CHRO Message

Building an Organization Capable of Delivering Transformation Through Human Capital Management

As CHRO, I view human capital both as a source of corporate value creation and as the foundation for translating management intent into execution on the front lines. Human capital management is not a collection of HR initiatives; it is management itself. I believe the responsibility of the CHRO is to continually assess, as a matter of management, what talent the Shimadzu Group needs and how that talent should be leveraged as growth areas and the business portfolio evolve.
Guided by our Corporate Philosophy of “Contributing to Society through Science and Technology,” the Shimadzu Group has developed its businesses and enhanced corporate value. However, as the business environment becomes increasingly dynamic, strategy alone is not enough. Strategy produces results only when an organization and its people can accurately understand change, test and refine approaches on the front lines, and carry execution through to completion.
I aim to support the efforts and growth of each employee and connect that growth to the enhancement of corporate value. My goal is to turn the positive cycle of taking on challenges, growth, and the enhancement of corporate value into a system—not leave it to chance.
I also believe human capital management, internal control, and governance are inseparable. Encouraging people to take on challenges requires fairness, transparency, and accountability. Decisions involving people—including compensation, evaluation, transfers, and appointments—are critical areas directly linked to corporate risk. If decision-making processes are opaque, employees’ sense of fairness and trust can be easily eroded, even if no issues become visible in the short term. For this reason, I place HR governance at the center of our agenda, with an emphasis on clear criteria, transparent processes, and accountability.
Internal control and governance are not intended to make an organization hesitant to act. They provide the foundation for an environment in which employees can take on challenges with confidence, while improving the quality and speed of management decision-making. Governance is not a mechanism that functions only after problems occur; it is the work of creating conditions that make problems less likely to occur. Organizational culture is formed through the accumulation of decisions involving people. Ensuring consistency in each decision and creating conditions in which front-line teams can act with clarity are important responsibilities of the CHRO.

Talent and Organization Needed to Support the Pursuit of “the Well-Being of Mankind and the Earth”

The Shimadzu Group’s vision for 2035 is to be a company that continues to create social value through the Pursuit of Planetary Health (the Well-Being of Mankind and the Earth). To connect science and technology with market deployment in the four domains of Healthcare, Green, Materials, and Industry, we need not only technological capabilities, but also the strength of our people and organization.
In addition to deep expertise, I place particular importance on securing and developing talent with the ability to co-create solutions across disciplines and national borders in response to increasingly complex challenges, as well as the ethical grounding and judgment required to meet the trust placed in us by society. As corporate responsibilities expand in areas such as compliance, human rights, and data utilization, people who can think and act independently will be a key source of competitiveness.
An organization that respects diversity and embraces different perspectives is not only a prerequisite for innovation; it is also essential from a governance perspective. By creating an environment in which everyone can express their views and take part in constructive discussion regardless of gender, nationality, or career background, we can build a stronger organizational culture that combines psychological safety with discipline.
I believe this organizational culture will support our technologies and businesses over the long term and serve as the driving force for achieving our 2035 vision.

Priority Initiatives for Human Capital and Governance Under the New Medium-Term Management Plan

Under the Medium-Term Management Plan for FY2026–FY2028, which begins in FY2026, we will enhance our management foundation and strengthen human capital management, internal control, and governance, with a view to further advances in AIX, or AI Transformation. We will focus on four specific initiatives:
First, we will upgrade talent acquisition and development in alignment with business strategy. We will secure a stable pipeline of diverse, highly specialized professionals and systematically develop next-generation management leaders and highly specialized professionals. By building depth in our talent base rather than relying on individual talent alone, we will support sustainable business growth.
Second, we will strengthen organizational capabilities, starting with employee engagement. We will establish a cycle for identifying challenges and driving improvement through Group-wide indicators and dialogue mechanisms.
Third, we will further advance health and productivity management and safety. Physical and mental health and safety are the most important foundations of human capital and a critical corporate responsibility.
Fourth, we will strengthen glocal talent management and HR governance. By establishing rules and data infrastructure that meet global standards and enabling fair, transparent decision-making, we will balance strategic talent utilization with risk management.
Through these initiatives, I will connect investment in human capital not only to future growth, but also to strengthening the Company’s credibility and trust.