MICE event in Kansai was held on a Japanese-style luxury cruise ship.
On May 18th, the Japanese-style luxury cruise ship Gozabune Atakemaru by Kobe Bay Cruise served as the venue for the “Local Government Expo Forum”.
Hiroshi Ishiguro, professor at the Osaka University Graduate School and producer of the Expo gave a lecture, followed by a number of presentations and discussions from the representatives of the local municipalities.
Organized by RX Japan, Japan Sports Week 2022 took place at Tokyo Big Sight from May 11 to 13, 2022.
The exhibition was aimed at sports teams and athletes, presenting the latest technologies such as VR training and AI analysis, as well as services and related products such as merchandise, uniforms, and stadium equipment. Total of 120 companies exhibited at the show.
Newly added exhibitions were the “Sports Tourism Expo” (examination of training camps, practice environments, and competition venues), the “Sports Facility Expo” (services in arenas and stadiums), and the “Sports Tech Expo” (systems to visualize the condition of professional athletes and technologies to entertain fans).
Azusa Institute of Research (AIR) and PIA jointly introduced their services for stadiums and arenas.
The booths were designed to resemble a soccer player’s locker room, as a promotion of a unique new space and experience in collaboration with town management.
The proposal of the design that gradually increases the number of seats according to the size of the venue was presented with examples of the actual FC Imabari stadium and Kanazawa City’s civic soccer stadium.
Pop-up store ADA LAB GINZA will be open for 4 months from April 22 to August 22, 2022 at Tokyu Plaza Ginza.
On display are the paludariums – aquariums replicating the natural environment with both terrestrial and aquatic elements where the waterscape is enhanced with the combination of carefully selected unique aquatic plants, stones and strategically placed pieces of driftwood.
The pop-up store was created as an introduction to the nature aquariums and as a guide for those, who want to create their very own rainforest at home.
The store consists of three areas:
First, the CASE GALLERY where visitors can select a glass case of the size and design they prefer, then in the GREEN HOUSE choose plants from a wide variety of available greenery including the orchids and insectivorous plants. In addition, there are also rocks, pieces of driftwood, moss and other landscaping items that can be used to set the tone.In the SETTING LAB, visitors will be guided thru the procedure of setting down the layout with tips and tricks explained by a professional.
Workshops for finishing the paludarium, from choosing the case and plants to the details of the interior, will be held every weekday with advance reservations.
A representative of the organizing company noted: “People naturally become attached to things they have actually made with their own hands. For this reason, we created a pop-up store event that also included a workshop. We hope that more people will become familiar with aquatic plants and learn new ways to enjoy aquariums.”
Asia’s largest international food and beverage exhibition FOODEX took place at Makuhari Messe in Chiba for four days from March 8 to 11, 2022.
The organizing committee consisting of 4 organizations included the Japan Management Association (JMA).
This year’s 47th edition featured 1,787 booths from 1,461 exhibitors representing 41 countries and regions (data of February 22) and focused on food trends such as Frozen Foods, Alternative Foods and Foodtech.
Aiming to expand exports of high-value-added Japanese foodstuffs, many products that meet overseas needs were exhibited at the Japanese Food Export Exhibition in Hall 3, including authentic raw ramen noodles that can be stored at room temperature for a long time and are Halal-friendly, gluten-free vegetable gyoza, and transparent soy sauce, which allows for it to be used in Western cuisine.
Quality detectors that use AI to help improve productivity and products that contribute to SDGs initiatives such as the elimination of plastic and reduction of food loss were presented at the At FOODEX TECH zone.
Plant-based meat made from soy, plant-based cheese substitutes, allergy- and gluten-free oat flour, etc. were exhibited in the Alternative Foods and New Ingredients Zone in Hall 6.
The Frozen Foods section featured the expanding appeal of value-added frozen foods, including meal kits, sweets, and products using alternative ingredients.
In addition, the award ceremony of the “Frozen Award” for the best frozen foods, took place in the Hall 6.
Attended by the ambassadors from 26 countries and regions around the world, and related government agencies and organizations, the ribbon-cutting ceremony held for the first time in 3 years marked the post-pandemic recovery and the fresh start for the industry.
The first of its kind KYOTO FOOD & CRAFT MARKET will take place from March 12 to 13 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Kyoto Miyakomesse.
At the market, 16 local businesses from all over the prefecture will gather together to present a wide variety of finest, domestically produced delicacies, including sweets, seasonings, vegetables, craft beer and so much more!
The event is also a part of the CRAFT POINT KYOTO, the large collaboration running through the end of March at the Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts and including CRAFT POINT KYOTO KIOSK – weekly market of traditional Arts and Crafts, and the March of Craftsmen where young artisans showcase their products.
Kyoto Crafts Map will be distributed at the event, showing stores, galleries, hands-on workshops, and open factories where visitors can freely experience and purchase beautiful hand-made products.
