2023 NEW Environmental Exposition & 2023 Global Warming Prevention Exhibition Held at the Tokyo Big Sight

From May 24 to 26, the 2023 NEW Environmental Exposition & 2023 Global Warming Prevention Exhibition was held at the Tokyo Big Sight’s East Halls 1~5 and outdoor demonstration site.

585 companies were exhibiting. (1,884 booths total – NEW EE: 492 companies, 1,763 booths; GWPE: 93 companies, 121 booths)

The theme of the NEW Environmental Exposition was “Development of Environmental Businesses,” and the Global Warming Prevention Exhibition’s concept was “CO2 Reduction and Promotion of Renewable Energy and Energy Saving Businesses”.

The NEW Environmental Exposition showcased the latest technologies for efficient resource recycling, including AI sorting robots, optical sorting machines, and gravity sorting machines, as well as a system to support digitalization for waste collection, transportation, and management.

In Japan, the Plastic Waste Recycling Law came into effect last year, and local governments and companies have begun to take action. The most recent technology and equipment for material recycling and chemical recycling, as well as machinery for highly efficient heat recovery were all on display.

At the Global Warming Prevention Exhibition, companies exhibited products to protect against heat waves and renewable energy and energy saving machinery that helps contribute to decarbonization and SDGs.

In the energy saving sector, attention was drawn to personal air conditioners, heat shields, improved combustion efficiency, and overall facility energy reduction through promotion of Zero Energy Buildings (ZEBs). In the renewable energy sector, small-scale hydroelectric power generation, binary power generation, biomass fuel, and geothermal heat usage were the most popular exhibitions.

Various environmental technologies and services were displayed simultaneously, and active business negotiations and information gathering also took place.

There were 90,604 attendees in total over the 3 days.

The next event will be held from May 22 to 24, 2024, at the Tokyo Big Sight.

NEW Environmental Exposition Area Classifications:

Recycling / Waste Treatment / Demolition Area
NEW Environmental Exposition Venture Corner
Related Organizations / Academic Institutions Area
Water Treatment / Purification Area
Thermal / Garbage Power Generation / Heat Utilization Area
Asbestos Countermeasures Corner
Environment Software / Scale / Measurement / Analysis Area
Soil / Air / Working Environment Improvement / Infectious Disease Control Area
Collection / Transportation / Delivery / Storage / Logistics Area
Local Government Area
Marine Plastic / Waste Plastic Countermeasures Corner
Civil Engineering / Construction / Disaster Management Corner
Bioplastic / Packaging / Eco Products Area
Biomass / Organic Waste Treatment Area
Outdoor Demonstration Site

Global Warming Prevention Exhibition Area Classifications:

Global Warming Prevention Area
Global Warming Prevention Exhibition Venture Corner
Heat Wave Countermeasures Corner
Power Saving / Energy Saving Measures Area
Renewable Energy / Alternative Energy Promotion Area
Outdoor Demonstration Site

Raising the Curtain on the World’s Biggest Handmade Festival: Japan Hobby Show 2023

Organized by the Japan Hobby Association, the 47^th Japan Hobby Show was held for 3 days from April 27 to 29, 2023, at the Tokyo Big Sight.

This year’s theme was “Yet to be Discovered Handmade”. Approximately 230 artists and companies exhibited in 350 booths, and an estimated 60,000 visitors were in attendance. The 16^th Hobby Cooking Fair was held simultaneously.

At the ARENA area, exhibitors showcased DIY kits and art materials, as well as offering interactive experiences and workshops at their booths. Also implemented was the “5 Senses Museum,” a hands-on museum that explored the possibilities of materials and tools from a variety of perspectives, allowing visitors to experience a new level of handmade craftsmanship.

In addition, there was a collaboration with the Sanrio character Cinnamoroll, and a photo spot was set up for visitors to take a picture with their “Fave”. Visitors also enjoyed the materials and tools recommended for fandom activities, as well as a space for communicating that handmade items are indispensable to fan support.

Shibuya Sakura Stage: New Building Complex South of Shibuya Station to be Completed in November

The Tokyu Land Corporation has announced that their new landmark facility in Shibuya will be named “Shibuya Sakura Stage”. The complex is part of the company’s Shibuya Station Sakuragaoka Exit Area Type 1 Urban Redevelopment Project, which is being promoted by the Sakuragaoka Exit Urban Redevelopment Association.

Construction of the facility is expected to be completed on November 30, 2023, and the facility will open to the public at a later date, with a grand opening event scheduled for the summer of 2024, after the majority of the stores have opened.

