A company that makes high-grade wood products in a remote part of Fukushima Prefecture has big dreams of exporting its goods to the world -- and a pillow containing scrapped chopsticks could turn them into reality.
　Iwaki-Takahashi, Inc. uses timber from local forest thinning to make chopsticks, pencils and other items at its factory in the mountains in Iwaki.
　But now the pillow containing chopsticks made from sugi Japanese cedar -- and, according to Iwaki-Takahashi President Masayuki Takahashi, "the dreams of people in Fukushima" -- is set to be exported overseas in large numbers.
　"It's thrilling to think a small company tucked away in the mountains could aim to sell its products around the globe," said Takahashi, 46. "We want to dominate the world."

　「福島みんなの夢を詰め込んで」―。いわき市田人町の山あいの工場で作られるそんなキャッチコピーの枕が、海外に大口輸出される見通しになった。枕を手掛けるのは、地元産の間伐材から高級割り箸や鉛筆などを製造する磐城高箸。社長の高橋正行さん（４６）は「こんな山奥から世界を目指すのは痛快。世界制覇したい」と夢を膨らませる。

　Each "sleeping cedar pillow" contains 500 pairs of cut up disposable chopsticks, which were discarded because they lacked sufficient strength. Development of the pillows was based on a suggestion by Minoru Toriizuka, an adviser at Iwaki-Takahashi.
　However, the company struggled to keep the sawdust and fine powder from the wood chips inside the pillow. Iwaki-Takahashi worked with a support team from the Reconstruction Agency and enlisted the cooperation of other entities. Finally, in December 2016, after a lot of sweat and tears, the pillow was complete.

　輸出する枕は「眠り杉枕」。強度不足の割り箸を捨てずに活用するため、枕１個当たり５００膳の割り箸をチップ状に裁断し、詰め込んである。同社相談役の鳥居塚実さんの発案を基に開発が進められたが、チップから出る「おが粉」を封じ込めることに苦戦。復興庁の支援チームとタッグを組むなど、多くの協力で２０１６（平成２８）年１２月に完成した汗と涙の結晶だ。

　Takahashi was eager to boost his company's brand by exporting its products. He tapped the Iwaki Cooperative Support Networks Association and a prefectural support project, and started business negotiations with Singapore-based investment company JCS Group in February 2019.
　The talks made little progress initially, which made Takahashi feel anxious. Despite this apprehension, the high quality of the pillows featuring the rich fragrance of Iwaki-grown cedar and excellent cushioning won over the group's chairman.
　In December, they concluded a contract giving the group exclusive overseas sales of the pillow. The pillow will be sold under the KOMME brand of luxury bedding, which is aiming to boost global sales.
　During the negotiations, there was absolutely no hint of concern about harmful rumors triggered by the March 2011 nuclear accident in Fukushima Prefecture.

　輸出によるブランド力の向上を模索する高橋さんは、いわき産学官ネットワーク協会や県の支援事業を活用し、昨年２月からシンガポールの投資会社ＪＣＳグループと商談を進めた。
　しばらくは交渉の進展が目に見えず、不安や焦りに駆られた。しかしその不安をよそに、いわき産杉の豊かな香りや優れたクッション性などを生かした眠り杉枕の高い品質が同グループ会長の心をわしづかみ。昨年１２月、世界展開を狙う高級寝具ブランド「ＫＯＭＭＥ（コメ）」の枕として、同グループが海外で独占販売する契約を結んだ。交渉中、原発事故の風評を感じることは一切なかった。

　The group plans to sell KOMME products in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, the United States, Germany and elsewhere by March 2021. Iwaki-Takahashi is scheduled to export the first batch of 50 pillows by the end of February, and the group has placed an order for "a container" of pillows after that.
　Until now, Iwaki-Takahashi's exports had been limited to about 20 pillows it shipped to Taiwan. This latest deal will comfortably eclipse that.
　If the company can achieve its target of exporting 1,000 pillows per year, the volume of cedar used as a material in the pillows will spike.
　"We can add value to the cedar trees our predecessors planted and send them out to the world," Takahashi said. "I want to help improve the forest environment and lift Fukushima's image."
　Takahashi also hopes his success in exporting products will offer a glimmer of hope to small and midsize companies. "It would be great if companies in other underpopulated areas could aim for the global market by changing their methods," he said.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　同グループは、２１年３月までにＫＯＭＭＥの商品をシンガポールやマレーシア、香港、中国、アメリカ、ドイツなどで順次販売する計画。磐城高箸は２月末に第１便となる枕５０個を輸出する予定で、その後については同グループから「コンテナで送ってくれ」と注文を受けている。
　磐城高箸はこれまで、枕を台湾に２０個ほど輸出していたが、今回はその実績をはるかに超える。目標とする年間千個の輸出が実現すれば、材料となる杉の消費量が大幅に増える。高橋さんは「先人が植えた杉に付加価値を付けて世に出せる。森林環境の改善や福島のイメージアップにも貢献したい」と意気込む。
　さらに、この輸出を成功させることで「ほかの過疎地域でも、方法を変えれば世界を目指せると思ってもらえたらうれしい」と中小企業の希望の星を目指す。

　【　２０２０年１月１８日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】