TOKYO - Major Japanese toymaker Tomy Co. said Tuesday it will rebrand as Takaratomy Corp. and introduce a new corporate logo as part of efforts to strengthen unity across the group's domestic and overseas operations.
The new English name matches the company's name in Japanese. The time-honored toymaker said the change reflects growing global recognition of that name amid increasing attention to Japanese content and culture in recent years.
The new logo combines the company name with a symbol mark featuring the Japanese katakana characters "asobi," meaning play, and has been created with the hope of accelerating growth as a global entity. It will be fully introduced from April next year, the company said.
The Tomy Group will unify logos that have differed across countries and regions. Its current logo used in Japan was adopted in 2006, when its predecessors Takara Co. and Tomy merged.
With its history dating back to a toy manufacturer founded in 1924, the Tomy Group is well-known for its Tomica miniature toy vehicles and Licca-chan dress-up dolls. Its products are sold in over 100 countries and regions.
