Michelin Japan to relocate head office to Gunma Pref.

The Japanese unit of French tire maker Michelin will relocate its head office from Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward to Ota in Gunma Prefecture, possibly in August 2023, the company has announced.

Remote work has spread widely amid the pandemic, leading the company to decide that the situation was more conducive to consolidating its bases of operation. Michelin Japan currently has a research and development base in Ota.

The company has yet to decide which business divisions and personnel will move to the new head office. Affected employees will have two options: Move to Ota or a nearby area, or work mainly at home.

“In light of the novel coronavirus crisis, we are also giving consideration to a working environment in which a dense concentration of people can be avoided,” a spokesperson for Michelin Japan said.

The Tokyo office will be downsized but continue to exist.