Newsweek Special Article on Sanwa: The power behind the internet

The power of internet has transformed business, society and our daily lives and will continue to do so as increasingly faster fiber-optic broadband enables the expansion of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as the Internet of Things, Cloud and Big Data. Back in 1983 during the early days of the internet, a Japanese company Called Sanwa Denki Kogyo developed fiber optic connectors that remain essential to the functioning of telecommunications networks to this day. The rapid progress in broadband and mobile technologies continues to advance the optical communications industry and how the world communicates at a staggering rate. As one of the pioneers of the web since those early days, Sanwa will continue to develop and manufacture products to enhance network performance and discover intelligent solutions for the data-driven fourth industrial revolution era. Drawing on its decades of experience in developing innovative internet technologies, president Yasuo Ishii believes Sanwa can be at the forefront of the data communication Market. “With the rise of IoT and Big Data, everything will be network-related. The Fourth Industrial Revolution presents a massive opportunity for us,” says Mr. Ishii. “Since the beginning of the fiber-optic network, we have provided optical components, like our optical adapters and connectors, and technical services to data centers all over the world for decades. Nowadays, our market is moving to data communications and we have to analyze to what extend we can move into the data market. There is an important market share for us to acquire by providing solutions to data center and support IoT.” In Japan, Sanwa’s optical outlets can be found in almost every home with fiber-to-the home (FTTH) broadband. The company has worked in partnership with telecommunication firm NTT to bring FTTH to homes across the nation. “In terms of fiber optic network penetration, Japan is far beyond other nations and we expect drastic growth in this field,” adds Mr. Ishii. Having helped Japan to develop one of the most sophisticated and expansive fiber-optic networks in the world, Sanwa is now setting its sights on partnering with telecommunications firms in the U.S. to expand FTTH connectivity with its high-quality products. Like most Japanese companies, Sanwa has focused on strengthening its overseas presence due to the shrinking domestic market, and Mr. Ishii sees great potential in the U.S. Mr. Ishii is confident on reaching the overseas objectives, because he knows he can offer prospective partners in the U.S. and across the world the highest-quality network connectors and fiber-optical solutions that continue to outpace the quality and capabilities of similar products on the market.  “We are moving from Sanwa Japan to Sanwa International. We intend to embrace the opportunities the world has to offer while maintaining the solid foundation.”