In providing products and services, we continuously explore and address social issues in our rapidly changing society. This includes not only long-standing challenges but also newly emerging and latent ones. Through these efforts, we aim to meet the expectations and earn the trust of our many stakeholders.
Approach to initiatives
In "TOKYO KEIKI Vision 2030," we put together a list of potential new businesses for the Group to take on as "candidates for growth drivers" and a list of "issues for enhancing businesses" regarding existing business strategies. Then, we set to work on these initiatives.
Promotion framework
Each internal company promotes existing business strategies while the Business Development Office,
which was established within the Corporate Planning & Administration Office in April 2023 and internal project teams, take the lead in
promoting candidates for growth drivers. In addition, in the new Medium-term Business Plan disclosed in
May 2024, we explain our existing business strategies, progress for candidates of growth drivers, and future initiatives.
Initiatives with candidates for growth drivers
In regards to the three-year effort from fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2023 to identify, incorporate, and develop five new candidate growth drivers, progress has been made in several areas. During the three-year period of the new
Medium-term Business Plan starting from fiscal 2024, we are working to further accelerate the following initiatives:
We will continue to focus on providing users with the tools we have developed so far to optimize the use of AI on
processors for edge AI. We will raise awareness by exhibiting at trade shows, increase number of partner companies and
aim to achieve commercialization as soon as possible. From fiscal 2024, we are advancing the development of products that integrate AI chips into camera systems, aiming to make them available for edge AI applications and bring them to market.
* Edge AI: To enable artificial intelligence (AI) to learn large amounts
of data rapidly, AI typically resides on a server in a data center and
communicates with terminals (edge devices) via the Internet. By contrast,
edge AI can process calculations on-site without going through the
Internet. Edge AI technology is expected to find use in agricultural and
civil engineering/construction settings, where communication facilities
are limited and real-time processing within the terminal is required. Very
few companies in the world supply AI chips that can accelerate edge AI
processing, and we aim to offer AI chips for different applications than
others do.
For hydrogen compressors for hydrogen filling stations, we are promoting collaboration with external partners; the first unit of our newly developed small-scale hydrogen compression package has already been ordered and is scheduled for delivery during fiscal 2025.
As for the joint R&D of hydrogen production equipment with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), we have extended the project period and are currently working on product design.
After partnering with Synspective Inc. in fiscal 2022 to mass-produce small SAR satellites, we constructed a space building for satellite assembly within the Nasu Plant and began assembly operations in fiscal 2024. In addition, we have begun manufacturing mass-production prototypes in collaboration with Pale Blue Inc., the startup company. Furthermore, to expand our space business, we are participating as a supporting company in HAKUTO-R*, a private lunar exploration program led by ispace, inc.
* About the lunar exploration program "HAKUTO-R."
https://ispace-inc.com/
* SAR satellites: SAR = Synthetic Aperture Radar. As they move, SAR
satellites emit microwaves toward the earth’s surface and analyze
images of the reflected waves to monitor conditions on the ground. Optical
satellites used for surface observation cannot acquire images of
cloud-covered areas or at night. SAR satellites that use microwaves, on
the other hand, can observe ground conditions in any weather, day or
night. As such, they are expected to be used for disaster monitoring and
prevention and information gathering for infrastructure development.
Although these SAR satellites are small and in the 100-kg class (about
one-tenth the usual weight), they can capture high-resolution, wide-area
images rivaling those of larger satellites. As the heart of SAR
satellites, TOKYO KEIKI’s microwave amplifiers have contributed
greatly to this performance.
We have developed and delivered a track diagnosis support system that automates the inspection of railroad tracks, a task previously performed solely by human patrols. This system aims to reduce manpower requirements, and we will continue to promote its adoption. Furthermore, we are developing a new product for detecting track distortions.
We are aiming to contribute to medical and health applications of microwave and plasma technology.
Initiatives with existing businesses
We have been participating in the Nippon Foundation's MEGURI2040 Fully Autonomous Ship Program. Other projects
include developing products that solve social issues by enabling safety,
energy and labor savings, and eco-friendliness. This includes joint
development with other companies.
Our hydrogen compressor for hydrogen filling stations is helping to build
a decarbonized society. Meanwhile, we are also developing energy-saving
and hybrid hydraulic equipment.
We offer water level gauge systems and fire extinguishing equipment for
the disaster prevention market to keep communities safe.
We are meeting ICT needs by
developing farm machinery automation equipment that makes agriculture more
efficient and by offering microwave amplifiers for semiconductor
production equipment. We also provide solid-state radars for marine
monitoring that contributes to maritime traffic safety.
We also develop,
manufacture, maintain, and repair products for the defense market to meet
rapidly growing safety and security needs.
Research and development (R&D) Initiatives
Our Group’s products flourish in a variety of fields around the world, including shipping, aerospace, industrial machinery, farming, construction machinery, and social infrastructure. As the manufacturer providing these products, we understand that R&D serves as the foundation of the Group’s management.
The basic policy of our Group’s R&D is based on our Management Philosophy—“To contribute to society, with a focus on our business of leveraging electronics and other advanced technology to create products that embody functions of human senses: measurement, cognition, and control.” R&D is carried out based on the technology strategy and R&D plans of our research arm, the R&D Center, and is also implemented as part of product development by our internal companies and subsidiaries.
Our R&D Center primarily engages in relatively
long-term R&D and, in general, the development of
products utilizing the center’s results is conducted by the development
departments of our internal companies and subsidiaries. In addition, the
Center is also responsible for providing technical support for individual
projects, and for undertaking research and development that would be
inefficient for our internal companies and subsidiaries to perform on their
own. Seizing future business opportunities, the Center researches and develops
technologies that will serve as the core of a business. At the same time, our
internal companies and subsidiaries engage in development, including the
development of products whose commercialization is still years away, based on
customer needs.
The Development Committee is an organizational body chaired by the Chief
Engineering Officer. Its members include the Chief of the R&D Center and engineering managers from various internal companies.
The Development Committee determines a variety of matters concerning the
drafting and execution of our Group’s technology strategies, with the
committee chair making proposals and reports to the Management Conference as
necessary.