In the mid-1950’s a group of scientists at the Institute of Optics, which later became Tsukuba University, developed an IR spectrometer for their research, since at that time no commercial instrument was available. The result was a remarkable success: a reliable instrument with exceptional optical performance. As other researchers heard about this new development, they began requesting instruments for their own studies. In response to this increasing demand, the Japan Spectroscopic Company (JASCO) was founded in 1958 to provide the scientific community with optical spectroscopy products. Founding members include world-famous physicist Yoshio Fujioka and Nobel Prize winner Shinichiro Tomonaga.