SB New Coronavirus Testing Center

SB New Coronavirus Testing Center Co., Ltd. (SB新型コロナウイルス検査センター株式会社) is a Japanese clinical testing company established by SoftBank Group Corp. in July 2020 to provide large-scale, low-cost, and rapid PCR testing for COVID-19. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Group, headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, with testing facilities in Chiba Prefecture (Tokyo PCR Testing Center) and Fukuoka Prefecture (Fukuoka PCR Testing Center). The company initially served corporations and local governments, and from March 2021 expanded its services to individual customers. The company's core offering is saliva-based PCR testing, which allows self-collection without pain and uses virus inactivation for safe transport. Results are typically reported on the same day as testing at the earliest. The testing centers are registered as sanitary testing laboratories under Japanese law, and the company emphasizes high quality and reliability, having processed over 2 million tests cumulatively since operations began. It has participated in public quality control surveys commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, achieving a 100% correct rate in positive/negative determination in the 2021 fiscal year survey. The company positions itself as a provider of screening tests to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and support the early normalization of economic activities. Its services are used by many local governments and corporations, and more than 60% of customers have used the service multiple times. The company also conducts research on genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variants. As a SoftBank Group company, it leverages the group's resources and commitment to addressing social challenges during the pandemic.

SB New Coronavirus Testing Center Co., Ltd. was established by SoftBank Group Corp. in July 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The company was created to provide smooth, low-cost, and large-scale PCR testing for the novel coronavirus. On July 29, 2020, SoftBank Group announced the establishment of the company under the name "New Coronavirus Testing Center Co., Ltd." (新型コロナウイルス検査センター株式会社). The company set up testing centers in Tokyo and Hokkaido, and later in Fukuoka. The Tokyo PCR Testing Center, located within the National Center for Global Health and Medicine's Kokufudai Medical Center in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, was registered as a sanitary testing laboratory on September 2, 2020 (registration number: Chiba Prefecture No. 72). The Fukuoka PCR Testing Center, located in the Kyushu University Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration Innovation Plaza in Sawara-ku, Fukuoka, was registered on April 23, 2021 (registration number: Fukuoka No. 51). On January 12, 2021, the company changed its name to "SB New Coronavirus Testing Center Co., Ltd." (SB新型コロナウイルス検査センター株式会社). In March 2021, the company expanded its services to include individual customers, in addition to corporations and local governments. The company has conducted over 2 million PCR tests cumulatively since the start of operations. It participated in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's commissioned project "Quality Control Survey for PCR Testing etc. for Novel Coronavirus Infection" in fiscal year 2021, achieving a 100% correct rate in positive/negative determination of sample reagents. The company also conducts research on genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variants and their occurrence. As a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Group, the company operates with capital of 2.402 billion yen (including capital reserve, as of end of July 2020). Its testing facilities are designed under the guidance of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine and are registered as sanitary testing laboratories. The company uses in vitro diagnostic drugs or high-performance special reagents improved for its use. It performs one-by-one testing rather than pool testing, and reports results on the same day at the earliest.

• SoftBank Group announces the establishment of New Coronavirus Testing Center Co., Ltd.

• Tokyo PCR Testing Center registered as a sanitary testing laboratory (Chiba Prefecture No. 72).

• Company name changed to SB New Coronavirus Testing Center Co., Ltd.

• Service expanded to individual customers.

• Fukuoka PCR Testing Center registered as a sanitary testing laboratory (Fukuoka No. 51).

• Participated in MHLW quality control survey, achieving 100% correct rate.

Low-cost, high-frequency saliva PCR screening tests to support safe working environments and economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Saliva PCR test

  Self-collected saliva sample for COVID-19 testing, with virus inactivation for safe transport and same-day results at the earliest.

• Corporate and municipal testing programs

  Screening tests for employees and citizens, provided to corporations and local governments.

• Individual PCR testing

  PCR testing available to individual customers since March 2021.

1. 1SB新型コロナウイルス検査センター株式会社 公式サイトsbcvic.jp
2. 2企業情報 | SB新型コロナウイルス検査センター株式会社sbcvic.jp
3. 3SB New Coronavirus Testing Center - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4SB新型コロナウイルス検査センター - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org