KYOTO FOOD & CRAFT MARKET
Dates: March 12 (Sat.) – March 13 (Sun.) 10:00 – 17:00 (until 16:00 on the last day)
Venue: B1F Lobby, Miyakomesse
Admission: Free
Organizer: MiyakoMesse (Kyoto Industrial Promotion Center)
Themed “The way towards a friendlier society, bridged by robots”, 2022 International Robot Exhibition (iREX 2022 for short) is scheduled to take place from March 9 to 12 and is organized by the Japan Robot Association and The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun.
This year will mark the 24th time for this biennial trade show.
As of February 22, the exhibition has 3227 booths from 615 domestic companies and organizations (vs. 3060 booths from 637 companies and organizations in 2019) and 228 booths from 49 companies from 15 foreign countries (vs. 389 booths from 95 companies in 2019).
Among showcased products and services are the latest developments and technologies in the field for industrial robots, including a large number of service robots – use of those had been rapidly expanding since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. New “Parts Feeder Zone” and “Material Handling Robot Zone” will be showcasing the supply systems, particularly in the logistics industry.
The iREX Robot Forum 2022 is scheduled to be held on the first day of the event. Manufacturers of all scales will have an opportunity to learn the latest trends in the industry of robotics and their potential for use in the new areas.
Online event – “iREX ONLINE” will be accessible from March 1 to 18 for those who cannot visit the venue in person.
The spring festival will take place at Tokyo Dome City Prism Hall for 7 days from March 24 to 30.
In its 32nd edition, the festival invites everyone to appreciate the delicate beauty of spring and share the experience with family and friends.
Instagram-worthy Orchid Gate will be filled with gorgeous orchids in pink, yellow and orange, making it a hot photo spot. After passing through the gate, visitors will be greeted by “Spring Valley,” 4-meter-high floral canyons, on both sides, providing the breathtaking view of a space filled with flowers for as far as the eye can see.
As a part of an educational section of the exhibition, “Disa,” also known as a “Flower of Gods” native to South Africa, and “Paphiopedilum Hangianum” which has recently become available for import from its native country, will be introduced.
The winning entries of the World Orchid Show Japan Grand Prize, will be on display for the visitors to enjoy, but this time – in collaboration with the floral design category, creating the most fascinating combinations. In addition, orchid works by Japan’s leading floral artists are going to be presented on the first floor of the Tokyo Dome Hotel.
Those wishing to purchase flower gifts for loved ones or for themselves, can do so at the “Botanical Market” where more than 50 stores from all over Japan will be offering the wide variety of flowers, plants and gardening goods.
TEIJI SAKURAI (former JETRO Auditor and Director General of the Trade Fair Department)
Every year, POP publishes a list of newly launched exhibitions and trade fairs in its “Trade Fair and Exhibition News” magazine. This year, in its issue dated January 15th, the magazine published a list of 68 new exhibitions scheduled to be held in 2022. A questionnaire survey was conducted in November 2021 for organizers, exhibition venues, and related organizations and companies. According to the results, the number of exhibitions scheduled to be held in 2022 (excluding corporate private shows and sales events) is 861.
This list of new exhibitions has been published since 2014 and is now in its ninth year. This report analyzes the launch of new exhibitions for the six-year period from 2017 to 2022 based on the published data. Below is the analysis of the number of exhibitions held, as well as by industry sectors, by venues, by exhibirion organizers and by regions.
1) New Exhibitions
The total number of new exhibitions held (or to be held) in the course of nine years from 2014 to 2022 is 446. Starting with 22 fairs in 2014, 40s in 2015 and 2016, and 50s from 2017 until 2020. The 2020 survey was released on January 15, before the spread of the COVID-19 infection. 2021 survey revealed 57 fairs, and 68 in 2022, showing an increase of about 20%. Even in the midst of the pandemic, I could feel the enthusiasm of the exhibition organizers to overcome this crisis.
◆Chart 1. New Exhibitions
| Year | Number |
| 2014 | 22 |
| 2015 | 46 |
| 2016 | 45 |
| 2017 | 54 |
| 2018 | 53 |
| 2019 | 50 |
| 2020 | 51 |
| 2021 | 57 |
| 2022 | 68 |
| Total | 446 |
2）By Industry Sectors
The January issue of the magazine presents the following information on the most popular industry sectors for the exhibitions. As a result of the analysis based on 822 questionnaire responses, the most popular industries were IT/information processing, Office equipment and environment/energy, Manufacturing/design/control equipment as capital goods. As consumer goods, Food & beverage, Beauty and health, and Hospitals and medical care. Although there have been no major changes in popular industries compared with previous years, a growing interest in the health and medical fields, as well as products and services supporting telework, can definitely be seen.