The facility will be a large-scale complex that combines “Work, Play, and Living,” including offices that can be occupied flexibly by companies of various sizes, commercial facilities that create and spread information on cutting-edge trends and culture, and residential facilities.

In addition, short-term rental apartments for businesspersons travelling from abroad, a childcare support center, international medical facilities, and amenities for supporting business start-ups will also be installed.

Adjacent to Shibuya Station, a multi-layered pedestrian network will be developed attaching the station and the surrounding area, in order to restore connections within the area and enhance functions and mechanisms to respond to globalization, thereby welcoming a diverse range of people. The project aims to create a lively atmosphere and a “Town that is fun to walk around”.

Matsubara Mayor Sawai Appointed as New President of Osaka Expo 2025 Head Organization, Expo Bento Lunch Box and Official Song Revealed

On June 7, 2023, the third general meeting of the Mayoral Alliance for Expo 2025, the coalition of leaders for creation of the future society for the region of Osaka Expo 2025, was held at the Belle Salle Hanzomon in Tokyo.

Left to right: Mikio Tanaka, Hiroyuki Ishige, Naoki Okada, Hirofumi Sawai, Myaku-Myaku (Mascot Character)

Hirofumi Sawai, mayor of Matsubura, Osaka, was appointed as the new chairman. Chairman Sawai stated, “Unlike the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Osaka Expo 2025 is a national event to be held with an in-person audience.” Sawai included that it was his duty to bring the bustle of the city to the rest of the country as well, as 28 million people from Japan and abroad are expected to visit Osaka over the 6-month period.

Furthermore, he noted that Japan’s nationwide momentum is still lacking and persuaded participants, “There are currently 631 municipalities participating in the Mayoral Alliance for Expo 2025, and we wish to request the closest cities to the Expo to join as well. Furthermore, the secretariat can negotiate with the national government, associations, and various organizations, so we hope that you will make full use of this opportunity.”

Naoki Okada, Minister of the State for International Expositions, and Hiroyuki Ishige, Secretary General of the Japan Association for Osaka Expo 2025, also addressed the guests. Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura sent a video message. Referring to the initiative to increase the number of people interacting with Expo 2025, Minister Okada stated, “We are coordinating with the Ministry of Education to bring in 1.2 million students from schools across Japan to the Expo as a destination for class trips and are working to improve the environment, including admission fees.” He also emphasized that since the selections of class trip destinations are usually made 1 or 2 years in advance, “the important thing is to start working on it now.”

At the general meeting, the first of this year’s main initiatives, Expo Bento lunch boxes, was unveiled. 35 ingredients were selected from 34 regions across the country to showcase the appeal of Japanese cuisine. The recipe was developed by Murakawa Gakuen Educational Corporation.

Also announced was a project in which individuals and groups would arrange local “Ondo” songs into modern versions and post them on SNS under the hashtag, “#Expo 2025 Ondo.” Stardust Kawachi, a traditional dance team from Hirakata City, Osaka, arranged and performed a traditional Katano-bushi dance routine. The Mayoral Alliance will assist with public relations in the future.

Osaka Expo 2025 will be held on the man-made island of Yumeshima in Osaka for 184 days from April 13 to October 13, 2025. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 13, 2023, and tickets are expected to go on sale by the end of this year. The number of officially participating countries reached a record 153 as of March 2023, surpassing the target of 150.

FOODEX JAPAN 2023, Asia’s Largest Food and Beverage Exhibition Held at Tokyo Big Sight

From March 7 to 10, The Japan Management Association (JMA) held “FOODEX JAPAN 2023” at the Tokyo Big Sight. 2,500 companies from 60 countries and regions across the globe hosted 3,130 booths to exhibit their latest food and beverage products.

Themed exhibits were held throughout the venue, including the International Exhibit Zone with pavilions from around the world, Frozen Food Zone presenting frozen food technology, Organic & Wellness Zone featuring health, beauty, gluten-free, and vegan products, and National Food Expo, which showcased specialty foods and beverages from all corners of Japan.

In the New Products Plaza, each country exhibited products that were launched for the first time in Japan, as well as new products that are planned to be released within the six months surrounding the show. In addition, a zone featuring alternative foods, for which demand is rising due to the recent focus on SDGs, showcased alternative seafood and edible insects, which have been recently commercialized.
At the FOODEX TECH exhibition in East Hall 7, the latest technologies for solving social issues were presented, including the industry’s first sea bream raised solely on insects and plastic bags that can be completely decomposed into water and carbon dioxide.
In addition to exhibitions, lectures by leading experts in various industries were held daily on the FOODEX Stage.

