Company History

The birth of Lion

Founder Tomijiro Kobayashi established T. Kobayashi & Co. on the Yanagihara riverside in Kanda, Tokyo, to trade in soap and raw materials for matches

Lion's first social contribution initiative

Began a social contribution program using charity coupons printed on packets of Lion Toothpowder

Japan's first toothpaste for children

Held first oral hygiene lecture
Launched Kodomo Toothpowder (today Kodomo Toothpaste) for schoolchildren

Japan's first plant-derived laundry soap

Launched plant-derived Lion Laundry Soap

Japan's first dental clinic for children

Opened a dental clinic for children (renamed the Lion Dental Clinic for Children in 1938)

Spreading better laundry washing methods

Opened the Family Laundry Information Service Center (renamed the Lion Laundry Science Laboratories in 1936 and the Household Science Laboratories in 1957)

Launched Lipon F, Japan's first kitchen detergent for washing fruits, vegetables and tableware. Lipon F was the first product endorsed by the Japan Food Hygiene Association.

Launched dental hygiene activities for mothers and their children (later named the "Tanpopo Initiative")

Launched the laundry detergent Dash, containing alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS), a new, highly biodegradable surfactant

Established the Environmental Problems Countermeasures Committee

Created phosphate-free detergent, ahead of the industry

Moved ahead of the times to develop an early phospate-free detergent and released it as Seseragi

Launched Murin Top (Enzyme Power Top), Lion's first majorly successful phosphate-free detergent

Founded Lion Oleochemical Co., Ltd., which produced highly biodegradable raw surfactant materials from palm oil

Established the Environmental Action Promotion Committee (renamed Environmental conservation committee in 2004, Sustainability Promotion meeting in 2019)

Launched Spark laundry detergent with environmentally friendly plant-based ingredients derived from palm oil

Received the Minister of International Trade and Industry Award as a consumer-oriented excellent company
Published the Company's first Environmental Report

All of Lion's factories received ISO 14001 certification

ECO LION Declaration

Established the Lion Eco Standards as a set of new criteria for product environmental friendliness
Established the Lion Forest in Yamanashi

Received the 16th Grand Prize for the Global Environment Award

Became the first manufacturer to receive Eco First certification from the Ministry of the Environment and participated in the "Eco First Program" proclamation

Began participating in the United Nations Global Compact
Announced its support for the United Nations Global Compact and joined the Global Compact Network Japan

Released TOP NANOX super-concentrated liquid laundry detergent, formulated with plant-based high-detergency ingredient MEE for easy, one-rinse washing and environmental friendliness (this product was rereleased as TOP SUPER NANOX in 2016)

Announced Eco Vision 2020, a set of environmental targets

Launched an environmental logo and environmental label as a means of communicating environmental information to consumers through products

Announced LION Eco Challenge 2050, a set of long-term environmental objectives

Announced the Lion Group Sustainability Material Issues and Objectives for 2030