The Story of Aska | Aska Corporation

During his days as an oil company employee, Aska President Teruyuki Nanbu noticed that petroleum causes skin irritation.
No amount of skin cream applied to the site of contact with petroleum could prevent dryness from returning the next day. Nanbu was never satisfied with the different creams he tried. One day, he happened to glance at the ingredients contained in skin cream, and saw that it contained synthetic chemicals derived from petroleum.
"How can cream derived from petroleum protect against the effects of petroleum?" Nanbu felt deeply skeptical.

In 1994, Aska Co., Ltd. was established in Oita City, Japan.
Driven by skepticism toward the routine use of petroleum-based chemicals in cosmetics, Nanbu decided to create cosmetics made solely from natural ingredients.
"Cosmetics made with petroleum-based chemicals are just copies of natural cosmetics. So why not make the real thing? If we do, people will respond."
This is the origin of Aska's commitment to natural ingredients.

1997	Aska introduces its first natural skin care product, the basic four-item set.
1998	Aska raises alarm bells with publication of "The Cosmetics You Choose Will Change Your Life: Your Skin is in Danger!"
1999	Listening to customers: this is Aska's guiding principle since its founding
April	Teruyuki Nanbu awarded Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Westminster College, becomes Visiting Professor, Honolulu University, Hawaii.
August	First Aska Symposium held at Nikko Hotel, Tokyo.
September	Aska Corporation Inc. established. Full-scale sales of nature cosmetics begins.
October	Teruyuki Nanbu receives the Japan Culture Promoting Association's Award for Distinguished Service to Society and Culture.
December	All Aska products awarded the Grand Prize of the World Arts and Sciences Culture Council, International Academy of Education.
2000	Aska's commitment to natural ingredients wins wide acceptance.
June	Teruyuki Nanbu awarded honorary Ph.D. in Environmental Science, James College.
November	Teruyuki Nanbu awarded World Culture Grand Prize, Federation of World Peace and Culture, and named Permanent Special Fellow, International Academy of Education.
2001	Aska continues to warn of the dangers of petroleum-based synthetic chemicals as additives in products other than cosmetics, and gains international awareness.
February	Aska receives letter of thanks from Executive Director, United Nations Environment Program.
August	Publication of "You're Using Petroleum-Based Cosmetics on Your Skin!? What You Need to Know to Choose Safe Cosmetics".
October	Publication of "These Cosmetics Will Shorten Your Lifespan!! How to Tell Good Supplements from Bad".
2003	Aska opens Musee Aska Ginza, its first retail sales outlet, at Printemps Ginza department store, expanding from mail-order sales to face-to-face sales. Tokyo office opens.
2004	Birth of the "Airless Container". Striving to preserve product freshness, Aska develops and introduces the "Airless Container" for cosmetics.
2005	In response to customer demand, Aska develops numerous new products.
April	Aska's line of health foods completely renewed, with an emphasis on foods meeting Japan's updated government standards for health claims.
July	Birth of Acne Deep Skin Care N-Skin product lineup.
September	Aska completes its A-ZEIN super-premium skin care series.
2006January	Aska introduces its long-awaited A-ZEIN APS series. Aska cosmetics users exceed 2.5 million.
February	Party to celebrate the 100th Aska Symposium.
March	Aska retail outlets achieve national penetration of major department stores (48 outlets as of September 2007).
In years to come, Aska will continue striving to meet the exacting expectations of its valued customers.