Japan Commemorates September as Printing Month in Every Year

04 October 2025: Every year, September is celebrated as “Printing Month”, organized by the Japan Federation of Printing Industries (JFPI). The tradition honours Motoki Shozo, a true pioneer of printing in Japan, whose legacy continues to inspire the industry. This year holds special significance, marking the 40th anniversary of the JFPI and 150th anniversary of Motoki Shozo’s passing.

In a social media post which provided these details, Nittoku shared: For us at Nittoku, a manufacturer of high-quality screen printing meshes, this is more than a date in the calendar. It is a reminder of how innovation, craftsmanship and dedication to excellence have shaped printing for generations – and how we continue this journey by supporting professionals around the world with precision and reliability in screen printing. We join the global printing community in celebrating this month, paying respect to the heritage of our industry, and looking forward to the innovations still to come. Offering various kinds of printing mesh that meet a wide range of industrial needs.

Screen printing mesh, which is the main product of Nittoku, has world class production volume and we confidently take this as proof that our products and its quality are recognised globally. A wide variety of products are available such as printing mesh products for apparel products, ceramics, home electronics, IT devices, and high-accuracy and high-grade screen mesh products to be used in the process of manufacturing electronic devices.

Nittoku, which was founded in Katsuyama, a place with beautiful nature and tradition, has protected morals and put effort into manufacturing activities stubbornly and honestly based on wisdom, clemency and delicacy as Nittoku’s corporate philosophy. While introducing advanced production equipment ahead of the times, we have been committed to improving the skills and building the characters of individual employees.

Japan Federation of Printing Industries (JFPI)
Japan Federation of Printing Industries (JFPI) was established in June 1985 by 10 Printing Industry Associations to further the sophistication and over all development of the printing industry through the exchange of valuable information and cooperation. The federation was established to contribute to the development of Japanese industries, the improvement of national living conditions, and the advancement of culture. Affiliate bodies of JFPI are 10 associations. Main Activities of JFPI include …. Value Creation Committee, Corporate Ethics Committee, Global Environment Committee and Public Relations Committee.

About Motoki Shozo – A True Pioneer of Printing in Japan …..
Motoki Shozo (1824-1875) was a pivotal figure in the introduction of modern movable type printing in Japan, working as a Dutch-Japanese interpreter in Nagasaki. He is credited with successfully casting the first Japanese movable types from lead in 1851, a crucial step that established the foundation for modern typography in the country. Motoki also established printing offices and trained key figures like Tomiji Hirano, who would continue his work and help popularize printing technology in Japan.

Contributions
Movable Type Development – Motoki successfully fashioned Japanese movable types using molten lead, a feat that allowed for mechanical printing in Japan for the first time.
Pioneering Printing – He set up his own printing office and printed Japanese-Dutch dictionaries, notably the Ranwa Tsuben, using his new movable types.
Introducing Western Printing – Through his work as an interpreter and his access to Western technologies, Motoki brought the principles of letterpress printing to Japan.
Training Future Leaders – Motoki’s pupil, Tomiji Hirano, was instrumental in the development and spread of printing, taking over Motoki’s legacy and building a successful printing business.

Legacy
Motoki Shozo is often called the “Father of Japanese Typography” or the “Japanese Gutenberg” for his fundamental role in modernizing Japanese printing. His efforts paved the way for the growth of the printing industry and the widespread use of letterpress printing in the Meiji era and beyond.

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