Page 81 - Forbes - USA (March 2020)

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Canon to expand its lineup of diagnostic imaging equipment. 8K immersive live viewing at Canon's Tokyo headquarters.

cannot be seen with the naked eye.” Serving Professionals and Canon’s Free Viewpoint Video System is
That’s not to say Mitarai is ignoring the con- Innovating Imagery comprised of cameras installed around the
ventional applications of network cameras The Canon name has long been synonymous perimeter of the field, producing computer-
and their potential to help realize a safer, more with consumer cameras, but this market has generated video that provides a new perspec-
secure society. matured as many of the original user needs tive of the game.
Mitarai also sees uses in marketing: “Net- can now be met by smartphones. Mitarai “The images from the cameras are immedi-
work cameras can be used in places like super- wants his company to focus its efforts else- ately processed by computers and television
markets to gather data on purchases made by where, including the professional user market. viewers can observe events from virtually the
certain demographics from specific shelves. I “When we talk about the shrinking camera same level as the crowd in the stadium. It is
believe that this technology can be used to market we are really only talking about con- also possible to trace individual on-field plays,
create a more convenient society,” he says. sumer cameras. The market for professional- and to use computer processing to view them
He cites potential smart cities as a catalyst level cameras used by the media and those from different perspectives,” Mitarai says.
for the future development of the network who shoot sporting events will not disappear. He sees possibilities for strategic analysis in
camera market, envisaging the technol- These are areas where smartphones can’t such sports as American football and to help
ogy connecting such institutions as schools, meet user needs,” he says. referees determine rule violations from posi-
broadcasters and hospitals. Beginning with the Rugby World Cup in tions they cannot see for themselves. “This will
Mitarai’s M&A strategy is also proving a suc- 2019, Japan is set to host a number of global transform the way people watch sports,” he
cess in the field of commercial printing, identi- sporting events over the next several years. adds.
fied as one of Canon’s new core businesses. Mitarai himself played a leading role during Looking ahead, you can be certain that
Canon acquired Océ, based in Venlo, the the Rugby World Cup as Chairman of the Mitarai and his staff have plans for Canon to
Netherlands, in 2010, but the company that is Organizing Committee. continue to create new image expressions
expected to revolutionize high-volume, high- Canon maintains a strong connection that change the way people view sports
speed printing continued to operate under to sports, including event sponsorship and as the third decade of the 21st century gets
its original name. Last year, Océ’s business media support, and has actively honed its underway.
division recognized the advantage of adopt- technological capabilities, including the Free
ing the Canon brand name, and effective Viewpoint Video System, capture and display
from January 2020, the company has been of high-resolution 8K images, and immersive
rebranded as Canon Production Printing— widescreen viewing experiences. Canon pro-
making Océ, already a fully fledged member duced video content that allowed viewers to
of the Canon Group, a member in name as feel like they were right in the middle of the
well. action.

A native of Kyushu, Japan, Fujio Mitarai decided not to follow his father and brothers into medi-
cal school, but instead joined Canon where his uncle served as the first President. Five years
later he was posted to Canon’s U.S. headquarters. He stayed for 23 years, eventually becoming
President of Canon U.S.A. Back in Japan, he was later appointed President of Canon Inc. before
becoming Chairman and CEO. Fujio Mitarai
Chairman and CEO, Canon Inc.
global.canon

Japan 3