Komori Unveils House Passport, Showcasing Advanced Security Printing Technologies and Japanese-Inspired Design

The Komori House Passport project was made possible by combining Komori’s printing technologies with the expertise of partners across the security printing industry.

The overall passport design was created by JURA, a long-established developer of security design solutions for government and security documents. Data-page lamination, booklet binding, and laser personalisation were carried out by the Hungarian Banknote Printing Company. The project also incorporates Covestro polycarbonate materials, DIPA security paper, and SICPA security ink technologies.

 By bringing together the specialised expertise of each partner, the House Passport demonstrates the technologies, materials, and production processes used in the latest passport manufacturing.

The design themes of the Komori House Passport are ENSŌ and IKIGAI. In Zen philosophy, ENSŌ, the circle form, represents enlightenment and harmony. The House Passport design draws on this concept by portraying life as a journey of self-discovery, encouraging reflection on one’s identity and the pursuit of purpose and meaning.

The passport incorporates design elements inspired by Japanese culture, including an origami crane, Zen gardens, flowing water, and the traditional personal stamp known as a hanko. Together, these elements create a distinctive visual narrative while demonstrating how Japanese-inspired design can be combined with advanced security printing technologies.

Modelled on an actual passport production workflow, the Komori House Passport is a security printing sample that brings together design, printing, data page lamination, booklet binding, personalization, and quality assurance in a single booklet.

The VISA pages feature microtext, fine line detail, and complex security patterns designed to deter counterfeiting. Printed on the CURRENCY LC1232, Komori’s 12-unit double-sided sheetfed offset press, these pages demonstrate highly accurate front-to-back registration, see-through features, and sophisticated multi-colour printing produced in a single pass.

Supporting both wet and dry offset printing, the press reproduces intricate microtext and fine-line detail using wet offset, while stamp-inspired design elements are printed using dry offset.

In addition to offset printing, the J-throne 29 UV inkjet digital press is used to print variable information on the data page, linking it to the passport number. Hidden personalized information is embedded within the cherry blossom design of each individual passport sample. When scanned using a dedicated smartphone application, the information can be verified against the passport number.

The inner cover incorporates intaglio printing, a security printing process widely used in banknote production, together with four-color printing and embossing. These features enhance authentication by providing both visual and tactile security elements, allowing users to verify authenticity through sight as well as touch.

The printing process incorporates Komori’s inline inspection system for visible, UV, and IR features. The system performs real-time inspection of both paper pages and polycarbonate data pages, supporting the rigorous quality control processes required in security printing. In addition, sheet-level traceability supports consistent quality assurance throughout the production and inspection process.

Komori will continue to support the advancement of the security printing industry through ongoing technology development and solution innovation. By strengthening collaboration with industry partners and the broader security printing community, Komori remains committed to creating new value and contributing to a safer and more secure future.

*Note: The Komori House Passport is a sample created for the purpose of demonstrating security printing technologies and is not an actual passport.