Japan's Competitive Edge in Beauty Device Manufacturing: Quality and Safety Underpinned by the Hidden Strength of 'Intermediate Materials'
Introduction
'Why do Japanese-made beauty devices continue to be chosen despite their higher prices compared to Chinese products?'—the answer to this question can never be discerned from the exterior of the products. The secret behind the overwhelming trust that Japanese products have earned in the global beauty device market lies neither in the assembly techniques of finished products nor in brand power, but in the 'intermediate materials' used inside the products. High-performance resins, medical-grade polymers, specialised synthetic rubbers, precision electronic materials—these materials underpin the safety and durability of products, and Japanese companies possess world-class competitiveness in the field of such high-performance intermediate materials. Many of these materials are difficult for other countries to substitute, and the reality is that manufacturers seeking to produce high-quality beauty devices have no choice but to rely on Japanese-made intermediate materials.
This structure can be understood by examining the semiconductor industry. Whilst Japan has fallen behind in the manufacture of semiconductor chips as final products, it commands a 50 to 90 per cent share of the global market in the fields of manufacturing equipment and materials. Japanese companies monopolise intermediate materials essential to semiconductor manufacturing, such as silicon wafers from Shin-Etsu Chemical and SUMCO, and photoresists from JSR and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo. A clear principle operates here: 'assembly is conducted in locations where labour costs are low, whilst high-performance materials are produced in countries where research and development environments are well-established'.
The beauty device industry possesses precisely the same structure. Whilst the assembly of final products is distributed globally, including in China and South Korea, the core intermediate materials are supplied by Japanese chemical and materials manufacturers. This 'invisible dominance' is the true source of the competitive strength of Japanese-made beauty devices.
The global beauty device market continues to expand year on year, and particularly in Asian markets there exists a deep-rooted trust in 'Made in Japan'. Chinese and South Korean consumers exhibit a tendency to actively purchase Japanese-made beauty devices despite their high prices, expecting high quality and safety. However, where does the true value of this 'Made in Japan' reside?
This article focuses on the superiority of intermediate materials in Japan's beauty device industry, and provides a detailed explanation of what materials and components underpin product competitiveness.
Chapter One: Why We Should Focus on 'Intermediate Materials'
1.1 The Essential Strength of Japanese Manufacturing Revealed by the Semiconductor Industry
The semiconductor industry offers an extremely important lesson for understanding Japanese manufacturing. In the 1980s, Japanese semiconductor manufacturers dominated the global market, monopolising the top ten positions in sales rankings. However, by the 2020s, not a single Japanese company remained in the top ten. Judging by this fact alone, Japan's semiconductor industry appears to have declined.
Yet the reality is entirely different. Whilst Japan has indeed fallen behind in the manufacture of semiconductor chips as final products, it maintains an overwhelming global share in 'the tools and materials for making semiconductors'.
Let us examine the specific figures. In silicon wafers, just two companies—Shin-Etsu Chemical and SUMCO—account for over 50 per cent of the global share. In photoresists, the photosensitive resins, five Japanese companies—JSR, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, Shin-Etsu Chemical, Sumitomo Chemical, and Fujifilm—occupy 92 per cent of the market share. Furthermore, in mask blanks, which serve as the master for photomasks, HOYA commands a 70 per cent global share, whilst AGC possesses strength in the most advanced EUV applications.
In manufacturing equipment as well, numerous fields exist where Japanese companies boast high shares, including coater-developers (92 per cent), heat treatment equipment (93 per cent), and cleaning equipment (63 to 86 per cent). Moreover, the quartz and ceramic components used in this equipment are almost entirely Japanese-made.
Why is Japan strong in this field? This is due to the fundamental principle of manufacturing: 'assembly is conducted in locations where labour costs are low, whilst high-performance materials are produced in countries where research and development environments are well-established'. It is rational to construct semiconductor chip manufacturing facilities in locations where labour and electricity costs are low. However, the materials and equipment used in manufacturing require advanced research and development capabilities, technical know-how accumulated over many years, and rigorous quality control systems, none of which can easily be transferred to other countries.
