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Terumo Enters 100th Anniversary Year

Jan 05, 2021

TOKYO, JAPAN – January 5, 2021 – Terumo Corporation (TSE: 4543) is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year - marking 100 years of ‘Contributing to Society through Healthcare’ on September 17, 2021. The company has established ‘Stride Ahead’ as a slogan, to celebrate and connect all Terumo associates around the world. The phrase encompasses the company’s belief that big steps forward will lead to a better future for healthcare.

Takayoshi Mimura, Chairman of the Board, Terumo Corporation commented: “Terumo originally began as a small thermometer manufacturer in Tokyo on September 17, 1921. Since then, 100 years have passed, and both we and the world of healthcare have witnessed many changes. Although Terumo was once just a small factory, it has now grown into a group employing more than 26,000 associates, offering a broad range of products and services in more than 160 countries and regions around the world, from more than 30 facilities located globally. Ever since the very first moment of our foundation, we have been driven by an enduring belief in contributing to the development of healthcare, always keeping medical professionals and patients in mind. We are truly grateful to all those who have supported us over the course of so many years and sincerely promise to continue meeting challenges undeterred by difficulties, holding close to heart Terumo’s founding vision and aspirations.

The company started as a Japanese thermometer manufacturer in 1921. Terumo’s second product was Japan’s first disposable syringe launched in 1963. Since then, Terumo has developed many first-in-Japan or first-in-the-world products including the world’s first porous hollow-fiber oxygenator launched in 1982.

By continuously striving to meet various needs in medical settings, Terumo has become a global company with its extensive business portfolio ranging from vascular intervention and cardio-surgical solutions, blood transfusion and cell therapy technology, to medical products essential for daily clinical practice such as transfusion systems, diabetes care, and peritoneal dialysis treatments.

Shinjiro Sato, President and CEO, Terumo Corporation commented: “Terumo’s 100-year journey is one we have walked together with the ongoing advancement of healthcare. At its heart, this shared journey has been about facing society’s healthcare needs and providing high-quality products for the healthcare field. Our group mission of “Contributing to Society through Healthcare” has always guided us throughout our long history. With the advent of 100-year lifespans and a new wave of digitalization transforming the medical field, we face a new range of needs, such as the enhancement of preventive care, the extension of the healthy years of life and the development of individualized medical care. As we enter the next 100 years, our aim is to reinvent ourselves, without being limited to past successes. We will make the most of our overall group strengths to meet healthcare’s new challenges.

Please see Terumo’s 100-year history here.
Terumo 100th Anniversary Site

Origin of Terumo

When World War I broke out in 1914, Japan faced critical thermometer shortages. Engineer Eiji Takeuchi manufactured and sold thermometers at Takeuchi Terumo Works. However, the business faced financial problems and Mr. Takeuchi sought help from his acquaintance, Dr. Miozo Sasagawa, Chairman of the Tokyo Medical Association. Dr. Sasagawa knew that doctors needed high-quality thermometers, and this led to their determination to establish a company succeeding Mr. Takeuchi's business.

On September 17, 1921, Dr. Shibasaburo Kitasato, Chairman of the Japan Medical Association, led the first general meeting, and Terumo Corporation was founded with Dr. Sasagawa as the first president.