In 2017, the focus is on the bilateral cooperation regarding „Industrie 4.0” between Germany and Japan. Japan is the official partner country for this year’s CeBIT. Around 120 Japanese exhibitors will take part in the biggest and most important ICT-fair in Hannover. Only one month later, the German-Japanese economic forum will celebrate its 11th anniversary in the framework of the Hannover Messe. Prior to the mentioned exhibitions, an initial business trip - promoted within the framework of the so-called BMWi-Markterschließungsprogramm – on the subject of Industrie 4.0 focusing on machinery and plant engineering took place in February 2017 in order to support German SMEs. In total eight company representatives participated in the one-week-long journey from 20th to 24th February.
On the first day, the AHK Japan invited all members of the delegation to an institutional briefing in its offices in Tokyo. Representatives of AHK Japan, the German Embassy in Tokyo, BMWi and Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) gave comprehensive insights about the current economic and political conditions in Japan. During a subsequent light dinner buffet, all participants had the chance to introduce themselves and become acquainted with each other. Further, open questions regarding the target market, target industry and the general agenda could be resolved.
On the following day, the AHK Japan organized a symposium focusing on “Industrie 4.0 in Japan” in Tokyo. Especially Japanese companies expressed their great interest. Representatives of AHK Japan, the German Embassy in Tokyo, the Robot Revolution Initiative (RRI) as well as the ministries of economics of both countries – namely BMWi and METI - opened the event with short welcome greetings. Subsequently, all eight German companies prepared 20-minute speeches beforehand and thus presented their technologies and digital solutions to a Japanese audience. Lectures regarding the development and initiatives of Industrie 4.0 – namely Plattform Industrie 4.0 and the Industrial Value Chain (IVI) - rounded off the event. The RRI, the IVI and the IoT Acceleration Consortium offered their organizational and technical support and in close cooperation, more than 100 participants could be attracted and welcomed on the day of the symposium. Shorter and longer breaks as well as a subsequent reception gave further possibilities for exchange between the German and Japanese side.
The following days focused on individual business meetings with Japanese company representatives to evaluate future cooperation possibilities, exchange views on technologies and solutions as well as initiative business partnerships. In order to identify, address and organize matchings with adequate dialog partners in Japan, representatives of AHK Japan were in close contact with all members of the delegation. Additionally, an own cooperation forum was introduced by JETRO and METI to initiative further business cooperation. Yet again, the German companies were able to present their strengths via 5-minute elevator pitches to an audience of mostly Japanese SME representatives before the one-and-a-half-hour-long cooperation forum started.
A roundtable with German industry representatives located in Japan was the last item on the agenda of the one-week-long business trip. The discussion on chances, challenges as well as guidance regarding market access and international cooperation concerning Industrie 4.0 offered another opportunity to exchange views, information and expertise.
The first business trip focusing on Industrie 4.0 served as a door opener to gain initial access to the Japanese market. Now it is important to strengthen and maintain the established contacts for instance during the upcoming exhibitions CeBIT and Hannover Messe.
