Company Profile
Corporate Profile
| Company Name | KOJI HONPO CO., LTD. |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 2-26-1 Matsugaya, Taitou-ku, Tokyo, 111-0036, JAPAN |
| TEL | +81-3-3842-0221 |
| FAX | +81-3-3845-1572 |
| Factories | Ichikawa Factory, Mobara Factory, Senzawa Factory |
| President | Yoshinori Kobayashi |
| Employees | 95 *As of April 2012 |
| Date of Foundation | April 1960 |
| Registered capital | One hundred million yen / JPY 100,000,000 |
| Bank accounts | Mizuho Bank, Asakusa Branch Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Nippori Branch |
| Business activities | Manufacture, sales, import, export and copyrighting of products including cosmetics, cosmetic tools, false eyelashes, eye make-up, nail polish, nail care, character products, and related products. |
| Major sales channels | Department stores, general merchandise stores, convenience stores, drugstore and others in approximately 20,000 locations |
| Contracted dealers | Approximately 100 companies *as of March 2009 |
Corporate History
| 1927 | Koji Kobayashi started a business manufacturing headdresses and hair ornaments. |
|---|---|
| 1946 | Company name changed to Kobayashi Koji Kesho-ryo Honpo. *"Kesho-ryo" means "cosmetics"; "Honpo" means "specialist store". |
| 1947 | Launched Japan's first false eyelash product, TSUKE-MATSUGE (literally, "false eyelashes"). |
| 1949 | Launched Japan's first eyebrow make-up in pencil form. |
| 1950 | Began the export of false eyelashes. |
| 1954 | Company's name changed to Koji Honpo. |
| 1960 | Registered corporate name as Koji Honpo Co., Ltd. Founder Koji Kobayashi assumed the post of president. |
| 1965 | Established subsidiary company in Korea. |
| 1967 | Entered into the wig market. |
| 1969 | Established sales office in Osaka. |
| 1970 | Established branch in Fukuoka. Established branch in Sapporo. |
| 1971 | Completed new headquarters. |
| 1972 | Released the MELLOW brand of false eyelashes. |
| 1973 | Released the DUO brand of false eyelashes. |
| 1974 | Released the JILL brand of false eyelashes. |
| 1975 | Released CHARM CHANGE, a hair-dye product for covering grey hair. |
| 1976 | Established the Dusty Miller Enterprise division, which handles rights, character goods and sales. http://www.osamugoods.com/ Concluded an exclusive contract with illustrator Osamu Harada. Initiated commercial activities in the character goods industry with OSAMUGOODS. Ichikawa Factory completed and began operations focusing on the manufacturing of adhesive products. |
| 1979 | Obtained authorization for the manufacturing of cosmetics. |
| 1980 | Established Osaka sales branch. Launched EYETALK, a new make-up cosmetic designed to create artificial folds in the eyelid. |
| 1981 | Concluded copyright contract with KLIBAN. |
| 1982 | Completed second headquarters. |
| 1983 | Launched the MIA cosmetics brand. Yoshikazu Kobayashi assumed the post of president. |
| 1983 | Completed third headquarters. |
| 1984 | Launched the JM cosmetics brand. Launched the MINETTE false eyelashes brand. |
| 1986 | Released the FULLSESH nail care brand. Released the FILAGE occasion and party make-up brand. Ichikawa Factory expanded. |
| 1987 | Released the CONTE DU MIA cosmetics brand. |
| 1988 | Completed fifth headquarters. Began copyright business including character design-related copyright. |
| 1990 | Opened the Soda Foundation showroom in Daikanyama, Tokyo. |
| 1991 | Ichikawa Branch Factory extended and completed. |
| 1993 | Released the OSAMU GOODS STYLE brand. Released EYETALK Waterproof, a make-up product for eyelids. Obtained a license for manufacturing quasi-drugs |
| 1994 | Merged with Dusty Miller Co., Ltd. |
| 1995 | Released the MATSUGE MATE brand of eye make-up. Released the ETTIQUETE & TRAVEL brand of portable products. |
| 1996 | Released a new eyelash curler, the ACCENT CURLER. |
| 1997 | Released the NAILIST nail polish brand. Released the Pencil EYETALK and TWO-WAY EYETALK make-up products for eyelids. |
| 1998 | Released the MEN'S SERIES brand of products for men. Released the ULA and MAGGIE MAY brands of make-up. |
| 2001 | Mobara Factory was completed and began operations. |
| 2002 | Established Overseas Division. |
| 2004 | Launched the NATURAL EYETALK and ACTIVE EYETALK make-up products for eyelids. Launched the SPRINGHEART cosmetics brand. Launched TUCK in TAPE, a make-up product for eyelids. Released CLEAR EYETALK, a make-up product for eyelids. |
| 2006 | Released TAKAKO style, a new brand created in collaboration with make-up artist TAKAKO. |
| 2008 | Appointed actress Tomoka Kurotani as the face of Koji Honpo 2008. |
| 2009 | Appointed actor Hiroki Narimiya as the face of Koji Honpo 2009. Released Dolly Wink, a new brand produced by Tsubasa Masuwaka. |
| 2011 | Sho-hin Center (Senzawa Factory) was completed and began operations. |
| 2012 | Established Kita Nihon (North Japan) sales office. |