CIRCULATION OF PRECIOUS METALS New Possibilities - Expanding Business Opportunities through Overseas Expansion and Technological Development -
Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, April 20, 2026
Yasutaka Ihara, Director and Executive Officer, TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Focus on the Asia-Pacific region
Precious metals, including gold, are expensive due to their limited production. Since its founding in 1885, the Company has not only sold precious metal products as assets and high-performance materials for industrial use but has also been engaged in recycling, recovering precious metals from scrap and reusing them as resources to provide them as products again. In recent years, circular economy through resource recycling has been gaining attention, but this has been a business the Company has been engaged in for a long time, and it will accelerate overseas expansion in the Asia-Pacific region going forward.
Currently, the Company is reusing resources at its own factories in China and Taiwan. In 2016, it acquired METALOR, a major precious metals refiner based in Switzerland, through M&A (mergers and acquisitions). This allowed the Company to establish a system for recovery and refining even in regions where it previously did not have its own factories.
In 2024, the Company entered into a contract with MEP Envirotechnology (MEPSB), a major resource recovery company in Malaysia, to provide technical assistance for precious metal recovery. The Company plans to expand the scope of its partnership in the future.
To expand our precious metal recycling business in various countries and regions, we are constantly considering the best approach, whether it be building our own factories, M&A, or technological partnerships. When collaborating with local companies, it is crucial that they are trustworthy and that we can build a relationship of trust. If there are quality issues with the recycled products, it will inconvenience our customers and damage the reputation of our entire company. Therefore, we proceed cautiously in our search for partners.
Recovery and Alternative Method Polishing
Gold prices are soaring. In Japan, on March 2, it reached a record high of ¥30,305 per gram. The rise in prices of precious metals in general places a heavy burden on customers who purchase them as materials. On the other hand, rising prices are increasing interest in recycling. Until now, low-concentration recovered products and minor metals have often been discarded due to the high technical difficulty involved. The Company is also actively promoting technological development.
As prices continue to rise, it is important for customers to use precious metal materials sustainably. For example, we are proposing technologies that reduce the amount of precious metals used while maintaining performance and technologies that substitute expensive precious metals for cheaper ones. Research on materials is important for this, and we are also focusing on the development of materials.
Precious metals are often used when new industries are launched or new products are developed. I hope that people who see change as an opportunity and want to take on new challenges will come to our company.
【Profile】
Yasutaka Ihara. Graduated from Yokohama City University with a degree in commerce in 1992 (Heisei 4). Joined TANAKA INTERNATIONAL (currently TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES) in 1998. Appointed General Manager of China Headquarters in 2013. Born in Chiba Prefecture, 56 years old.
This article is a reproduction by TANAKA of an article dated April 20, 2026, with permission from Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Co., Ltd.
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