In 1950, Kyoichi Tanaka- the man who would one day become the chairman of Menicon- was 20 years old and employed at a Tamamizuya opticians shop.

It was while working there that he first heard the wife of a U.S. army officer refer to “contact lenses”, something he had never heard before. Intrigued, he immersed himself in research on contact lenses, and in 1951 succeeded in developing the first corneal contact lens in Japan.

A commemorative plate is now displayed on the window of the Tamamizuya store in Nishiki Naka-ku, Nagoya, proclaiming the establishment as the “Birthplace of Contact Lenses” in Japan. Over the intervening years, Menicon has achieved several milestones.

One of Menicon’s greatest achievements has been the development of Menicon Z-   unique combination of material chemistry and manufacturing technology- the world’s only Hyper DK rigid gas permeable contact lens approved by the FDA for up to 30 days continuous wear.