18 Events to Meet Potential Business Partners in Japan

Are you traveling to Tokyo on business? Perhaps you want to meet with potential business partners, distributors, resellers, or customers in Japan.

Tokyo has a myriad of events with many of the country’s top businesses in attendance as well as many guests coming from all over the world to check out the latest and greatest Japan has to offer.

This list will focus primarily on technology, startups, as well as large business events and exhibitions based in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Many of these are my personal yearly must-go events and I always return with valuable information and new business contacts.

If you are involved in tech or startups and drool when somebody mentions something like drones, IoT, or virtual reality, this list will keep your sensors loaded with great data throughout 2016.

February 2016

Challenge Cup Regional Tokyo by Japan Innovation Network

Date: February 24th – 25th
Location: 3×3 Lab Future
Link: https://www.1776.vc/challenge-cup/event/challenge-cup-regional-tokyo-japan/
The Challenge Cup is a worldwide tournament for the most promising, world-changing startups to win cash prizes, make international connections and share their vision on a global stage. The Tokyo event will feature winners across East Asia competing to advance to the Global Finals in Washington D.C. in June 2016.

Camera & Photo Imaging Show 2016

Date: February 25th – 28th
Location: Pacifico Yokohama
Link: https://www.cpplus.jp/
With over 50 years of history, back when it was known as the Japan Camera Show, this comprehensive world-renowned camera and imaging exhibition is the seventh event since relocating to the international city of Yokohama. More and more families as well as business users are visiting this event every year. CP+2015 saw about 67,000 visitors and 39 World Premiere models, which were announced to the world for the first time.

March 2016

JAWS-UG AWS User Group Japan

Date: March 12th
Location: Belle Salle Shinjuku Grand
Link: https://jawsdays2016.jaws-ug.jp/
The future of the cloud can be seen at this yearly AWS users event. JAWS DAYS will focus on technologies such as server-less architecture and mobile · IoT services. The AWS is now an indispensable part of the future of innovation, from the beginner to the core user. People will be attending this event from all over Japan.

Pioneers Asia

Date: March 23rd
Location: Happo-en, Tokyo
Link: https://pioneers.io/asia/
Pioneers Asia, in partnership with Nikkei Inc, Asia’s largest business media organization, is bringing together the smartest startups, future technologies, world changing corporations, media and investors eager to support the next big thing. Pioneers Asia is the platform for the best of Europe and Asia’s startups to shine on a world stage

Anime Japan 2016 (Formerly Tokyo International Anime Fair)

Date: March 25th – 27th
Location: Tokyo Big Sight
Link: https://www.anime-japan.jp/en
Everything you need and more for Anime. Anime Japan offers not only entertainment for you, but also opportunities for you to connect and engage with what’s happening right now in the world of anime.

April 2016

Fashion World Tokyo 2016

Date: April 6th – 8th
Location: Tokyo Big Sight
Link: https://www.fashion-tokyo.jp/en/
FASHION WORLD TOKYO is the largest trade show for the fashion industry in Japan, gathering all kinds of fashion wear, bags, shoes, accessories, jewelry, men’s fashion, textiles and OEM/ODM products from around the world. With 700 exhibitors from 30 countries/regions and 25,000 visitors, the exhibition provides abundant trading opportunities and good potential for business activities.  

Techno-frontier 2016

Date: April 20th – 22th
Location: Makuhari Messe
Link: https://www.jma.or.jp/TF/en/index.html
The latest technologies and products in Electronics and Mechatronics gather here. Exhibitions such as MOTORTECH JAPAN, POWER SYSTEM JAPAN, EMC JAPAN,THERMAL ENGINEERING, ENERGY HARVESTING are known here as “the one and only,” “can’t miss” exhibitions in Japan. Since 2014, frameworks of “Mechatronics Total Solution,” “Electronics Total Solution” and “Control Engineering・Design Support Solution” have been introduced to further promote cross-interaction among each topic.

NicoNico Super Conference 2016

Date: April 29th – 30th
Location: Makuhari Messe
Link: https://www.chokaigi.jp/
With 40 million registered members, 2015 saw a total of 150,000 attendees with nearly 8 million internet viewers. Everything is on display here from entertainment, music, sports, politics, science, technology, Anime, Games, as well as special events for online viewers and participation by attending guests.

