Special Feature
Citizen Group Highlights 2009-2010
Our aim here at the Citizen Group is to enrich people’s lives and contribute to industrial development through the provision of watches based on the principle of “Micro HumanTech” (ultra-small, ultra-precise, low-power consumption technologies), electronic devices and products, industrial machinery and wide range of other products.
We also engage in a number of activities designed to put our corporate philosophy into practice as a “corporate group contributing to and striving to be respected by citizens of the world.” This section highlights some of the main events and news here at the Citizen Group from 2009 to 2010.
Citizen’s 80th Anniversary
The year 2010 marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of Citizen, when the company took over from predecessor Shokosha Watch Research Institute, which had previously been established with the aim of manufacturing pocket watches domestically. Having taken its first steps as a company amidst growing momentum within the domestic watch industry, Citizen survived the ravages of World War II to steadily expand its operations after that point.
In the watch sector, we have always been at the forefront of the industry in terms of developing cutting-edge technology, from mechanical watches through to quartz, Eco-Drive and radio-controlled watches. As a result of our efforts to develop machinery to manufacture watches, we have also continued to supply a range of industrial machine tools.
Our manufacturing and precision technologies in the watch sector led to expansion into the electronics sector. Quartz crystal devices, liquid crystal, LED and other technologies meanwhile enabled us to enter the device market. This paved the way for the Citizen Group that operates today, with an ever-growing sales network throughout Japan and extending all over the world.
Our achievements underline the fact that our corporate philosophy of “contributing to and striving to be respected by citizens of the world” has remained unchanged ever since the company was first named Citizen and will remain unchanged in the future.
Eco-Drive World-First Technology Developed by Citizen
Back in 1995, before the word “eco” became commonplace in Japan, we came up with the name “Eco-Drive” for Citizen’s range of watches fitted with solar cells.
Ever since becoming the first watches to be granted Eco-Mark certification in 1996, our Eco-Drive watches have continued to lead the solar-powered watch market.
At BASEL WORLD in 2009, we unveiled an Eco-Drive concept model called Eco-Drive Dome. Demonstrating Citizen’s potential for the future, in terms of expanding the possibilities of design and technology, this new model features an innovative design that envelops the watch face and Eco-Drive engine inside the casing and embodies the concept of actually wearing light energy on your wrist.
Reducing Energy Consumption to Around One Tenth Through LED Lighting
We supply a wide range of LED packages for use in lighting via Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd. Our packages offer a similarly wide range of products ideally suited to different purposes, including world-leading high-power, high-efficiency products and superior color-rendering products that significantly improve the visibility of the color red in particular.
Released in 2009, our CL-L 103 Series lighting LEDs (6W) reduce energy consumption to around one tenth that of an incandescent light bulb of the same brightness (60W). In terms of CO2 emissions, this equates to a reduction of 907kg over the course of 40,000 hours in use.
There are high hopes that the outstanding environmental performance of LED lighting will help combat global warming, an issue that we need to tackle on a global scale, in various different ways in the future.
Modern Master Craftsperson:
Manufacturing by Master Craftsmen and Women
Etsuko Hashiba
Super-Meister Watch Product Division
Citizen Heiwa Watch Co., Ltd.
I joined Heiwa Tokei Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (now Citizen Heiwa Watch Co., Ltd.) in 1967.
Having worked on everything from the assembly of movements to finished products during the 43 years since then, in 2005 I was the only member of staff to be selected as a “Super-Meister,” which represents the highest level of skill in accordance with the company’s regulations.
In addition to training junior members of staff ever since we started mass production, I also actively contribute to community activities aimed at sharing the joys of manufacturing. In 2006, I received an award for outstanding skills in the field of watch assembly and repairs (Shinshu Master Craftsperson) and in FY2009 I received a Modern Master Craftsperson award from the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare.
Modern Master Craftsperson
Under the Modern Master Craftsperson scheme, the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare gives out commendations to individuals who have outstanding skills and are the very best in their respective field every year. In addition to raising the profile of skilled individuals and helping to improve skill levels, the scheme is also intended to inspire young people to tap into their natural abilities and dedicate themselves to a profession, so that they can develop into skilled workers with a sense of pride and ambition.
20 years of Continued Recognition for Inspirational Members of the Community
Citizen of the Year is an annual award scheme that gives recognition to citizens who inspire local people and contribute to the development, happiness and all-round enhancement of their local communities.
The winners for fiscal 2009 were announced and an award ceremony held on January 27, 2010.
Taking place for the 20th time, this year’s award ceremony was attended by the presidents of individual Group companies, 85 employees and 22 members of the media and turned out to be an even more heart-warming occasion than usual.