Organization

The most important objective of the INC is to generate innovation by integrating internal and external resources.
To empower individual divisions and customers to take the initiative in generating ongoing innovation, the Center plays the role of accelerator in the Kuraray Group’s innovation efforts, promoting activities involving the participation of all corporate divisions and employees. We have adopted an ambassador system for the Center, whereby around two dozen core members from diverse backgrounds are collaborating globally in digital venues with over 50 ambassadors representing various Group organizations.
By leveraging the Kuraray Group’s resources on a global scale, from its diverse human resources in Japan and overseas and its unique technical capabilities to the customer relationships and market approaches it has cultivated over the years, we will continue to create new business opportunities over the longer term.

Central to realizing the Kuraray Group’s vision as a Specialty Chemical Company achieving sustained growth is the Research and Development Division, the main thrust of our corporate R&D and new business development activities. The Research and Development Division manages the Kurashiki Research Center, Tsukuba Research Center, Intellectual Property Department, and Planning and Administration Department.

With a foundation in organic synthesis and synthetic polymer technologies, catalytic chemistry, Polymer Research Laboratory and environment and energy technology, the Kurashiki Research Center focuses on R&D of new businesses, products and technologies. As the analysis hub of the Kuraray Group, it also conducts global efforts to solve technical issues using analytical and safety evaluation technologies.

The Tsukuba Research Center applies its core technical strengths in precision polymerization and denaturation, molding, polymer processing and computational chemistry to develop new businesses, products and technologies.

As the strategic department of the Research and Development Division, this department conducts comprehensive planning, promotion, adjustment and administration for the division overall, and helps to ensure that R&D matches business strategy and leads to success. Its work encompasses creation of new businesses and strengthening and expansion of existing businesses; planning and coordination of collaboration with outside partners; optimal resource allocation and human resource development for corporate research; division management; management of R&D themes under the control of the division; and ensuring safety.

KAI Corporate R&D assigns employees to the Kuraray Research and Technical Center (KRTC), our U.S. development base located in Houston, Texas. It provides support for businesses and production and development bases in the United States, cooperates with research centers in Japan, and promotes collaboration with local universities for new business development.

Employees are also assigned to Silicon Valley in California to scout startups that are using local venture capital.

This department is aiming to establish a production, quality control, and domestic and overseas sales system for PVA microcarrier for regenerative medicine, and to accelerate product development and peripheral businesses in cell culture-related processes.

To lead and accelerate the DX of Kuraray group R&D, this department was established in January 2025 to promote introduction and utilization of R&D related digital technologies.

The IP Management Center established in January 2022 has worked not only to support the IP strategies of each business division, but also to formulate and implement a globally integrated IP strategy. In this way, we have implemented IP activities that go beyond the former strategy, focused on securing rights, to include business development activities. In order to further strategically utilizing intellectual property to strengthen business competitiveness and increase profits, the IP Management Center was reorganized to have IP Strategy Department and IP Department under the center in January, 2025.