Nikkei Messe: Town and Store Development Exhibition Held at Tokyo Big Sight

From February 28 to March 3 at the Tokyo Big Sight, Nikkei, Inc. held the Nikkei Messe: Town and Store Development Exhibition, a gathering of various technologies, products, and systems that support future town and store development throughout Japan.

The event consisted of seven concurrent exhibitions: JAPAN SHOP, Building & Construction Materials Fair, Lighting Fair, IFFT Tokyo International Furniture Fair, RetailTech JAPAN, SECURITY SHOW, and Franchise Show (Franchise Show was held for three days starting on March 1).

This was the first appearance of IFFT Tokyo International Furniture Fair, which showcased furniture and interior products from Japan and abroad. In addition to a collection of high-end furniture manufactured in Japan’s leading production areas and internationally, the fair offered high-quality space design with a focus on contract furniture (custom-made), furniture for homes, and commercial products for hotels, restaurants, and other public facilities, as well as fabrics, tableware, and other related products.

Furthermore, Nikkei Messe Online, a virtual exhibition, was held on NIKKEI NEON, an original online exhibition platform developed by Nikkei.

With a simple and easy to understand intuitive design, exhibitors can post a variety of information, such as product descriptions, videos, and pamphlets, as well as participate in various communication features such as exchanging business cards with visitors, online chats, and live streaming of seminars. Nikkei Messe Online ran through March 10.

Childcare services to support outings and provide peace of mind for parents and children ― Combi With

Original urethane-coated furniture collection ― SIXINCH. JAPAN

4D space design of house, garden, architecture, and landscape utilizing AR/VR/MR and other XR/metaverse technologies, 4D space XR simulation and software application development ― GLD-LAB

Wall and flooring materials ― Koyo Tile, producer of tiles for Himeji Castle`s main keep

SHA/SHA: an object that shields and colors things and was birthed from the DNA of shoji paper sliding door culture ―　KITOTE, AIR SHOJI

Tank-type portable hand washing station ― STEP ONE

Nonflammable kitchen panel with magnet and replaceable 2.0mm PVC tile suitable for rental renovation ― Sincol Airu

Raffino+: a new curtain collection, interior accessories and decorating products made of sustainable materials ― Univers

hoss NAGAE: a series pursuing a design and functionality that gently accompanies people’s lives, based on the basic concept of “blending into daily life” ― NAGAE

Custom-made stainless steel, planned products such as handrails and futon drying pipes ― Seiko Stainless

Japan Exhibition Association Revises Guidelines for Masks, Measures for Preventing Spread of Infection

On March 13, the Japan Exhibition Association (JEA) revised its “Guidelines for Prevention of the Spread of Infection at Exhibitions”.

This was the 7^th revision to date.

The JEA announced that the wearing of masks shall be left to the discretion of the individual, and hand washing and hand sanitizing will continue to be encouraged.

Specific regulations (relaxations) are as follows:

Wearing of Masks: The wearing of masks by visitors shall be left to their own discretion. (However, visitors may be requested to wear masks depending on infection status or other factors.)
In relation to the above, the same applies to mask-wearing at food tastings as well as lounges that serve food and beverage.
The provision of masks by organizers for exhibition staff will no longer be required, taking into account that masks can now be easily obtained.
While creating layouts to prevent congestion will still be required, the 2-story structure and 4-meter height regulations will be removed. (However, it is still recommended that these regulations remain in place during construction for safety reasons.)
Checking Temperatures: This can still be used as a measure to prevent those with symptoms from entering venues, and using signage or other means to encourage those with symptoms to refrain from coming to the venue is also permitted.

The requirement for “all visitors to wear masks at all times (non-woven cloth masks recommended) during the entire event,” which was a continuous measure agreed upon by organizers, venue management, and exhibition support companies, has been removed.

Nevertheless, several regulations aimed at visitors, exhibitors, and vendors alike still remain. These include refraining from speaking in a loud voice, even during business negotiations, explanations, and demonstrations, as well as maintaining a distance of at least a 1-meter while eating or smoking, avoiding facing others, providing seating arrangements with fewer chairs, limiting room capacities, and staggering employee break times.

Within the guidelines the JEA states, “In a world where coexistence with Covid-19 will likely be inevitable for some time to come, it is necessary to keep the economy in motion while minimizing the risk of infection.”

Japan Mobility Show: Applications Open for Participation in New Project

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) has begun accepting applications for participating companies for a new project in conjunction with Japan Mobility Show 2023, which will take place from October 26 to November 5 at the Tokyo Big Sight.

