Oji Paper Co., Ltd. is a Japanese pulp and paper manufacturer and a core operating company within the Oji Group, a holding structure established in 2012. The company’s visual identity has undergone several distinct phases, most recently a comprehensive brand renewal announced in 2025 that unifies the group and company marks for the first time.
Design and History
Oji Paper’s corporate logo history is defined by two separate marks that coexisted for over a decade. The company mark, introduced in 1996, was designed by Japanese graphic designer Takenobu Igarashi. Igarashi described the design as using the initial “O” shaped after the image of a roll of paper, keeping the structure as simple as possible.[1]
In October 2012, Oji Paper Co., Ltd. restructured as a holding company and changed its name to Oji Holdings Corporation.[2] At that time, a separate group mark was introduced to represent the entire Oji Group, distinct from the 1996 company mark.[3] The 2012 group mark conveyed a message of “dawn,” while its tagline “Beyond the Boundaries” expressed the group’s determination to overcome the boundaries of business, countries, and individual capabilities.[4]
In September 2025, Oji Holdings announced a comprehensive brand design renewal for the company and the entire Oji Group. The new global brand mark was gradually implemented starting October 1, 2025, for domestic group companies, and January 1, 2026, for overseas group companies. The renewal was prompted by the company’s 150th anniversary in 2023 and a shift toward a new phase of management focused on forest-based sustainability. The announcement noted that the Oji Symbol, reflecting the company’s history and cultivated trust and technologies, would continue to be used on company badges and flags.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The new global brand mark features the word “OJI” set against a backdrop of vast forests and a clear blue sky, symbolizing the rich natural environment. According to the official announcement, this design represents the Oji Group’s commitment to growing forests and utilizing them to enrich people’s lives. The three colors used in the mark express flexibility and the brilliance of diverse individualities.[3]
The Japanese-language description of the new mark provides additional detail. The two lively mountains depicted represent the group’s stance of growing forests, utilizing them, and contributing to people’s rich lives. The shape of the mountain rising to the right in the foreground indicates the company’s growth potential, while the clear blue sky represents the hopeful future of the Earth that the group aims for.[5]
The new tagline, “Dedicated to Sustainability,” is drawn from the slogan of the group’s Long-Term Vision 2035, expressing the commitment that business activities contribute to the sustainability of the global environment.[3]
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