CEATEC 2022

CEATEC 2022 featuring 562 companies and organizations is scheduled to take place in Makuhari Messe for the first time in three years.

For four days from October 18 to 21, The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) will hold CEATEC 2022, an exhibition aimed at realizing Society 5.0.

A media convention was held for the press on October 17, the day before the exhibition opening.

On the same day, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award, the Minister of Digital Affairs Award, and the Category Award also decided for the CEATEC AWARD for exhibited products, services, and technologies.

The award ceremony was held on the evening of the 17th at Toranomon Hills Forum.

Executive Producer Kiyoshi Shikano said: “In 2019, 44% of all visitors stayed at the venue for more than four hours per day, but we hope they stay longer this year. Co-creation requires a lot of time and is created through conversations between visitors and exhibitors. Six working spaces were set up at the venue for this purpose. We want visitors to be more productive during the exhibition” he said.

This year’s hybrid format, including the first in-person event in three years, will feature 562 companies and organizations from Japan and abroad (21 companies and organizations online only; 314 companies in 2021 and 787 in 2019). Of these, 266 companies and organizations were new exhibitors making it 47% of the total. 81 companies and organizations from startups and university research institutes will exhibit, alongside 146 overseas companies from 27 countries and regions. The exhibition will be held in 5 halls from Exhibition Halls 4 to 8.

The main feature is the Partners Park, which will be located in Halls 5 and 6, where more than 150 exhibiting companies and organizations will bring their resources to propose co-creation that will lead to the realization of Society 5.0. Halls 7-8 are the Total Solution Area, where Japan’s leading consumer electronics manufacturers and others will exhibit. Japan’s leading electronic component manufacturers and key device manufacturers will gather in the Key Technology Area in Halls 4-5. The Smart x Industry area, also in Halls 4-5, features specialized exhibits, including mobility.

Osaka Subsidy Programs for Hybrid MICE Events

The Osaka Prefectural Government and the Osaka Municipal Government will jointly provide the “Second Osaka MICE Hybrid Subsidy” to promote the holding of MICE events in Osaka and to encourage related parties and participants to come to Osaka, thereby revitalizing the city’s economy and make it more attractive as a city. The subsidy will be provided to MICE organizers and companies, and applications for the second half of the fiscal year will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Eligible projects are hybrid MICE to be held at facilities in Osaka Prefecture that meet all the requirements.

The requirements are: 1) events that contribute to the promotion of academics, technology, culture, art, international exchange, economy, and industry (international conferences, domestic conferences, exhibitions, trade fairs, etc.) and invite participants; 2) the duration of the event at the venue must be at least two days; 3) the number of participants at the venue must be at least 50 and online participants at least 200; 4) facilities in Osaka with a capacity of at least 100 people must be used; and 5) measures to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infection must be implemented in compliance with administrative requirements and guidelines from industry organizations.

Each grant recipient may apply only once in the same fiscal year.

Expenses eligible for subsidy are expenses for online distribution among expenses for hybrid MICE held at facilities in Osaka Prefecture (expenses for equipment, installation work, operator personnel, web environment construction, video editing, and use of venues dedicated for distribution are eligible, excluding consumption tax and local consumption tax).

The subsidy rate and limit are equivalent to one-half of the subsidy-eligible expenses (rounded down to the nearest 1,000 yen, with a maximum of 500,000 yen per event).

The grant period is from October 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023, and applications will be accepted from September 1 to 30, 2022. The budget for the grant is 5 million yen.

Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and the application period will be closed when the budget limit is reached. Applications must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the date of the MICE event for which the subsidy is requested.

Newly Established Sports Industry Corner

Saitama Prefecture is inviting companies to participate in the newly established “Sports Industry Corner” at the Sainokuni Business Arena 2023, an industrial exchange exhibition to be held at the Saitama Super Arena on February 8 and 9, 2023.

The Sainokuni Business Arena 2023 will be held in a hybrid format, with the online exhibition period running from February 1 to 15.

Saitama Prefecture has been supporting the development of sports-related industries into growth industries by creating opportunities for exchange between sports teams and small and medium-sized enterprises in the prefecture.