Japan has continued to invest in materials science and precision processing technology for over half a century. Industry-academia collaboration with universities and research institutions, kaizen activities on the factory floor, and an obsession with zero defects—these distinctive aspects of Japanese manufacturing culture have generated strong competitiveness in the field of high-performance materials. Nevertheless, international competition is intensifying, and continuous technological investment is indispensable for maintaining this superiority.
1.2 The Same Structure in the Beauty Device Industry
The structure observed in the semiconductor industry—'final products overseas, intermediate materials in Japan'—in fact exhibits a similar pattern in the beauty device industry as well.
At present, many of the beauty devices sold worldwide undergo final assembly in China, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. Even amongst products that proclaim 'Made in Japan', cases are not uncommon where components are procured and partial manufacturing is conducted overseas, with only final inspection and quality control performed in Japan. Judging solely by such facts, one might suppose that Japan's beauty device industry has also lost its competitiveness.
However, the reality differs. Whilst final assembly is indeed distributed globally, Japanese chemical and materials manufacturers possess competitiveness in many of the important intermediate materials that determine product performance and quality.
Consider the high-performance resins and plastics used in beauty devices. In the field of specialised resins that achieve multiple properties—heat resistance, transparency, strength, chemical resistance—at a high level, Japanese chemical manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Chemical, Sumitomo Chemical, and Asahi Kasei are highly regarded globally. These resins are not mere 'plastics' but sophisticated industrial products that satisfy demanding requirements: they do not deteriorate even with long-term use, they resist heat and impact, and they are safe when in contact with skin.
Medical-grade polymer materials used in parts that make direct contact with skin are also important. Japanese materials manufacturers possess many years of achievement in the research and development of materials that can meet the rigorous standards of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act. However, the development of medical materials is also advancing internationally, and it is realistic to view this as a field where Japan holds relative superiority. These materials are characterised not merely by being 'safe' but by being able to be supplied stably, with extremely small quality variations from lot to lot. This quality stability is precisely the great strength of Japanese materials manufacturers.
The specialised synthetic rubbers used in the attachments and roller parts of facial devices must not be overlooked either. The rubber materials manufactured by Japanese companies such as JSR and ZEON achieve a sophisticated balance between abrasion resistance and elasticity, possessing durability that withstands thousands or tens of thousands of uses. This 'resistance to breakage' is the crucial element that earns trust from users.
Furthermore, Japan's competitiveness remains at a high level in the realm of precision electronic components as well. Piezoelectric ceramics used in ultrasonic facial devices are supplied by NGK Spark Plug and Tokin, high-frequency components used in RF (radio frequency) facial devices by Murata Manufacturing and TDK, and high-quality phosphor materials used in LED beauty devices by Nichia Corporation and others. Each of these components underpins product performance and reliability.
In other words, even in the beauty device industry, Japanese intermediate materials manufacturers play an important role in the core aspects of products. The reality is that Chinese and South Korean beauty device manufacturers, when seeking to produce high-performance, high-quality products, often consider Japanese-made intermediate materials as options.
This structure resembles that of the semiconductor industry, conferring upon Japan a competitive advantage that cannot easily be dismantled. Even as final product brands diversify, Japanese companies maintain competitiveness in the fields of materials and components that underpin that quality. However, international competition is intensifying, and continuous research and development investment and thorough quality control are essential for preserving this superiority.
Chapter Two: The True Nature of Beauty Device Intermediate Materials Monopolised by Japan
2.1 High-Performance Resins and Plastics
The resins and plastics used in the exterior and internal mechanisms of beauty devices are not mere 'containers'. They must achieve multiple properties—heat resistance, transparency, strength, chemical resistance, moulding processability—at a high level, and Japanese chemical manufacturers possess advanced technical capabilities in this field.
For instance, in hair dryer-type beauty devices and RF facial devices that generate high temperatures, heat-resistant resins that do not deform or deteriorate even with prolonged use are indispensable. Mitsubishi Chemical's polycarbonate resins and Asahi Kasei's polyamide resins maintain stable performance even in high-temperature environments exceeding 150 degrees Celsius, achieving durability that withstands years of use.
In parts where transparency is required, Sumitomo Chemical's acrylic resins and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) are used. These resins possess transparency rivalling that of glass whilst being lightweight and resistant to breakage, and have the property of efficiently transmitting LED light. They are optimal materials for the cover sections of LED facial devices and lens sections that diffuse light.
