Encouragement Award for Technology Development

The Encouragement Award for Technology Development granted by Nihon Shinbun Kyokai.

Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (The Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association)awarded the Encouragement Award for Technology Development to the Iwata UD Font. The award aims at honoring the quality of newspaper production technology in terms of possibilities and is awarded to a manufacturer that has contributed to such development. Iwata is the first award-winning font manufacturer.

The commendation ceremony took place at the grand conference room of Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda Ward) on March 14, 2008. President Koichiro Mizuno participated in the ceremony and received a certificate of commendation and a silver medal in front of the representatives of the member companies of Nihon Shinbun Kyokai from all over Japan.

Launching Iwata Universal Design Font

Launching of the Iwata Universal Design Font, the font developed from the viewpoint of universal design

Iwata Corporation has developed jointly with Panasanic Corporation (former Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.) the Universal Design Font (UD Font) based on the viewpoint of universal design. The product was launched as Iwata UD Font on July 10th.

Iwata UD Font is characterized by the following:

  • Easy to read for the amblyopic and those who have dyslexia
  • Rarely misread even with smaller sized characters
  • Good legibility even with modifications (such as a compressed character style)
  • High designability that keeps the beauty of the typeface

Iwata UD Font presented as a new eye-friendly font

Iwata UD Font presented as a new eye-friendly font.

Iwata Corporation, in joint development with Panasonic Corporation (former Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.), has completed the Iwata UD Font, an eye-friendly font based on the viewpoint of universal design.

The font will be released on July 10 and a press conference and PR presentation were held (June 27, 2006 at Toshiba Ginza Building ).

Attracting many attendees from newspapers, publishing companies, manufacturers, as well as universal design researchers, the presentation was extremely successful.
At the presentation, Mr. Mano, a design engineer and a leader of the universal design team at the Panasonic Design Company, a group company of Panasonic Corporation, gave a detailed explanation on Panasonic’s efforts in universal design and the examination of fonts from the viewpoint of UD. Director and Technical Manager Mizuno from the Iwata Corporation spoke about the development and digitalization of the UD Font.

Page 3 of 3123