Junta Tsujinaga, President and CEO, OMRON Corporation

Evolving automation and creating a "better future" through business

OMRON Corporation President and CEO Junta Tsujinaga

Born in 1966, he joined Tateishi Electric (now Omron) in 1989. After working in sales and product planning positions in the control equipment business (Industrial Automation Business Company) responsible for factory automation, he became General Manager of the Product Business Division in 2016, Executive Officer in 2017, Executive Managing Director in 2019, and President of the Industrial Automation Business Company in 2021. He has been in his current position since 2023.

OMRON continues to innovate in a wide range of fields, focusing not only on healthcare equipment but also on factory automation and the construction of social systems. Currently, the company is actively working to solve social issues such as "achieving carbon neutrality" and "extending healthy life expectancy." We spoke with President Tsujinaga about his career so far and the direction the company is aiming for.

　I majored in mathematics at university, but at the same time I studied software development and was enthusiastic about practicing game production and programming. When I was job hunting, I considered working in technology development, but my desire to choose a job that would allow me to interact with people grew stronger, so I started looking for a company to apply to. While many companies hire people with science backgrounds for technical positions, I learned that Tateishi Electric (now Omron) was recruiting science graduates for a sales position, so I applied. My father works in the manufacturing industry, and he advised me that Omron was a good company, which was one of the reasons I decided to join the company.

Sales is solving customer problems

　After joining the company, I was first assigned to the sales department, where my job was to sell products mainly to the manufacturing industry, but at the time, I was in charge of products that used new technology that had not yet penetrated the market.

　For example, products that utilized "image processing technology" were still unfamiliar to many companies at the time, and we struggled to sell them. What I learned from this is that "no matter how good a technology is, it won't be adopted if it's not communicated to the other party." I realized the importance of not just talking about the merits of the technology, but also understanding the issues the other party is facing and proposing products as a means to solve those issues.

　Because it was an advanced product, there were times when sales were difficult, but by not giving up and continuing to communicate its value to customers, I gradually gained their trust, and I was really happy when they told me, "We want to buy from you." One memorable moment was when a manufacturing customer told me, "At first I didn't think we needed it, but after hearing your explanation, we decided to introduce it. Now it's an indispensable part of our business." Even now that I'm in a management position, I feel that the experience I gained back then is still useful.

◾️Creating a better society through business

　Since its founding, OMRON has grown by contributing to the development of society by solving social issues through its business. The driving force behind this growth is the company's constitution, which states, "Let's improve our lives and create a better society through our work." This motto embodies the desire to create pioneering innovations and realize a better society. OMRON has created many world-first and Japan-first products centered on automation technology.

　Take, for example, the automated ticket gates that you use at train stations. Omron was the first in the world to develop the automated system that is now widely used, with the aim of alleviating congestion during rush hour commutes. In the health field, as "adult diseases" became a social issue alongside economic growth in the 1970s, Omron anticipated the need for prevention and not only developed blood pressure monitors equipped with automated technology, but also created a "culture of measuring blood pressure at home," thereby contributing to extending healthy life expectancy.

　While OMRON may have a strong image of healthcare, its core business is control equipment that contributes to factory automation, accounting for half of its sales. Recently, the company has been working to solve social issues around the world by combining its products with services such as data utilization and human resource development solutions, in addition to manufacturing.

　OMRON has declared its commitment to creating a better future by solving three social challenges by 2030: achieving carbon neutrality, realizing a digital society, and extending healthy lifespans. We will continue to evolve our core technologies* and create a better society through our business.

◾️Incorporating feedback from the field into management

　Drawing on my experience in sales, even after becoming president, I have made it a point to value the voices of those on the front lines. Rather than simply sending out one-way messages, I create opportunities, both online and in person, to reflect the opinions of employees and place importance on dialogue. I believe that a deep understanding of what employees on the front lines are thinking and what issues they face is an important key to making management decisions.

　We have also established a department responsible for creating innovation, creating a system that allows motivated personnel from both inside and outside the company to come together and work on new businesses. Employees from business divisions who utilize our personnel system can participate in this project, gain experience in business creation, grow, and then return to their original divisions to revitalize the company. OMRON will continue to create innovation by valuing the company's direction and the enthusiasm and challenges of its employees who say, "We want to make this happen!"

　I hope you will gain as much experience as possible during your time at university. Studying is of course important, but trying different things will broaden your horizons. When you enter society, there will be many situations where you don't know what the right answer is. At times like these, it's important to have a "willingness to challenge yourself." Taking a step forward and trying something even if it's something small will lead to growth. Try many different things and broaden your possibilities.

*OMRON boasts core technologies common to the entire company. We have positioned "Sensing" technology, "Control" technology, and "+Think" technology, which incorporates human wisdom and knowledge into machines, such as AI, as our core technologies, and have evolved these technologies into unique technologies by linking them together, and implemented them in society in the form of products and services.

Student Newspaper April 2025 Issue, Nihon University 4th Year Student, Suzuki Junichi

Suzuki Junki, fourth-year student at Nihon University; Kuwayama Aoi, first-year student at Aoyama Gakuin University; Shirasaka Himari, third-year student at Sophia University; Watanabe Yurie, first-year student at Josai International University; Zhang Yina, first-year student at Sophia University; and Sudo Kakuto, fourth-year student at Rikkyo University.