Furthermore, parts that come into contact with cosmetics and beauty serums require chemical resistance. Resins that do not deteriorate even when exposed for extended periods to alcohol, oils, and various beauty ingredients are special-grade products uniquely developed by Japanese chemical manufacturers. These resins differ from ordinary plastics in design at the molecular structure level. Whilst the development of similar high-performance materials is advancing globally, Japanese companies boast technical accumulation over several decades and high reliability, creating strengths that cannot easily be emulated.
Major companies include Mitsubishi Chemical, Sumitomo Chemical, Asahi Kasei, Toray, and Teijin. These companies possess decades of accumulated research and development, and have customisation capabilities that can respond to customers' detailed requirement specifications. The ability to respond to subtle adjustment requests such as 'slightly harder', 'slightly more transparent', or 'slightly more heat-resistant' is a great strength of Japanese chemical manufacturers.
2.2 Medical-Grade Polymer Materials
Amongst beauty devices, materials used in parts that make direct contact with skin require the highest level of safety. Medical-grade polymer materials used in this domain represent a field where Japan possesses world-class technical capabilities.
Medical-grade polymer materials refer to high-purity polymer materials used in medical devices and pharmaceutical containers. Unlike ordinary plastics, these are materials from which additives and impurities that could potentially cause allergies have been eliminated to the greatest extent possible, and whose safety is guaranteed even with long-term skin contact.
For facial device attachments, roller sections, and head sections that touch the skin, silicone rubbers and medical-grade polyurethanes are used. Shin-Etsu Chemical's silicone rubbers are high-quality materials also adopted by medical device manufacturers, achieving at a high level all attributes of pleasant tactile sensation, durability, and safety. In properly designed products, abrasion and deterioration are unlikely to occur even with repeated use, and specifications permit washing and disinfection.
Moreover, in cooling sections that touch the skin in hair removal devices and light beauty devices, specialised resins that achieve both thermal conductivity and biocompatibility are used. These materials possess the function of quickly sensing skin temperature and cooling it appropriately, whilst safety tests for each product confirm that elution of harmful substances remains below standard values.
Japanese medical-grade polymer material manufacturers possess rigorous quality control systems compliant with the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act. Traceability in manufacturing processes is completely ensured, and quality data for each lot is entirely recorded. Even in the unlikely event that a problem occurs with a product, systems are in place that can immediately identify which lot of material, made from which raw materials, was used.
What is more important still is the stable supply system. Beauty device manufacturers strongly demand the ability to procure materials of the same quality stably over extended periods. Japanese materials manufacturers possess the ability to continue supplying materials of the same quality over long spans of ten or twenty years, and this constitutes an important differentiating factor from overseas manufacturers.
Major companies include Shin-Etsu Chemical, JSR, Tosoh, Kaneka, and Daicel. These companies have many years of achievement in materials for medical devices, and their strength lies in being able to provide the same level of quality assurance for beauty devices as 'products that touch skin'.
2.3 Specialised Synthetic Rubbers
For the roller sections of facial devices, attachments of massage devices, and pad sections that adhere to the skin, beauty devices require materials that are 'soft with a pleasant tactile sensation, yet possess durability'. Meeting this requirement are the specialised synthetic rubbers manufactured by Japanese chemical manufacturers.
Specialised synthetic rubbers, unlike natural rubber, are chemically synthesised polymer elastomers. Their defining characteristic is that properties such as abrasion resistance, heat resistance, oil resistance, and elastic recovery can be finely adjusted according to application. Synthetic rubbers for beauty devices are particularly required to achieve both 'pleasant tactile sensation' and 'long-term durability'.
JSR's elastomers receive high regard from beauty device manufacturers. In properly designed products, the company's synthetic rubbers possess characteristics whereby elasticity is unlikely to decline even with repeated use, and surface abrasion and hardening are unlikely to occur. This high durability directly translates into product 'resistance to breakage', leading to the acquisition of user trust.
ZEON's synthetic rubbers excel in achieving both oil resistance and pleasant tactile sensation. Beauty devices are often used whilst in contact with beauty serums and creams, and it is important that materials do not deteriorate due to oils. ZEON's materials tend to maintain performance even when exposed for extended periods to various cosmetic ingredients, whilst also providing a comfortable sensation to the skin.
