Industry Profiles

Japanese Company Activity
In the midst of these initiatives, companies in Japan are leveraging the nation's semiconductor leadership to develop, test and produce RFID devices and solutions.

Omron Corporation – Kyoto, Japan
• Business:  Manufactures RFID products including inlays and readers
• April 2005 – Announced start of supplying RFID smart tags to wholesalers doing business with Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
• November 2005 – Announced plans to invest $20 million in its RFID business over two years
• June 2006 – Announced plans to increase in RFID inlay manufacturing capacity to more than 250 million inlays per year

Sato Corporation – Tokyo, Japan
• Business: Data collection systems
• August 2005 – Announced company will begin marketing a relatively inexpensive RFID starter kit
• Kit is intended to promote the use of RFID tags in Japan and increase efficiency of product and inventory management

Marubeni Corporation – Tokyo, Japan
• Business:  RFID tracking systems
• September 2005 – Announced plans to conduct field trials using UHF (ultra high frequency)-band RFID tags for managing inventory in retail stores

YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory – Tokyo, Japan
• Business:  R&D focused on equipment software relating to use of RFID tags
• March 2006 – Announced development of network terminal that is able to operate in harsh factory and warehouse environments
• RFID network is designed to withstand humidity, heat, dust and impact, including drops from as high as 1.5 meters

Oki Electric Industry Co. – Tokyo, Japan
• Business:  RFID network solutions
• April 2006 – Announced joint development with NYK Logistics and HILLS Corp. of a passive thermo RFID tag sensor that does not require a cell battery
• Tag is intended to help control temperatures when transporting and storing food, medical products, chemicals and precision measuring equipment that require temperature control without opening the containers

Casio – Tokyo, Japan
• Business:  Developer of consumer electronics
• April 2006 – Announced development of RFID wristbands for fitness clubs
• Made of silicon rubber and uses Hitachi's mu-chip RFID tags
• Each exercise machine in the fitness clubs have a PDA that reads the RFID tags within the wristbands and displays a personalized training menu as well as records and displays personal health information
• Wristbands can also be used to check in and out of the facility, monitor attendance and for cashless payments