Greetings from the Director
Research Institute
Director
Kazumasa Wakayama
At the Research Institute, we carry out R&D activities with the idea of using technology to realize the FANCL Group Philosophy – “Eliminate the ‘Negatives’ with a Sense of Justices” –constantly in our minds. We believe innovation comes from asking what kind of “negatives” our customers face and how these can be eliminated. Our researchers are consistently conducting research – from fundamental to applied – in the fields of health and beauty, with customer satisfaction always at the forefront of their minds.
Utilizing the knowledge, technology, and know-how that we have cultivated in the fields of health and beauty, we not only provide customers with solutions (products), but also technology that assesses (or enables the visualization of) their skin and health conditions. We continue to consider how these technologies can be even more effective for individuals. But it is crucial that this is based on evidence. At FANCL, we will always validate our technology based on the evidence and pursue R&D with the aim of creating effective products for customers. We will continue to refine our unique technologies and provide products and services that shape future trends.
Research Institutes - Full List
Cosmetics Research Institute
Our Cosmetics Research Institute is mainly used to develop cosmetics and medicated cosmetic products. Cosmetics contain numerous elements, and we conduct R&D activities focused not only the feel and function of our products, but also on their containers, new materials, and evaluation methods. We believe that it is only when all these elements are combined that a product will satisfy our customers. Starting with flagship products like Mild Cleansing Oil, our researchers are constantly working to develop products that are both safe and reliable, and with ever-improving functionality and usability. Going forward, we will continue to carefully consider our customers' feedback in pursuit of the development of innovative products that are currently unavailable elsewhere in the world, motivated by the goal of eliminating even those "negatives" that our customers themselves may not yet be aware of.
Director Ryouichi Nakatake
Beauty Science Research Center
FANCL’s unique perspective started with the idea of delivering Mutenka cosmetics, which are cosmetics that do not cause any stress to the skin. Based on this, the Beauty Science Research Center is conducting research on the various mechanisms of skin aging caused by “skin stresses,” which increase throughout a person’s life. Our aim is to realize innovative but easily understandable product development that uses cutting-edge technology to show the minute changes that occur on the inside and the surface of the skin. In addition, we are taking an unconventional, global approach in our development of active ingredients, considering SGDs and collaboration with other industries. Further, looking to the future, all members of the FANCL Group will work together to eliminate new, unnoticed “negatives” and solve problems with the help of technology.
Center Director Tetsuhito Sakurai
Functional Food Research Institute
Our Functional Food Research Institute is engaged in the development of a range of foods with functional claims, including supplements, Kale juices, and Hatsuga Genmai (germinated brown rice). The Institute conducts clinical trials centered on the development of foods with functional claims, which require both safety and functionality, with the aim of creating products that help our customers maintain and improve their health, along with verifying the products' functionality. To further enhance this functionality, we are developing products with a focus on “efficacy in the body”, using formula technologies to control absorption processes and ensure that our products' ingredients function properly within the body. We also pay close attention to ease of ingestion, developing dosage forms and food forms with consideration of factors such as size, shape, and taste. For the health of our customers, we are developing products that are safe, functional, and easily consumed on a daily basis.
Director Sachiyuki Teramoto
Health Science Research Center
Our Health Science Research Center operates as FANCL’s foundational research division for health. The Center conducts exploratory research on new food materials with functions, evaluates their efficacy and safety through clinical research, and develops technologies for the visualization of health and nutritional status, with the goal of eliminating health-related "negatives" in an era where an increasing number of people are reaching the age of 100. The Center is also engaged in research for the development of technologies, products and data that will enable the creation of a cycle whereby people are able to better understand their own health and nutritional status, and maintain health their health using supplements and other products. As an R&D-focused company, we will work to combine our existing technologies with the new technologies that we develop, and continue to carry out future-driven R&D with a view to actively disseminate the results for the benefit of society.
Center Director Sayuri Matsuoka
Quality and Safety Research Center
Our Safety and Quality Research Center analyzes and evaluates the safety and quality of FANCL cosmetics and health foods from the raw ingredient level through to the final product, with the safety and peace-of-mind of each of our customers as our top priority. In cosmetics, we are proactively using alternative testing methods that do not involve the use of animals to evaluate safety and quality. At the same time, we are developing microbial evaluation methods specifically for our Mutenka products. In health foods, we are constantly working on technological advancements in areas such as quality evaluations for setting food expiration dates, and developing quality evaluation methods for functionally active ingredients. As the environment we live in continues to change, so do the concerns and anxieties of our customers. While working quickly to address these changing needs, we will continue to promote research and development that will enable us to achieve the ultimate balance between safety and functionality.
Center Director Tamie Suzuki
Research Strategy Office
Our Research Strategy Office, operating under the direct control of the Director of the FANCL Research Institute, functions as a hub that supports collaboration between each of our institutes, spanning basic research through to product development research in the fields of beauty and health. In order to promote research strategies and create new research themes that lead to new business development, the Office works to visualize the research results and assets of each institute, and creates frameworks to promote proactive technological exchange. The Office also plays a key role in strategically protecting and maintaining the inventions and research results generated by each department as intellectual property. In addition, it compiles and disseminates research results as easy-to-understand and attractive information to customers, and ensures that the research environment is maintained through its management of accounting, general affairs, facility maintenance, and other functions. The Office promotes strategic, efficient, and effective management of our institutes in order to provide products and services that serve to satisfy our customers’ needs.
Office Director Chiharu Shinde