Shiseido to Close Hsinchu Plant; County Government Confirms Mass Layoff Notification
Shiseido announced it will close its Taiwan Hsinchu factory in 2027, transferring production to its Nasu plant in Japan. The Hsinchu County government has received a mass layoff notification and will work to protect workers' rights.
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- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 18:05
- 🔍 Collected: May 13, 2026 at 18:32 (27 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 13, 2026 at 19:44 (1h 12m after Collected)
Central News Agency Message
(Central News Agency, Hsinchu County, 13th, Reporters Kuo Hsuan-wen, Lu Kang-chun) Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido announced yesterday that it will close the factory of its subsidiary, Taiwan Shiseido, in Hukou Township, Hsinchu County, in 2027. The Hsinchu County government stated that it has received a mass layoff plan notification and will continue to monitor labor-management negotiations to protect workers' rights.
Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido announced yesterday that it will close the factory of its subsidiary, Taiwan Shiseido Co., Ltd., located in Hukou Township, Hsinchu County. The specific timeline is to halt production at the Hsinchu factory in the first quarter of 2027, followed by the plant's closure in the second half of the same year.
Shiseido stated that the purpose of closing the Hsinchu plant is to optimize its production and logistics system. After the Hsinchu plant ceases operations, its production will be moved to locations such as the Nasu factory in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
Regarding the news of the Shiseido plant closure, Hsinchu County Councilor Lo Mei-wen of the Labor Party told the media that Bridgestone Taiwan recently announced the cessation of production at its Hsinchu plant and the start of a business transformation in response to global operational strategy adjustments. Now, Shiseido has also announced the closure of its Hukou Township factory in 2027.
Lo Mei-wen said that traditional industries account for a high proportion of the Hsinchu Industrial Park. The successive plant closures and divestments are not just an issue for a single enterprise but a regional employment crisis. Taiwan's OEM-type traditional industries may continue to move abroad, leading to more similar situations.
The Hsinchu County Labor Affairs Department stated in a written message that it has received the company's mass layoff plan notification, and the severance rights plan complies with legal regulations. The department will proactively intervene or initiate dispute mediation procedures upon request regarding the autonomous negotiations between labor and management to safeguard the legal rights of workers.
The Labor Affairs Department said it will subsequently request the local employment service center to cooperate in entering the factory to provide affected workers with surveys on retraining needs, project-based job matching, unemployment benefit consultation, and vocational training resources to help them transition to new workplaces as soon as possible.
The county government stated that it will supplement any deficiencies in corporate negotiations at any time and will work closely with the central government to monitor industrial trends and devise improvement measures to maintain the stability of the job market.
Looking back at the development history of Taiwan Shiseido, according to its official website, founder Lee Chin-chih established a temporary factory in the backyard of his home on Ren'ai Road in Taipei in 1957. In 1959, Shiseido led the trend of cosmetics sales in department stores, entering Taiwanese households with products like Ruby Red Honey Soap and Eudermine Revitalizing Essence.
The 1980s were a significant turning point for Taiwan Shiseido's internationalization and modernization. The official website states that the Zhongli factory was established at that time, and a joint venture agreement was signed with the Japanese head office. The group continued to expand its territory, subsequently introducing brands like Clé de Peau Beauté and IPSA. The Hsinchu factory was completed and inaugurated in 2016. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150513
(Central News Agency, Hsinchu County, 13th, Reporters Kuo Hsuan-wen, Lu Kang-chun) Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido announced yesterday that it will close the factory of its subsidiary, Taiwan Shiseido, in Hukou Township, Hsinchu County, in 2027. The Hsinchu County government stated that it has received a mass layoff plan notification and will continue to monitor labor-management negotiations to protect workers' rights.
Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido announced yesterday that it will close the factory of its subsidiary, Taiwan Shiseido Co., Ltd., located in Hukou Township, Hsinchu County. The specific timeline is to halt production at the Hsinchu factory in the first quarter of 2027, followed by the plant's closure in the second half of the same year.
Shiseido stated that the purpose of closing the Hsinchu plant is to optimize its production and logistics system. After the Hsinchu plant ceases operations, its production will be moved to locations such as the Nasu factory in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
Regarding the news of the Shiseido plant closure, Hsinchu County Councilor Lo Mei-wen of the Labor Party told the media that Bridgestone Taiwan recently announced the cessation of production at its Hsinchu plant and the start of a business transformation in response to global operational strategy adjustments. Now, Shiseido has also announced the closure of its Hukou Township factory in 2027.
Lo Mei-wen said that traditional industries account for a high proportion of the Hsinchu Industrial Park. The successive plant closures and divestments are not just an issue for a single enterprise but a regional employment crisis. Taiwan's OEM-type traditional industries may continue to move abroad, leading to more similar situations.
The Hsinchu County Labor Affairs Department stated in a written message that it has received the company's mass layoff plan notification, and the severance rights plan complies with legal regulations. The department will proactively intervene or initiate dispute mediation procedures upon request regarding the autonomous negotiations between labor and management to safeguard the legal rights of workers.
The Labor Affairs Department said it will subsequently request the local employment service center to cooperate in entering the factory to provide affected workers with surveys on retraining needs, project-based job matching, unemployment benefit consultation, and vocational training resources to help them transition to new workplaces as soon as possible.
The county government stated that it will supplement any deficiencies in corporate negotiations at any time and will work closely with the central government to monitor industrial trends and devise improvement measures to maintain the stability of the job market.
Looking back at the development history of Taiwan Shiseido, according to its official website, founder Lee Chin-chih established a temporary factory in the backyard of his home on Ren'ai Road in Taipei in 1957. In 1959, Shiseido led the trend of cosmetics sales in department stores, entering Taiwanese households with products like Ruby Red Honey Soap and Eudermine Revitalizing Essence.
The 1980s were a significant turning point for Taiwan Shiseido's internationalization and modernization. The official website states that the Zhongli factory was established at that time, and a joint venture agreement was signed with the Japanese head office. The group continued to expand its territory, subsequently introducing brands like Clé de Peau Beauté and IPSA. The Hsinchu factory was completed and inaugurated in 2016. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150513