This new project, “Startup Future Factory,” is a program aimed at discovering and fostering startup companies that are expected to play key roles in the mobility industry’s future. The project will consist of 2 areas: Business Pitch & Award, which will present and review business ideas; and Startup Street, which will showcase products and services through booth exhibits.

Business Pitch & Award is a pitch event in which private companies are invited to submit new business proposals, and the most promising ideas will be selected. The pitches are assessed based on how well they align with the event’s 3 themes:

LIFE x Mobility: The Future of Living, “A future in which each individual’s daily life will be more comfortable and fulfilling”
EXCITEMENT x Mobility: The Future of Feeling, “Further evolution of entertainment, sports, and tourism experiences; a future that will create new feelings and culture”
INFRASTRUCTURE x Mobility: The Future of Social Infrastructure, “A future in which all possibilities are protected, supported, and maintained so that everyone can continue to live as themselves”

Companies that meet the conditions set by the organizer will be eligible to enter. Applications will be open from June 30 to July 29, 2023, and a review of submitted documents will be conducted from July 30 to August 31. Next, the online interview process will occur from September 1 to 29, and selected companies will be announced on September 29. Qualifying rounds will take place between October 2 and 11 at the NewsPicks Studios and UNIDGE office in Tokyo, during which participants will be narrowed down from 60 to 15 companies. The final round will be held on either November 3 or 4 on a special stage at Japan Mobility Show 2023. The winner of the grand prix will receive a monetary award, and their pitch will be broadcast on NewsPicks at a later date.

Startup Street will be exhibited as part of Japan Mobility Show 2023, and private companies that already possess their own product or service and are able to exhibit in-person at the venue will be allowed to participate. There will be 5 open time slots from A to E, each with a 2-day exhibition period. A – October 27 to 28; B – October 29 to 30; C – October 31 to November 1; D – November 2 to 3; E – November 4 to 5. Each slot is open for 20 companies. There is no fee to exhibit. The application period is open from June 30 to July 29, and participating companies will be announced on September 29. Selection will be based on how well companies align with the aforementioned themes of Japan Mobility Show 2023 and their competitive capability.

More details can be found on the Japan Mobility Show official homepage:
https://www.japan-mobility-show.com/en/

Japan International Boat Show 2023: 230 Boats and Cruisers Gather from Japan and Abroad

The Japan Marine Industry Association held Japan International Boat Show 2023 from March 23 to 26 at Pacifico Yokohama and Yokohama Bayside Marina. Online exhibits and a hands-on experience at Hakkeijima Marina were also held.

This year’s theme was “Overflowing with Smiles, Forever in this sea…” In addition to 230 companies and organizations from Japan and abroad exhibiting approximately 230 boats, cruisers, and personal watercraft, a wide range of products and services that add color to marine life, such as premium cars and apparel, were also showcased. Pacifico Yokohama exhibition sites covered several themes, including the Jet Village, for personal watercraft and related products, the Fishing Village, which introduced items and equipment for boat fishing, and the Sailing Village, which provided information on various schools and hosted small yacht exhibits. On Saturday and Sunday, there were interactive programs for families and children. The Used Boat Fair 2023 showcased used boats, yachts, and personal watercrafts from Japan Used Boat Association companies.

At Yokohama Bayside Marina, approximately 60 boats and sailing cruisers of at least 30 feet in length were moored for exhibition. Marine goods were also sold at the area around the pier. Other attractions included the Marina Picnic Cruise, which allowed visitors to take a boat cruise around Yokohama Bayside Marina, as well as a program that offered novices the opportunity to experience boating even without a license, a sailing cruiser experience, a sailing course on a larger boat for license holders, and many other hands-on events.

In addition to a free shuttle bus between Pacifico Yokohama and Yokohama Bayside Marina, a shuttle boat, the Yokohama Bay Cruise, was also available. Cruise guests enjoyed the scenery of Yokohama Port, Yokohama Bay Bridge, and Negishi Bay.

World’s Largest Computer Game Expo, E3 2023, Canceled

American computer game industry organization Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and event management company ReedPop have discussed their decision to cancel E3 2023, the world’s largest computer game expo, which was to be held from June 13 to 16, 2023, in Los Angeles.

The event was planned to include a hybrid of in-person and online content, but both aspects were canceled. Previously, it had been reported that major hardware manufacturers and publishers such as Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox had chosen not to participate this year.

In recent years, there has been a trend of game publishers releasing game information on their own platforms, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only added fuel to the fire. The Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA) in Japan announced in a press conference that Tokyo Game Show 2023 will run from September 21 to 24 at the Makuhari Messe.

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