive surgical devices that impose less physical burden on patients. Even more, we produce regenerative medicine and anti-aging / health care products.
NIDEK has marked our 50th anniversary in 2021. We will continue to aim at being a leading company in “Eye & Health Care,” providing services that help people all over the world to live a healthy comfortable life and being a company whose existence serves a purpose.
April 1, 2021
Motoki Ozawa, President and CEO
NIDEK CO., LTD.
Interview with Motoki Ozawa
Q1. Why does NIDEK focus on eyes?
NIDEK was established to fulfill social needs for a specialized eye-care company. Mr. Hideo Ozawa, the Founder and a dedicated engineer, was fascinated with the structure and function of the eye. The eye is a structurally-complex organ, and even the latest science technology is not capable of creating a perfect alternative. Although 50 years have passed since NIDEK’s foundation, it remains to be a challenging field, wrapped in mystery.
Q2. What are NIDEK’s major strengths?
Our strengths are the diverse knowledge and experience with eye and health care. We are in wide range of disciplines related to the eye, and its synergy enables us to offer unique products to the medical and optical community. We also place high importance on applying study outcomes into practical use. By combining several elemental technologies with our ideas, we continue to develop new, innovative products.
Q3. Why did NIDEK put great weight on overseas business since its foundation?
The Founder had strong passion to make a successful international company, even without locating its headquarters in large cities like Tokyo or Osaka. When he decided to establish NIDEK, he already had international market in mind. Being recognized in the international market provided a shortcut to success in Japan. Now we take over the visionary and challenge spirit of the founding members.
Q4. What does artificial vision prosthesis research mean to you?
Restoring vision is our ultimate goal since foundation. Its realization is a great challenge for engineers, which would make a tremendous progress in eye care. There are many challenges left to overcome, including time, money and regulatory affairs, but we never stop stepping forward towards practical applications in the nearest future possible.
Q5. How do you differentiate NIDEK from other companies?
We are making a difference with our originality and imagination. This applies not only to our product development, but also to our promotion and after-sales service. Thankfully, our customers recognize NIDEK for high quality. We continue our efforts to maintain the good reputation and to be the first choice to our customers.
Q6. Looking ahead, what are your mid- and long-term objectives?
Within Ophthalmic field, we will particularly focus on the posterior part of the eye. Research for the anterior part of the eye, such as cornea and crystal lens, has already been progressed and their treatment techniques are mostly established. On the other hand, the posterior part is generally more difficult to treat. There are some retinal diseases that are hard to cure with the current technology. As a first step, we are focusing on developing diagnostic equipments that enable early discovery of retinal abnormality. Our long-term vision is to be a company that promotes wellness and longevity. It is said that life expectancy in Japan will be over 100 in the near future. By that time, social structure should have changed, and people in the age of 85 have a job and support their seniors in the age of 100. Having the business domain of “Eye and Health Care”, I am positive that NIDEK would be of assistance to people in their everyday life.
Q7. What kind of corporate culture does NIDEK have?
NIDEK consists of earnest and devoted individuals. Generally speaking, people who are willing to work in medical industry have aspirations to support human life and health. This might have shaped NIDEK’s earnest and steady cooperate culture. We feel both a sense of pride and responsibility about engaging in health care around the world.
Q8. What do you place importance on when making corporate decisions?
I base corporate decisions on the following three viewpoints: company’s growth and sustainment, social contribution, and employees’ happiness. The bottom line is always the ultimate question for NIDEK: what we should do for eyes.
Q9. Who are your favorite historical figures?
I respect Roald Amundsen (*1) and Thor Heyerdahl (*2). The way they were as explorers always inspires me. Explorers do not just take on adventures risking their lives. They first form a scientific hypothesis, then make preparation and examine carefully if it is possible, and finally take actions to demonstrate it. There are a lot to learn from their way of life when starting a new business.
*1 Roald Amundsen (1872-1928)
A Norwegian explorer who reached the South Pole in 1911 for the first time in human history, using dog sleds and fur clothing.
*2 Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002)
A Norwegian anthropologist, marine biologist and explorer who went on an expedition from Peru to Easter Island with a replica of the raft of Inca Empire, in order to prove his theory, which addresses that the Polynesians originated in South America.
