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Kao Corporation develops and sells cosmetic, skin/hair care, human health care, fabric and home care, and chemical products. It operates through five segments: Hygiene and Living Care Business, Health and Beauty Care Business, Life Care Business, Cosmetics Business, and Chemical Business. The Hygiene and Living Care Business segment offers laundry detergents; fabric treatments; kitchen, paper, and house cleaning products; sanitary napkins; and baby diapers. The Health and Beauty Care Business segments provides skin and hair care products, professional hair care products, bath additives, and oral care and thermo products. The Life Care Business segments offers health drinks, as well as hygiene products for commercial use. The Cosmetics Business segment provides counseling and self-selection cosmetic products. The Chemical Business segment offers oleo chemicals; fat and oil derivatives; surfactants; fragrances; water-reducing admixtures; casting sand binders; plastics additives; process chemicals; toners and toner binders; inkjet ink colorants and ink; fine polishing agents and cleaners; and materials and process chemicals. The company was formerly known as Kao Soap Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Kao Corporation in 1982. Kao Corporation was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Kao was established in 1887 by Tomiro Nagase as a manufacturer of domestic toiletry soap. Until 1954, they were known as Kao Soap Company , and finally in 1985 to Kao Corporation.

During the 1960s and the 1970s, the company expanded to Taiwan and ASEAN countries, and also to oleochemicals in order to complement their main business. During this time, the company launched household products, laundry products, and industrial products to expand its revenue base .

During the 1980s, its products Merries diapers, Attack detergent, Bioré daily skincare and Bioré U daily body care, Curel and Sofina cosmetics were launched. During this time, Kao engaged in several joint ventures , and acquisitions in North America and Europe. During this period, Kao also expanded to the manufacture of floppy disks.

During the 1990s and 2000s, the company expanded into China and Vietnam—countries that, during that time, were opening up their economies to the rest of the world. Also, the company expanded into food products with Econa and Healthya. Additionally, the company made floppy disks and optical discs during this time. It also continued to acquire businesses .In 2020, Kao Corporation was ranked the #4 out of 42 companies in the Corporate Knights Industry Group’s Personal Care and Cleaning Products category, recognized for its excellence in innovation capacity, employee retention as well as clean revenue, or revenue from all goods and services which have clear environmental benefits. For the company's national and international experience in sustainable development, and eco-friendly products, the Environment Possibility Award conferred the "Environmental Heroes of the Year" to Kao Corporation in 2020.In 2021 two of Kao’s products, the 3D Space Shampoo Sheet and the Space Laundry Sheet, were chosen to be sent to the International Space Station, with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in 2022.

Our mission is to strive for the wholehearted satisfaction and enrichment of the lives of people globally and to contribute to the sustainability of the world, with products and brands of excellent value that are created from the consumer's and customer's perspective. This commitment is embraced by all members of the Kao Group as we work together with passion to share joy with consumers and customers in our core domains of cleanliness, beauty, health and chemicals.

We aim to be the global group of companies that is closest to the consumers and customers in each market, earning the respect and trust of all stakeholders.