Materiality 2 Contributing to Healthy, Safe, Secure Lives
Basic Ideas and Visions
"Healthy, safe and secure lives" is a common desire for all people. By further mastering the "Observation, Measurement, and Analysis" (measurement and analysis technology) that we have cultivated up until now, the Hitachi High-Tech Group will contribute to a future where people can continue to live healthy and fulfilling lives, centered on three fields of medicine, water/ food, and social infrastructure.
Action Targets
1. Expand access to preventive medicine
By developing and providing testing systems that enable highly-efficient diagnoses, we will help to shorten testing times, increase the number of people who receive health checkups, and reduce testing fees. In addition, by developing and providing clinical analyzers and genetic analysis systems, we will respond to the higher needs for personalized medicine and contribute to the promotion of preventive medicine and to curbing medical expenditures.
2. Ensure the safety of water and food
We will help prevent the accumulation of hazardous substances in water, food, the human body, and elsewhere by developing and providing testing systems specialized for specific markets. In addition, we will supply safe water and support people’s safe lives by providing measurement systems for filtered water and drainage in water and sewage systems.
3. Ensure the safety of social infrastructure
By realizing non-destructive rapid diagnosis and predictive diagnosis for structures such as roadways, tunnels, railways, and airports, we will contribute to ensuring the safety of social infrastructure and support the safe lives of people.
Action Plan
Analytical & Medical Solutions
Nano-Technology Solutions
Value Chain Solutions
Core Technology Solutions
Content of Initiative
Action Targets 1 Expand access to preventive medicine
FY2021 Results
Providing products and services that support more efficient and faster inspection operations
We promoted the provision of testing equipment for small and medium-sized hospitals, which were launched in FY2020. This contributed to simplifying and streamlining testing, thereby contributing to prompt diagnosis. In FY2021, our immunoanalyzers continued to be used to detect antibodies of COVID-19 and are contributing to the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In collaboration with Fujita Academy, we also continue to coordinate research that contributes to finding solutions for issues of technology, devices, and operational efficiency in the front lines of healthcare.
Clinical test devices used at hospitals, testing organizations, and so on
Initiatives toward achievement of the 2024 Mid-term Management Plan
1. Provide molecular diagnostic testing services and equipment
Contributing to the diagnosis and treatment of intractable diseases (cancer, etc.) by providing testing services and equipment in molecular diagnostics
Clinical trials are becoming increasingly important as information necessary for proper diagnosis of diseases and selection of therapeutic agents to tackle the social issues of ever-increasing medical costs and maintenance of the national health insurance system. Hitachi High-Tech is entering the molecular diagnostics business to address these challenges. As part of this effort, in May 2022, we began partnering with Invivoscribe, Inc., a US inspection service company. We will also continue our collaboration with Nabsys Inc. of the United States in the field of structural analysis of the human genome. In the future, we will not only continue to provide high-precision testing equipment for genes and proteins, but also test services that provide physicians and patients with test results that show the suitability and effectiveness of treatment and medication for individual patients. Hitachi High-Tech will also provide new value in the healthcare field through the fusion of leading-edge analysis and automation technology and digital technology.
Topic
Infectious Disease Testing Support Solutions
Aiming for early determination of treatment plans with less physical burden, where patients can receive appropriate and adequate doses of medication
The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria due to the abuse of anti-microbials and the repeated development of further new drugs, resulting in pandemics, is a worldwide problem. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has also announced that drug-resistant bacteria is projected to be the leading cause of death in 2050, so there is an urgent need to address this issue. Hitachi High-Tech’s scanning electron microscopes enables it to capture minute changes in the shape of the bacteria in a short time and quickly identify whether the bacteria are resistant or not. The earlier the pathogens are identified, the sooner a treatment plan can be determined and appropriate and adequate drugs can be administered, thereby reducing the physical burden and life-threatening effects of disease for both humans and livestock. Hitachi High-Tech will continue to promote the use of scanning electron microscopes to accelerate drug resistance testing and will continue its initiatives to make medical care that reduces the physical burden and time required to treat infectious diseases a reality.
Action Targets 2 Ensure the safety of water and food
FY2021 Results
Providing equipment and services to detect hazardous substances to help prevent accumulation of hazardous substances in soil, water, and humans
Hazardous substances contained in electrical and electronic equipment are regulated by EU regulations known as the RoHS Directive and other laws and regulations in each country. Hitachi High-Tech contributes to preventing the spread of substances that pose a health hazard through its equipment that detects hazardous substances at the product inspection and material acceptance inspection stages. In FY2021, we developed an equipment data collection system compliant with RoHS applications. This was connected to our IoT service portal ExTOPEⓇ and then to analyzers at each of our customers’ sites to achieve real-time and centralized management of data. This connectivity enables more efficient management and prompt investigation of the cause and countermeasures in the event of a product or part failure, thereby supporting the launch of safe and secure products that do not emit hazardous substances.
Initiatives toward achievement of the 2024 Mid-term Management Plan
2. Provide screening tests for hazardous substances
Contribute the control of the spread of hazardous substances, also complying with newly regulated substances
Hitachi High-Tech is currently developing equipment that can measure substances that are expected to be added to the RoHS Directive regulations regarding the restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. In addition to the RoHS Directive, we are also preparing to comply with laws and regulations regarding the control of the diffusion of hazardous substances set forth by each country. In the realm of hazardous substance analysis, we not only develop analyzers, but also perform contracted analysis on behalf of our customers. Analysis of highly toxic chemical substances requires advanced techniques for pretreatment and measurement. So by contracting this work to Hitachi High-Tech, the presence and content of hazardous substances can be safely confirmed. These services help customers stem the risk of their products failing environmental regulations and of lost business opportunities. In this area, Hitachi High-Tech supports sustainable manufacturing and business growth, while also contributing to protecting a healthy global environment.
Action Targets 3 Ensure the safety of social infrastructure
FY2021 Results
Contribute to the maintenance of a safe social infrastructure by providing hazardous material detection equipment
We continue to develop and provide devices that detect hazardous materials as a security measure in critical public infrastructure facilities, airports, and event venues, thereby contributing to the protection of community safety.
Contribute to the development and heightened stability of telecommunications infrastructure through the sale of optical communications components for use in highspeed, ultra-long-distance transmission equipment
We continued to sell optical communication components used in high-speed and long-distance transmission equipment. Our equipment is being adopted in next-generation high-speed communications equipment and contributed to ensuring the stability of the communications infrastructure and new lifestyles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Initiatives toward achievement of the 2024 Mid-term Management Plan
3. Provide engineering services for photonic integrated circuits (PICs)
Began providing product development and design consulting services in response to new trends in the development of high-speed, long-distance transmission equipment, contributing to the development and heightened stability of telecommunications infrastructure
Hitachi High-Tech made an engineering company with new design technology for optical integrated circuits into a subsidiary and established a structure that enables it to provide total services from design to product development. This is in response to the demand for higher speed, smaller, and lower power consumption of high-speed and long-distance transmission equipment. In addition to continuing to adopt our products for large-scale data centers and core communication networks, we will continue to uncover new needs, aiming to contribute to areas such as autonomous driving and healthcare by utilizing our new design technology. Through these efforts, we will contribute to the development of social infrastructure, including telecommunications, and to further electricity conservation and reduction of CO2 emissions.