Furthermore, specialised synthetic rubbers permit adjustment of 'appropriate hardness'. Distinctions can be made such as softer for facial devices used on the face, and slightly harder for massage devices used on the body. This subtle hardness adjustment is realised by precisely controlling the types and amounts of additives to be blended, crosslinking conditions, and other factors, and requires many years of experience and know-how.
Moreover, colour stability is also an important element. As beauty devices place emphasis on aesthetic appearance as well, materials that are resistant to discolouration even with long-term use are required. Japanese synthetic rubber manufacturers possess technology to prevent discolouration due to ultraviolet light and heat, and realise long-term colour stability in many products.
Major companies include JSR, ZEON, and Sumitomo Rubber Industries. These companies apply technology cultivated in the manufacture of high-performance rubber for the automobile industry to the beauty device field as well, and possess competitiveness in quality excellence and supply stability.
2.4 Precision Electronic Components and Materials
The core sections that realise the functions of beauty devices employ advanced electronic components and materials. Japanese companies possess high competitiveness in this field as well, constituting a differentiating factor in product performance.
Piezoelectric Ceramics for Ultrasonic Transducers
For ultrasonic facial devices and water peeling devices, piezoelectric ceramics that generate high-frequency vibrations are indispensable. The piezoelectric ceramics manufactured by NGK Spark Plug (NGK) and Tokin can stably generate high-speed vibrations of tens of thousands of times per second.
These materials are manufactured by synthesising piezoelectric materials such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) with high purity and employing precise firing techniques. The frequency, amplitude, and stability of vibrations all depend on the quality of the ceramics, and even slight impurities or disorder in crystal structure affect performance. Japanese manufacturers have achieved industry-leading quality through the accumulation of manufacturing know-how over several decades.
What is more important still is that performance is unlikely to deteriorate even with long-term use. Piezoelectric ceramics in the lower price range sometimes experience weakening vibrations or frequency changes as use accumulates, but high-quality Japanese-made materials exhibit small temporal changes of this sort and tend to maintain stable performance over extended periods.
High-Frequency Components for RF (Radio Frequency)
RF facial devices and body care devices incorporate circuits that generate high-frequency electromagnetic waves. High-frequency components such as capacitors, inductors, and filters used in these circuits are areas where Japanese companies such as Murata Manufacturing, TDK, and Taiyo Yuden hold high global shares.
High-frequency components must suppress electromagnetic noise and transmit energy efficiently. Even slight deterioration in component quality causes problems such as heat generation, electromagnetic wave leakage, and performance instability. High-frequency components manufactured by Japanese makers clear rigorous quality standards, underpinning the safety and performance of beauty devices.
High-Quality Phosphor Materials for LEDs
Light-emitting elements used in LED facial devices employ phosphor materials that efficiently generate light of specific wavelengths. Japanese LED manufacturers, led by Nichia Corporation, have developed materials that can emit light at wavelengths anticipated to have beauty effects—red, blue, yellow, near-infrared—with high purity.
In LED beauty devices, wavelength accuracy is considered important. For example, red LEDs around 630 nanometres wavelength are generally thought to be effective for collagen production, and the precision of this wavelength is said to affect product performance. LED elements manufactured by Japanese makers possess high wavelength precision and characteristics that tend to maintain wavelength stability even with long-term use.
High-Performance Sensors
The latest beauty devices incorporate sensors that detect skin temperature, moisture content, contact pressure, and other factors. Japanese companies such as Omron, Keyence, and Hamamatsu Photonics hold high shares in these sensors.
Temperature sensors in particular are important components that ensure safety in RF facial devices and thermal beauty devices. The function that automatically stops the instant skin temperature exceeds a set value cannot be realised without high-precision temperature sensors. The high response speed and precision of Japanese-made sensors enable safe and effective beauty devices.
2.5 Specialised Coating Materials
The surfaces of beauty devices are often coated with thin films invisible to the eye, which greatly influence the usability and durability of products. Japan's surface treatment technology receives high regard globally, realising precise coatings at the nanometre level.
