Bridgestone opens 'innovation hub' in Tokyo

TOKYO—Bridgestone Corp. has inaugurated operations at its global innovation hub in Tokyo's Kodaira City district, roughly two years after it began work on the project.

Built on the site of a long-since closed tire factory, the Bridgestone Innovation Park is intended to "accelerate innovation to realize and support a sustainable society," the company said during an inauguration ceremony held at the site about 20 miles west of central Tokyo.

Bridgestone broke ground on the facility, which features an innovation center and a proving ground, in early 2020.

The facility is designed to "promote interaction with empathy among various stakeholders about Bridgestone's history and its vision toward 2050," the company added.

Bridgestone did not disclose its investment in the project nor say how many employees eventually will work there.

Bridgestone opened a tire plant on the site in 1960 and added a technology center there two years alter that has served as the company's core research and development site.

The new B-Innovation and B-Mobility units are designed to "accelerate innovation" by facilitating interaction co-creation among internal and external stakeholders, Bridgestone said.

At B-Innovation, employees can view and engage with core Bridgestone technologies and products with the aim of giving rise to new ideas. It also houses a prototyping studio and "co-creation office" open to external partners.

B-Mobility is a proving ground that can be used to evaluate the performance and potential of prototype mobility technologies and products, Bridgestone noted.

The site also eventually will house the:

• Bridgestone Innovation Gallery (currently known as Bridgestone TODAY), a museum dedicated to Bridgestone history and innovation initiatives; designed to engage customers, partners and the local community through the Bridgestone story.
• Bridgestone AHL Arena, a barrier-free activity center providing access to sports for people of all ages and abilities; designed to promote a more diverse and inclusive society in alignment with the company's Active Healthy Lifestyle values and its Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partnerships.