◆New Industries in 2022
Now let’s take a look at the industries of the new exhibitions in 2022. I would like to point out that classification of industries is a challenging task. There are many new exhibitions that cover multiple industries, making it difficult to make an accurate judgment about which industry to classify them into. Chart 2 below shows the author’s own classification of new exhibition industries from 2017 to 2022.
・The following is the ranking of industries for the 68 new exhibitions in 2022
13 – Food products, Restaurants, Food processing
8 – Health, Beauty, Sports and Cosmetics
7 – IT, AI, IoT, 3D, Telework, Digital Transformation
7 – Management, Labor management, Education, Welfare, childcare, and Asset Management
4 – Manufacturing Technology, Production Technology, Factories, and Robots
3 – Sales, Advertising, Marketing, Franchising, Overseas Promotion
3 – Automobiles, Auto Parts, Transportation, Logistics
3 – Tourism, Regional Revitalization, MICE, IR
3 – Disaster Prevention, Security, and Risk Control
・The ranking of new exhibition industries (10 or more exhibitions) for the six-year period from 2017 to 2022 is shown below.
40 – IT, AI, IoT, 3D, Telework, Digital Transformation
35 – Manufacturing Technology, Production Technology, Factories, and Robots
35 – Food Products, Restaurants, Food processing
28 – Medical, Nursing Care and Infection Control
23 – Management, Labor Management, Education, Welfare, Childcare and Asset Management
21 – Housing, Stores, Facilities, Interior Design
20 – Health, Beauty, Sports and Cosmetics
14 – Fashion, Apparel, Textiles, General Merchandise, Gift and Lifestyle
14 – Sales, Advertising, Marketing, Franchising, Overseas Promotion
13 – Automobiles, Auto Parts, Transportation, Logistics、
13 – Tourism, Regional Revitalization, MICE, IR
11 – Metals, Materials
10 – Disaster Prevention, Security, and Risk Control
This shows that the industries covered are almost the same as the popular industries pointed out by the aforementioned Trade Fair Exhibition News. All of these industries cover high-tech fields, fields that reflect the pandemic, health-conscious fields, fields that are becoming popular and trendy, fields that address the needs of the aging population, and fields that have strong roots in the food and restaurant industries.
From February 16 to 18, ProLight & ProVisual 2022 had taken place at Tokyo Big Sight.
Organized by the Japan Management Association (JMA) the event was featuring 209 booths representing 20 companies introducing the latest products and technologies in stage lighting and visual effects for the industry professionals. A number of demonstrations and seminars had been held as a part of the exhibition as well.
Event Outline:
ProLight & ProVisual 2022
Dates: February 16 (Wed.) – 18 (Fri.), 10:00 – 17:00 (*Last day until 4:30 p.m.)
Admission: Free *Pre-registration required
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight
Concurrent Events: HCJ (International Hotel & Restaurant Show/ Food Catering Show/ Kitchen Equipment & Devices Show), Inbound Market EXPO/ Original Product Development WEEK
Yoshichika Terasawa, Director of Japan Event Association,
Chief Researcher of Event Research Institute
After Covid-19 outbreak,physical events have disappeared in the venues around the world. Business
Event Venues faced the unprecedented challenge not able to host physical events over a year. Meanwhile venues have established the infection preventive measures based on the Covid Safe Guidelines of the national and local governments and positively cooperated with related organizations in order to ensure the business events industry is ready to safely restart. As the number of COVID-19 cases increased, the venues were converted to temporary hospitals and vaccination center in various parts of the world.
However the global situation in the business events industry was greatly affected by the Delta variants, the physical B2B events restarted globally from September to October 2021 under the strict infection preventive measure. It is because that vaccination progressed and infected cases have been controlled gradually. But due to ongoing restrictions on international travel,the events are still domestic market oriented and limited in scale of events. It has been predicted that it will take around 2 years for the business events industry to return to market size of pre-COVID-19.
Even in these circumstances,some facilities have implemented new strategies even before the Covid-19 outbreak and continued to develop the With-Post-Covid-19 strategy through overcoming damages of Covid-19. The point of this strategy is to recover the loses caused by Covid-19 and aiming for further development to meet changing needs of events and to be able to keep up the competition with other cities in the region and country.
The following is an overview of the best practices of the latest trends in the venues. First,look at the latest particular trends in venue concept and strategies that have emerged in USA and Europe. And then introduce individual cases of venue trends.
Business events venues strategies and concepts:
In Asia,especially in China, large-scale venues continue to be built, on the contrary USA and European countries have focused on providing conveniences to users, flexibility to changing needs,environmental and sustainability requirement, contribution to brands of city and region,and digital environments in the investment priority of facilities.
After the Covid-19 outbreak,the venue has shifted its priority to both health and safety of users and visitors and the improvement of the facility quality & functionality as well as operational know-how including the strengthening measures to prevent infectious diseases.
Specific initiatives implemented in the particular facilities are as follows.