Waterproof Coatings
Waterproof beauty devices that can be used in the bath are treated with special coatings that protect electronic circuits from water. This is not mere waterproofing but requires durability whereby the coating resists peeling even with long-term use, whilst also preventing the intrusion of water vapour and moisture.
Water-repellent and oil-repellent coating materials developed by AGC and Nippon Paint Holdings use fluoropolymers and silicone polymers to realise superhydrophobicity whereby water droplets are completely repelled from the surface. Through this coating, water is unlikely to penetrate internally even with use around water, and the risk of malfunction is substantially reduced.
Antibacterial and Antifouling Coatings
In beauty devices that make direct contact with skin, antibacterial coatings that prevent bacterial growth are important. Antibacterial materials developed by Tosoh and Sekisui Chemical use silver ions and titania to inactivate bacteria adhering to surfaces.
This coating is characterised by the tendency for antibacterial effects to persist under appropriate usage conditions. Whilst antibacterial coatings in the lower price range may see effects decline over a relatively short period, Japanese-made high-quality materials retain excellent antibacterial performance over extended periods in many applications. This realises products that can be used long-term with hygienic reassurance.
Abrasion-Resistant Coatings
In roller-type facial devices and massage devices, it is important that the surfaces of metal and resin components resist abrasion. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating technology possessed by Sumitomo Electric Industries and Olympus dramatically increases surface hardness, realising extremely high abrasion resistance.
Moreover, this hard coating also possesses a smoothness that minimises irritation to skin. Because the coefficient of friction is low, it glides smoothly over skin, achieving both pleasant usability and durability.
Optical Coatings
LED facial devices and IPL hair removal devices employ coatings that efficiently transmit and reflect light. Multilayer film coating technology developed by Nippon Sheet Glass and HOYA can transmit only light of specific wavelengths whilst cutting unnecessary wavelengths.
This makes it possible to irradiate only light of wavelengths anticipated to have beauty effects, whilst cutting ultraviolet rays harmful to skin. This nanometre-level precise coating technology represents an application of techniques that Japan's optical industry has cultivated over many years, and maintains high technological superiority at present.
Chapter Three: Product Competitiveness Generated by the Superiority of Intermediate Materials
3.1 'Resistance to Breakage' = The Source of Reliability
In the beauty device market, one of the elements consumers value most highly is 'resistance to breakage'. When purchasing beauty devices costing tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand yen, consumers expect to be able to use them with confidence over extended periods. Whether this expectation can be met determines brand reliability.
Consider the case of home-use hair removal devices. Japanese-made hair removal devices enjoy strong support in Asian markets despite being priced higher than Chinese or South Korean products with equivalent functions. One important reason for this is 'resistance to breakage'.
A survey by a major beauty device manufacturer reported that the failure rate of hair removal devices using Japanese-made components declined markedly compared to products using overseas-made components. Particularly notable differences were observed in lamp lifespan, durability of cooling mechanisms, and the number of durable operations of switches and buttons.
This difference is directly linked to the quality of intermediate materials explained in Chapter Two. High-purity Japanese-made materials are used for the quartz glass in lamp sections, high-precision motors from manufacturers such as Nidec are adopted for cooling fan motors, and impact-resistant materials from manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Chemical are used for exterior resins. The quality of each of these individual components accumulates to realise the 'resistance to breakage' of the product as a whole.
The same applies to facial devices. In ultrasonic facial devices, transducer lifespan determines product lifespan. Products using piezoelectric ceramics in the lower price range may experience weakening vibrations or generation of abnormal sounds over a relatively short period, but products using piezoelectric ceramics from NGK Spark Plug or Tokin tend to be resistant to performance deterioration even with continued long-term use.
The roller sections of RF facial devices are also important. Products using synthetic rubbers in the lower price range may see surfaces abraded or hardened over a relatively short period, resulting in deteriorated usability. However, products using specialised synthetic rubbers from JSR or ZEON possess characteristics whereby they tend to maintain smooth tactile sensations close to those at the time of purchase even with long-term use.
This 'resistance to breakage' is directly linked to word-of-mouth evaluations. On social media and review sites, comments such as 'still working after long-term use' or 'few problems despite daily use' exert considerable influence on the decision-making of consumers considering purchases. Particularly in Asian markets, this high durability is recognised as 'the reason for choosing Japanese products'.
