With decades of experience in marketing and business development, Jerry Matsufuji has been at the forefront of digital print innovation. As a recognized thought leader in color printing technologies and application development, Jerry brings a strategic vision that merges Canon’s heritage of excellence with future-facing market needs. In this Q&A, he shares how Canon’s foundational philosophy and technological leadership are shaping its role in the evolving world of inkjet.
How does the Kyosei philosophy influence your approach to production print innovation and customer partnerships?
Canon’s corporate philosophy of Kyosei is translated as “all people regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future for the common good,” and it is woven into every facet of our business, including our inkjet technology and customer relationships. At Canon, we believe that true innovation must be rooted in collaboration and designed with the future in mind.
That means developing powerful inkjet solutions that not only meet the needs of our customers today but also anticipate and adapt to the evolving demands of tomorrow’s marketplace.
In practice, Kyosei also means listening deeply to our customers and creating solutions that are designed to empower growth and efficiency. Canon’s name is one that is associated with excellence, and we take pride in our clients’ success.
How do your inkjet solutions reflect Canon’s broader commitment to sustainability, precision, and performance?
Canon’s inkjet products are developed with the goal of achieving outstanding print quality, optimal speed and with sustainability features in mind. The key to our success and the trajectory of the industry is our extreme emphasis on recognizing what we do well and then bringing in strategic partners to help elevate our capabilities, whether it’s in the medical imaging space, cameras or inkjet printers. We integrate expertise in optics, printheads and imaging software into our components, so that our systems can deliver consistently outstanding results across a wide range of applications. But we don’t stop at performance.
Sustainability features are an important aspect of the inkjet design process. With the varioPRINT iX series, for instance, sustainability features are integral to its design. It reduces waste through precise inkjet technology that minimizes ink consumption, automatic duplex printing to cut paper usage, and recyclable components, all while maintaining energy-efficient operation.
What trends are you seeing in customer needs, and how is Canon responding through product development or strategic focus?
We’re seeing a shift in customer expectations toward greater flexibility, automation, and convergence of application needs. Businesses today are looking for solutions that can adapt to a broader range of jobs, handle variable data effortlessly, and scale efficiently all while maintaining high quality and reliability. At Canon, we’ve responded by both enhancing our production toner and inkjet portfolios to offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that can address these changing demands and expand access to solutions our clients may need.
This evolution has been focused on aligning our technologies and services across hardware, software, workflow, and support. Through this, we’re able to offer customers a more unified, end-to-end experience. That means fewer silos, better integration and more intelligent tools that are designed to help print providers grow. For example, our varioPRINT iX inkjet sheetfed presses combine speed, quality, and media versatility, empowering customers to diversify their applications without compromise. We’re also investing in smart automation and data-driven tools that are designed to help simplify operations.
What differentiates Canon’s approach to helping print providers grow?
Canon’s strength lies in its ability to deliver tailored, scalable solutions across the full spectrum of print applications. Whether supporting transactional print, direct mail, commercial jobs or book publishing, we can provide the technology and expertise needed to help customers grow in a rapidly evolving market. What truly sets Canon apart is our One Canon approach, which brings together the full breadth of our resources—hardware, software, service, and strategic guidance under one unified umbrella.
How do you see Canon’s role in shaping the future of digital print—and what should the industry expect in the next few years?
Canon’s role in shaping the future of digital print is rooted in our deep commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer success. We see the future as increasingly data-driven, automated, and adaptable. We feel that we are uniquely positioned to be a leader in this space due to strategic relationships and our commitment to the future led by our corporate philosophy.
The industry can expect continued investments in high-speed inkjet technology that expands both the quality and application range of digital print. No matter the fluctuations in the world, Canon is steadfast in its mission to empower our customers with the tools, knowledge, and innovation they need to grow.
