Optical companies have rallied to support their Japanese colleagues and the people of Japan affected by the earthquake and tsunami disaster.
Hoya, which is based in Tokyo, reported that no staff were seriously injured or missing, but some had been slightly injured. It stated that it had temporarily suspended some of its production facilities owing to power cuts.
Martin Batho, managing director of Hoya Lens UK, said: 'Our sympathy is extended to our Japanese colleagues whose friends and families may have been affected by the terrible earthquake and resulting tsunami. We are standing by to offer any support that we can.'
He added that lens supplies in the UK would not be affected by 'the terrible events in Japan' and customers would continue to receive a reliable service as none of Hoya's factories in Japan supply the European market.
Managing director of Nikon Optical UK Martin Thompson told Optician that after an emergency meeting at Nikon's Tokyo headquarters the company found that none of its staff or their direct families were missing or injured. He said that 'all our facilities are in operation and that mandatory building inspections and cleaning would be conducted over the weekend'. He added that overseas manufacturing had not been impacted and no service delay was expected.
Bausch+Lomb (B+L) is activating a relief support plan in response to the disaster. Its chief executive Brent Saunders said that B+L staff in Japan and in the US were assessing needs and how the company could be of greatest assistance with expertise, products, or other forms of assistance.
'As a company with more than 30 years of eye health experience in Japan, we are committed to helping to respond to this enormous natural disaster,' he said.
The headquarters of eyewear manufacturer Charmant, based in Sabae city more than 500km to the west of Tokyo, and its production base were undamaged and continue to operate.