May 2016

Japan IT Week 2016

Date: May 11th – 13th
Location: Tokyo Big Sight
Link: https://www.japan-it.jp/en/
Japan IT Week is truly Japan’s largest trade show where you can find the latest IT technologies/solutions. A great number of information systems managers, management executives, sales managers, system integrators and managers from IT system divisions will visit Japan IT Week to conduct business face to face with exhibitors. Japan IT Week is the absolute meeting point for both IT solution providers and IT system managers.

Slush Asia

Date: May 13th-14th
Location: Makuhari Messe
Link: https://asia.slush.org/
On May 13-14th, Slush Asia brings together people with big dreams and determination from all over the world. Originally from Finland, Slush has grown to become one of the world’s largest startup events and has made a second home in Asia. The goal of the event is to build a startup ecosystem that supports future leaders across the globe and to ignite an entrepreneurial spirit in Asian youth through talks by experienced entrepreneurs and the game changers.

Wireless Japan 2016

Date: May 25th – 27th
Location: Tokyo Big Sight
Link: https://www8.ric.co.jp/expo/wj/
This is one of the largest trade shows that focus on mobile and wireless technologies as well as the research and development of wireless communications. There are also joint events such as the Transport system expo, Wireless Technology Park , and the International Drone Expo. Keywords for 2016 are 5G (5th Generation Mobile Communication, Wireless application for disaster prevention/Reduction, IoT & M2M, Positioning, Wireless Technology for robots & Drones, Regional ICT, Wireless power transfer, and ITS (Connected car, Automatic safe driving)

Microsoft Japan de:code

Date: May 24th – 25th
Location: Prince Park Tower Tokyo
Link: https://www.microsoft.com/ja-jp/events/decode/2016/default.aspx
Microsoft introducing de:code 2016 will be a place for all IT Engineers, presenting the latest tools and technologies and how they can help become more creative and productive.

International Drone Expo 2016

Date: May 25th – 27th
Location: Tokyo Big Sight
Link: https://www.dronesolution-expo.com/
This is one of the largest trade shows that focus entirely on anything robotics and drones. Event attendance is expected to reach up to 46,000 people with 300 solution providers on display.

June 2016

AWS Summit Tokyo 2016

Date: June 1st-3rd
Location: Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa Shinagawa
Link: https://jawsdays2016.jaws-ug.jp/
Whether you are new to the cloud or an experienced user, you will learn something new at an AWS Summit. These events, held around the world, are designed to educate new customers about the AWS platform and offer existing customers deep technical content to be more successful with AWS.

Interop Tokyo

Date: June 8th – 10th
Location: Makuhari Messe
Link: https://www.interop.jp/
Since 1994, Interop Tokyo is the event where you can experience the latest ICT technologies and solutions. Meet with companies on display for SaaS, IaaS, PaaS, Cloud, Virtualization, Security, Server, Storage, Networking, and more. The even helps to bring together engineers and business leaders from around the world involved in ICT.

Tokyo Toy Show

Date: June 9th – 12th
Location: Tokyo Big Sight
Link: https://www.toys.or.jp/toyshow/
To provide a venue for announcing new products to markets inside and outside of Japan and for conducting business negotiations for the Christmas and the year-end sales season, thereby activating distribution and expanding sales channels. “The Open to the Public Event” will be held to encourage the public to reconfirm the pleasure of toys through hands-on play.

3D & Virtual Reality Expo IVR

Date: June 22nd – 24th
Location: Tokyo Big Sight
Link: https://www.toys.or.jp/toyshow/
3D & Virtual Reality Expo (IVR) is Japan’s largest exhibition where you can experience all kinds of cutting-edge 3D technology and super high definition image technology. IVR attracts a significant number of users from manufacturing industries, amusement industries, broadcasting stations, image producing companies, content production companies, telecommunication companies, public offices, universities and research centers, who are looking to buy solutions for their businesses.

Samurai Island Expo 2016

Date: Jun 25th – 26th
Location: TBD
Link: https://samurai-island-expo.com/
This event is sponsored by Samurai Incubate which is a Japan based incubator, and also has a location in Israel called Samurai House Israel.

You can find the original version of this article here.

Allan Watanabe – Guest Contributor Allan is the Managing Director at PIPELINE JAPAN, helping businesses grow in Japan. Your company has big ideas, cutting edge services, and world-class products. Now, it’s time to tap into your infinite potential.

Featured image: pcruciatti/Shutterstock