Fujifilm marks opening of headquarters with Japanese Kagami Biraki ceremony
In October Fujifilm UK Limited opened its new UK headquarters in Bedford, where company operations have been based for almost 40 years.
In a nod to the company’s Japanese heritage, Fujifilm House was officially opened with a traditional Japanese Kagami Biraki ceremony in which the lid of a sake barrel is smashed open to represent good fortune, harmony and new beginnings.
The fusion of Fujifilm’s long-standing presence in Bedford and its Japanese heritage is represented throughout the building’s design, most prominently through the shoji screens decorating the exterior, which are inspired by Bedford’s lace making history.
Fujifilm UK managing director Tom Watanabe said: “It is from Fujifilm House that we will continue to contribute to our communities in Bedford, the UK and Ireland, and around the world. I truly believe that the innovators of today and leaders of tomorrow are here in Bedford, and I am so excited when I think what this next chapter at Fujifilm holds for us.”
Attendees at the opening were invited on a tour, making a stop at the Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan demo suite where Fujifilm’s healthcare portfolio across medical imaging and community diagnostics was showcased.
At the event, director of the Office for Life Sciences Roz Campion commented: “I am pleased to have the opportunity to celebrate the value of innovation your company brings to the UK across the entire economy. I see the strong and positive relationship between the UK and Fujifilm as a microcosm of the lasting partnership between the UK and Japan.”
Attendees viewed an exhibition titled ‘A force for good’, which highlights some of Fujifilm’s recent impacts across its UK workforce, national and local charity partners and creative industries, demonstrating its contribution to Fujifilm Group’s Sustainable Value Plan 2030, which sets out further measures to resolve social issues through global business activities.
Lead picture: Mayor Dave Hodgson of Bedford Borough Council, minister Kyoichiro Kawakami from the Japanese Embassy in the UK and director of the Office for Life Sciences Roz Campion joined Fujifilm UK’s Tom Watanabe and Duncan Edgar in a Kagami Biraki ceremony.
Published on page 5 of the December 2022 issue of RAD Magazine.