Kyoichi Tanaka
editKyoichi Tanaka | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 8 July 1931 |
| Died | 10 March 2024 |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Known for | Contact lens manufacturing |
| Children | Hidenari Tanaka, Kazuko Tanaka |
Kyoichi Tanaka (田中恭一, July 8, 1931 – March 10, 2024) was a prominent Japanese businessman. He founded Menicon Co., Ltd and served as the chairman of Menicon Co., Ltd. He was born in the town of Kisogawa, Aichi Prefecture in Japan. He invented the first Japanese contact lens.
Inventing the contact lens from Scratch
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In 1950, Kyoichi Tanaka started working at Tamamizuya optical shop. It was there that he heard of contact lenses for the first time from the wife of a U.S. Army officer.[1]
Inspired by this idea and with tremendous effort and research, he developed the first corneal contact lens in Japan in 1951.[1]
A commemorative plaque is installed at Tamamizuya (Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya) marking this important contribution.[1][2]
- 1951, Completed the first contact lens, completely original product by himself
- 1952, Established Nippon contact lens research center
- 1957, Established Nippon Contact Lens company and becomes CEO and president
- 1964, Exhibited Japan's first soft contact lens at the 8th Japan Contact Lens Society meeting
- 1965, Changed name from Nippon Contact Lens to Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.
- 1967, Menicon was registered as a trademark
- 1982, Menicon Co., Ltd was established by separation of Sales department of Toyo Contact Lens Co., Ltd.
- 1987, The whole company was re-integrated under the new name of Menicon Co., Ltd.
- 2000, He became the chairman of the company and his son became the president
- 1982, Javal Award from International Optometry Contact Lens Committee
- 1991, prize from International Eye Contact Lens Association
- 1992, Takagi Award from from Minute Measurement Technique Foundation
- 1992, Social Insurance Agency Director-general's Award
- 1992, 6th Chunichi Industry Technology Prize from Chunichi Shimbun
- 1995, Blue Ribbon Medal (Award ceremony at Imperial Palace)
Carving Art
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Kyoichi Tanaka's hobby was carving, inspired by his father. He started by carving on bamboo and then shifting to wood and carving Darumas on wood. In 1995, he held Daruma carving charity auction. 1997, he held Daruma's Traces a one-man exhibition at Ikonen Art Museum in Frankfurt, Germany.[2]
In 2018, he published his collection of artwork in the book "The World of Bodhidharma Carvings: Mind's Eye".[3]
Quotation
edit"Kaigen" (enlightenment) is one of my favorite words. For those living with weak vision, contact lenses are indeed a Kaigen (eye opener). In my life, the path to "Kaigen" has been the making of contact lenses. [2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Menicon History". Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Jojima, Akihiko (March 2004). Kaigen, Kyoichi Tanaka's half century with contact lenses. Menicon Co., Ltd.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Tanaka, Kyoichi (March 2018). The World of the Bodhidharma Engraving: Mind's Eye (in Japanese). Menicon.