President's Message

Providing safe and reliable products and services that support tomorrow's agriculture through our solid R&D capabilities and a clear vision for the future

Our company was established in April 2009 by merging the crop solutions businesses of Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and Sankyo Agro Co., Ltd. Our management philosophy is to contribute to society by providing high-quality products and services that address food safety and reliability and improving quality of life.

Our goal is to be an R&D driven company with a global presence that is widely needed by society both in Japan and overseas by developing our agrochemicals that are safer, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly, and developing our Life Solutions business for improved quality of life.

Our crop solutions business dates back to 1921, when we succeeded in developing Chloropicrin, the first chemically synthesized agrochemical in Japan. Since then, for more than 100 years, we have played a role in the maintenance and development of agriculture through the manufacture and sale of agrochemicals. With such a history and track record as part of our corporate DNA, we are proud to say that we have a highly unique product line through our focus on R&D, as well as excellent capabilities in innovation to continuously create active ingredients for agrochemicals.

The production of agrochemicals requires tremendous time and cost from R&D from market to launch. Therefore, it is essential to have a clear vision for the next 10 years and beyond, as well as continuity in development with various channels. We are always sowing the seeds for the future and steadily implementing what needs to be done now. We believe that these accumulated efforts are our strength and lead us to provide products and services that can be used safely and with peace of mind.

We have discovered, developed and ultimately launched approximately 10 active ingredients over the past 20 years and have an extensive development pipeline in progress. In terms of formulations, we have a diverse lineup of products that meet a wide variety of market needs, including insecticides for rice (foliar application ), which has attained the largest share of the Japanese market.

In our overseas businesses, the number of countries and regions where we have obtained agrochemical registrations has already exceeded 100. Through strategic partnerships with regional distributors and multinational companies, we are enhancing the sales and marketing functions for our own active ingredients and formulations, particularly in Asian countries, and we see further potential for business growth in the expanding global market.

Fulfilling our social responsibility through Challenge, Diversity, and One Team to achieve sustainable development

When we look at our business environment, we can see that in Japan, the decrease in the agricultural population and cultivated land, and the spread of smart agriculture using digital and AI technologies are leading to new possibilities for us to utilize our seeds and meet diversifying needs. In the international market, demand for food is increasing due to population growth and demand for solutions in regions such as Asia and Africa. Additionally, the field of non-synthetic or “naturally-derived” agrochemicals is expanding and environmental safety regulations are becoming stricter, especially in Europe and the United States. To respond to these changes, industry restructuring is accelerating.

In January 2022, we acquired the crop solutions business of Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. and welcomed them to our group. One of the reasons for this acquisition was to enhance our portfolio of natural products. In April 2023 we reorganized group companies, to accelerate our growth by expanding the scale of our business and creating synergies to further enhance our presence in the global market. Specifically, we are aiming to double our sales by FY2025 (compared to FY2020).

Our business is deeply related with the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations), such as consideration for the environment and the issue of food supply and demand (hunger), and the role we should play as a company and our social responsibility are becoming greater. In order to meet the demands of the market and society, as a corporate citizen, we will strive to harmonize with the global environment and become a company trusted by society. We will also continue to take on the challenge of innovation by using the diverse experiences and abilities of our employees, and foster a vibrant corporate culture rich in diversity. We will continue to work as one team to achieve sustainable development by strengthening cooperation with group and partner companies.

Based on R&D, we lead the change and contribute to sustainable food and life through our products and services

In the life solutions business, another pillar of our business, we are expanding the comprehensive services that we offer to improve the environments in which we live, work, and play; including high-performance termite control agents using our own active ingredients, construction methods that respond to changes in housing construction styles, insecticides for the well-being of pet and livestock, and chemicals for general household use.

Furthermore, in the field of vector control, which protects humans from mosquitoes that transmit infectious diseases, Mitsui Chemicals Group is participating in "ZERO by 40;" a joint statement by the world's leading agricultural companies, including our company, aiming to eradicate malaria by 2040. By developing and commercializing products that are effective against mosquitoes that are resistant to existing pesticides using the organic synthesis technology we have cultivated over the years, we are also implementing initiatives to resolve the social challenge of malaria eradication.

We will continue to follow our guiding principles of always acting in good faith, having a regard for people and society and aiming for “Dream-Inspiring Innovation.” Further, we will continue leading change by utilizing our R&D capabilities as we strive to become a global solutions company that contributes to sustainable food and improved quality of life through our products and services.

President and CEO
OZAWA Satoshi