Furthermore, resistance to breakage is positive from an environmental perspective as well. Because frequent replacement is unnecessary, this leads to waste reduction. Recently, interest in the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and sustainability is growing, and the value of 'products that can be used for a long time' is attracting attention. The high durability of Japanese-made beauty devices accords with this trend as well.
The structure whereby long-term performance maintenance directly translates into acquisition of user trust will become increasingly important in future. And it is high-quality Japanese-made intermediate materials that form the foundation of that reliability.
3.2 Construction of Safety Evidence
Beauty devices are products that make direct contact with skin and sometimes apply heat, light, or electrical stimulation. Therefore, ensuring safety is the highest priority, and Japanese products possess considerable superiority in this respect.
Japanese beauty devices are manufactured under rigorous legal regulations called the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act. Some beauty devices are classified as 'medical devices', in which case approval as medical devices must be obtained. Even for general beauty devices not classified as medical devices, standards of the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act (PSE mark) must be cleared.
To clear these regulations, accumulation of safety test data at the materials level is indispensable. Materials that touch skin must undergo skin irritation tests, sensitisation tests, cytotoxicity tests, and other examinations to scientifically prove safety. Japanese materials manufacturers possess abundant such test data and have established systems for providing it to beauty device manufacturers.
For example, Shin-Etsu Chemical's silicone rubbers have a usage record spanning several decades as medical device grade materials, and their safety evidence is well established. When developing new beauty devices, using materials with such proven track records enables shortening of development periods and risk reduction.
Moreover, traceability in manufacturing processes is also important. In the unlikely event that a problem occurs with a product, it must be possible to immediately identify which lot of material, made from which raw materials, was used. Japanese materials manufacturers possess systems that record and manage all processes from raw material procurement through manufacturing to shipment.
This traceability is useful not only for responding when problems occur but also for preventive quality control. By analysing quality data for each lot, signs of even slight quality fluctuations can be detected early, and countermeasures can be taken before problems become manifest.
Furthermore, using Japanese-made intermediate materials is also advantageous for regulatory compliance in global markets. Each country has its own safety standards, such as the CE mark in Europe and FDA approval in the United States. Japanese-made materials often possess data corresponding to these international standards, and approval acquisition when exporting tends to become relatively smooth.
Indeed, cases are observed where Chinese and South Korean beauty device manufacturers, when advancing into European and American markets, facilitate proof of safety by adopting Japanese-made intermediate materials. The very use of Japanese-made materials serves as a signal demonstrating 'consideration for safety'.
From the consumer perspective as well, safety evidence is important. In recent years, reports of burns and skin troubles caused by beauty devices have increased, and consumer safety awareness has heightened. The indication 'Made in Japan' has become an important element that gives consumers a sense of reassurance, and what forms the basis of that reassurance is thorough safety management at the materials level.
3.3 Materials Development Capability That Enables Technological Innovation
The beauty device industry is a market that constantly demands new technologies and functions. Consumer needs grow more sophisticated year by year: more effective beauty care, more comfortable usability, effects perceived in shorter timeframes. The key to realising such technological innovation is the capability to develop new materials.
The development of new materials is indispensable for realising new functions. For example, 'hot-cold facial devices', which have attracted attention in recent years, are products that enhance pore care and skin tightening effects by instantly switching between warm and cold modes. Realising this function requires materials that can withstand rapid temperature changes, materials that can differentiate between thermal conductivity and thermal insulation.
Japanese materials manufacturers have responded to such new requirements through improvement of existing materials and development of new materials. Mitsubishi Chemical has developed polymer materials possessing temperature responsiveness, providing materials whose properties change at specific temperatures. This has realised facial devices in which cooling effects automatically activate according to skin temperature.
Moreover, recently a new category called 'wearable beauty devices' has emerged. LED masks that can be worn whilst doing housework or working are examples of this. Such products require materials that are lightweight and flexible, yet unlikely to burden skin even with long-term wearing.
JSR has responded to this need by developing elastomer materials that achieve both flexibility and strength. Conventional plastics were too hard to fit the face, and conventional rubbers lacked durability, but JSR's new materials combine both characteristics.
