Do we like them?

Do we like Canon?

Japanese maker of cameras, printers, copiers, medical imaging and semiconductor equipment, based in Tokyo.

Our score: 6 out of 10. A solid, long-established maker with no major scandals in what we found. Its record is a few legal blemishes, and our search gave little on its environment or labour record. We'd back it, with some caution.

Canon is one of Japan's best-known tech names. It makes cameras, printers, office copiers and medical imaging gear, and it's listed on the Tokyo stock exchange. Fujio Mitarai is listed as CEO since 2016, and Kazuto Ogawa as President since March 2026, though that profile may be out of date.

The biggest regulatory black mark we found is from 2019. The European Commission fined Canon about €28 million for 'gun-jumping', meaning it completed its purchase of Toshiba Medical before getting regulatory approval. Canon said it disagreed with the assessment and would appeal, and the EU's second-highest court later upheld the sanction.

Customers have also picked at its printer ink habits. In 2021 a US customer sued Canon USA, claiming its all-in-one printers stop scanning or faxing when ink runs low. The suit sought $5 million. It's an allegation, and we found no outcome.

On the money side, Q1 2026 sales hit a record of ¥1,093.7bn, but operating profit fell 26.1%. The reasons given were memory costs, US tariffs and weak printing markets. That's business, not good or bad conduct. We rate it a middling-to-decent 6: no big scandals found, but a few blemishes and thin evidence of standout good.