With the aim of increasing orders and developing sales channels, the prefectural government will cover booth fees (both real and online) for sports-related companies and organizations in the prefecture, and sports business experts will provide support for exhibiting.

Approximately 45 companies and organizations are expected to apply. Applicants must be companies, organizations, or sole proprietors who are involved in or considering entering sports-related industries and meet all the following requirements.

(1) Have a head office or place of business in Saitama Prefecture, (2) comply with laws and regulations, (3) cooperate with questionnaires and other surveys related to the exhibition, and (4) be a member of the “Sports Business Network Saitama” (membership after the decision to exhibit is also acceptable).

The application period is from September 5 to September 30.

10,000-seat Arena by Toyota Group

Toyota Group to construct a 10,000-seat arena on the site of the former MegaWeb in Aomi, Tokyo.

Under the tentative name TOKYO A-ARENA PROJECT, a next-generation arena is scheduled to be constructed on the former site of MegaWeb, Toyota’s showroom facility in Koto ward, Tokyo.

The venue will have a site area of approximately 27,000 m2 and a capacity of approximately 10,000 guests and is expected to open in the fall of 2025.

B.LEAGUE 1 team Alvark Tokyo will use the arena as its home arena and as a stage for indoor competitions, urban sports, para-sports, e-sports, and other events.

The venue showcasing Toyota’s latest technologies will be under consideration to acquire LEED the environmental performance rating system, which would make it the first certified domestic site. The three key themes are Next Generation Sports Experience, Future Mobility Services, and Sustainable Lifestyle Design. The goal is to create a sustainable arena with a focus on recycling and reuse.

Project partners will be sought from companies and organizations interested in realizing the vision of the new arena, sponsorship, and entertainment use.

Akio Toyoda, the President of Toyota Motor Corporation and Chairman of Toyota Real Estate Development Corporation, said, “This plan incorporates two thoughts: our appreciation for sports and athletes, and our desire to support those who challenge themselves to reach their potential. The arena is also the new home of Toyota’s basketball team, Alvark Tokyo, and I hope it will become an important place for various sports. I hope to help para-sports and other sports that have a small number of competitors or are not well-known.”

Wood Collection 2022

WOOD COLLECTION 2022 ‘JAPAN ReWOOD an exhibition and business meeting specializing in domestic timber, took place for three days from August 24 to 26 at the exhibition hall on the second floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho Building.

Organized by The Tokyo Metropolitan Government this event was to promote the matching between upstream businesses in various regions of Japan and downstream businesses in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Woodshock and other factors have provided an opportunity for Japan’s forestry and timber industries to revive domestic timber production.

In response, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and 19 local governments from around Japan collaborated to hold an exhibition with the aim of expanding the use of domestic timber, with approximately 70 companies and organizations exhibiting their products including building materials, furniture, and related items and services.

Exhibitors list included representatives from Hokkaido, Aomori, Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Nara, Wakayama, Tottori, Tokushima, Kochi and Fukuoka Prefectures.

Seminars and events were held as a part of the exhibition. MOCTION, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in cooperation with local governments, showcased case studies of wood conversion and provided consultations on wood procurement and information on wood products.

Tourism Expo Japan 2022

On September 2nd, the in-person edition of Tourism Expo Japan will take place after 4 years of hiatus.

Organized by The Japan Tourism Association, Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), and Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Tourism Expo Japan 2022, one of the largest travel-related trade fairs in Japan will take place at Tokyo Big Sight for four days from September 22 to 25. This will be the 8th time Tourism Expo Japan to be held in Tokyo.

Under the theme of “Restart – the New Era Challenge” exhibitors from more than 70 countries and regions around the world and 47 prefectures in Japan will participate, aiming to contribute to the recovery of travel demand, the revival and regeneration of the tourism industry, and the economy in order to help revive the tourism industry, which was severely damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the pandemic, new types of resources and initiatives have been developed taking into account the diversity of ways to enjoy travel, including sustainable tourism.

Each booth will have special events promoting the regional specialties and features.