Close collaboration between Japanese materials manufacturers and beauty device manufacturers is also a factor accelerating technological innovation. In Japan, a culture whereby materials manufacturers conduct joint research and development with final product manufacturers is well established. When beauty device manufacturers convey needs such as 'we want to realise this kind of function' to materials manufacturers, materials manufacturers provide prototype materials within several months to a year, and develop optimal materials whilst repeatedly conducting evaluations with actual equipment.
This integrative capability of 'materials × design' is precisely the distinctive strength that Japan's beauty device industry possesses. Whilst overseas manufacturers often create products by combining off-the-shelf materials, Japanese manufacturers can develop 'special materials exclusively for this product'.
For example, in the RF Beauté series developed by Ya-Man, proprietary electrode materials are used. These materials were jointly developed by Ya-Man and materials manufacturers to minimise contact resistance with skin and enable efficient transmission of RF waves. Such proprietary materials generate distinctiveness that competing companies cannot easily imitate.
In this manner, materials development capability determines the speed and distinctiveness of technological innovation. The integrative capability of 'materials × design', which other companies find difficult to imitate, is precisely the source enabling Japanese beauty device manufacturers to maintain sustained competitive superiority.
Moreover, materials development requires a long-term perspective. It is not uncommon for new material development to require five or ten years from fundamental research to commercialisation. Japanese chemical manufacturers conduct such long-term investment continuously, advancing materials development with an eye to future market needs.
Recently, development of environmentally conscious materials has also become an important theme. Development of new materials emphasising sustainability—biodegradable plastics, recyclable materials, non-petroleum-derived biomass materials—is becoming increasingly active. Japanese chemical manufacturers possess high technical capabilities in this field as well, advancing technology development that achieves both environmental performance and product performance.
The superiority of intermediate materials is not merely about 'using good materials'. Reliability through resistance to breakage, safety based on scientific evidence, and materials development capability enabling continuous technological innovation. Through the combination of these three elements, Japanese beauty devices maintain a certain competitive superiority in the global market.
Japan's True Strength Lies in 'Invisible Technology'
When one sees the indication 'Made in Japan' on beauty devices, many people might imagine products assembled within Japan. However, as this article has revealed, the true value of Japanese-made beauty devices exists not in the assembly processes of final products but precisely in the intermediate materials that constitute the products.
High-performance resins, medical-grade polymers, specialised synthetic rubbers, precision electronic materials. These materials and components are invisible from the exterior of products. Yet they are core elements that determine product performance, safety, and durability, and represent fields where Japanese chemical and materials manufacturers possess high competitiveness. Without these intermediate materials supplied by companies such as Mitsubishi Chemical, Sumitomo Chemical, Shin-Etsu Chemical, JSR, ZEON, NGK Spark Plug, and Tokin, high-quality beauty devices cannot be produced.
This structure, as stated at the outset, resembles that of the semiconductor industry. Whilst Japan has fallen behind in the manufacture of semiconductor chips as final products, it commands 50 to 90 per cent of the global share in manufacturing materials such as silicon wafers and photoresists, shouldering an important part of the industry. In the beauty device industry as well, a division-of-labour structure is observed whereby 'assembly is overseas, materials are Japanese', and the reality is that Japanese intermediate materials play an important role in core aspects regardless of where final product brands or assembly locations may be.
Why does Japan possess strong competitiveness in intermediate materials? This lies in the research and development environment accumulated over several decades and the quality control culture rooted in the workplace. Industry-academia collaboration with universities and research institutions, fundamental research investment with a long-term perspective, continuous improvement activities represented by kaizen, an obsession with zero defects. These cannot be constructed overnight, and at present constitute great strengths that other countries cannot easily emulate.
This accumulation of technology and quality control culture precisely constitutes a barrier to entry. If factories are constructed and equipment introduced, assembly becomes possible. However, the ability to stably manufacture high-performance materials, maintain rigorous quality standards, and respond to customers' detailed requirement specifications is rooted in accumulated technology and culture, and is difficult to acquire in a short period.
Amid intensifying competition in global markets, the key to Japan's beauty device industry maintaining sustained superiority lies in this 'invisible technology'. Rather than competing in final products, maintaining principal competitive superiority through supplying indispensable intermediate materials. This is the effective strategic position for Japanese manufacturing.