The first-time exhibitor – the Taisetsu area, centered in Asahikawa City in Hokkaido, will be offering VR experience of winter camping making it possible to enjoy a virtual experience of the heavy snow area while sitting in a camping chair.

The Saudi Arabian National Tourism Organization will be exhibiting for the first time from overseas. A photo booth for chroma key photography will be set up, allowing visitors to take photos with their favorite Saudi Arabian scenery in the background.

Lifestyle Exhibition Fes Liaison

The lifestyle exhibition “Fes Liaison” will take place in Omotesando starting from September 25th.

OMNIMOSOUQ, a brand production and consulting company, will organize a lifestyle exhibition “Fes Liaison” at Lightbox Studio Aoyama, Omotesando, Tokyo, for three days from September 25 to 27.

The exhibition will feature a carefully selected range of products helping to enhance visitors’ lifestyles, including fashion and beauty goods that are gentle on the body and environmentally friendly, and healthy foods that they can incorporate into their daily diet.

The goal is to create new values and a culture in which these values are seen as commonplace.

The event will serve as a platform for those who are curious about new products in the healthy lifestyle market.

Participating brands include Koganeiro, PR Essence, JOE’S TEA / H!P CHOCOLATE, hanakaho (Beauty House Haru), COCOFUL, miratoami, Curian Cherie, Matsumoto Bee Farm, Fine Graphene, zero chemical organic, HIMEMIKO, Natural Vege Food Linio, NOSHINKU, Replug, miso meal japan, Dr. Eberhardt, SoulSoils, TAEKO, Manabuwell.m, Seed oil LAB., OJIZO. COFFEE, initiator, REVORN, Medical CBD, SHIROTSUKI, merrili, N h e s., TBCL, Chandeleur, PaPa Dry fruit, liflance, nanosolCC, LaLaCo , THETAPLUS, waffle haramaki, seasukii and others.

Okinawa MICE Seminar

Okinawa MICE Seminar & Business Meeting was held after 3-year hiatus

Okinawa Prefecture and the Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau held the “Okinawa MICE Seminar & Business Meetings in Osaka and Tokyo” on September 6 and 8, 2022.

The event took place at the Umeda Center Building on the 6th and at the Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan on the 8th, both from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

This is the first in-person MICE seminar/business meeting to be held outside Okinawa in three years presenting 25 exhibitors in the Osaka venue and 30 in Tokyo and is targeted at travel agencies and PCOs involved in MICE planning and sales, with the aim of attracting more MICE events to Okinawa.

G7 Summit in Hiroshima

G7 Summit in Hiroshima: details of maintenance and renovation projects.

On September 2nd, the City of Hiroshima announced a supplementary budget proposal for the G7 Hiroshima Summit taking place next May.

The G7 is a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors of seven countries, consisting of Japan, US, Canada, France, UK, Germany, Italy and the European Union.

Of the proposed supplementary budget, 20,141,655 USD was allocated for the G7 Hiroshima Summit.

The breakdown is as follows:

(1) Communication enhancement of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (including a multilingual homepage supporting major languages of G7 participating countries)

(2) Renovation of the International Conference Center (installing western-style toilets);

(3) Renewal of tourist signs;

(4) Roadside and park tree trimming;

(5) Environmental improvement of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park;

(6) Contribution to the Hiroshima Heliport Improvement Project;

(7) Road Environment Improvement

(8) Sewerage System Environment Improvement

For details, refer to the Hiroshima City homepage.

Tokyo International Gift Show 2022

Tokyo International Gift Show Autumn 2022, Japan’s largest international trade fair for personal gifts and household items, LIFE×DESIGN focusing on renovation, design and manufacturing, and Gourmet & Dining Style Show were held simultaneously at Tokyo Big Sight from September 7 to 9, 2022.

The theme was “Omni-Channel for the Revival of the Japanese Economy”.

The total number of exhibitors was 1986 including 305 international companies.

The exhibition featured a wide range of products and services, including stationery, homeware, digital gadgets for daily life and business, furniture, interior solutions, building and renovation items, regional food and beverages, and craft liquor, among others, all of which attracted active business discussions and information gathering.