Activities
Promoting cross-border business tie-ups in high-tech and other key industry sectors
Helping high-tech SMEs and business ventures expand overseas
In today's high-tech business world, corporate activities are more global than ever, and this is especially true for companies involved in cutting-edge products and technologies. In Japan, not only powerhouses but also small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and venture companies in high-tech fields are increasingly targeting overseas expansion. In order to help these firms with their global expansion, JETRO offers support and services, including assistance in forming technological/business tie-ups with foreign enterprises.
For example, JETRO sends promising Japanese high-tech start-ups to leading business incubation centers in the US and UK, and covers the cost of incubation, including the use of office space and access to professional advisors. JETRO also provides relevant information through seminars (held in Japan) on the venture climate in the US and UK and hosts networking events.
Facilitating tie-ups and collaboration between Japanese and foreign firms in high-tech industries, such as biotechnology, IT, energy and the environment
High-tech industries, such as biotechnology, information and communication technology (IT), energy and the environment, are expected to be the main force driving Japan's future economic growth. The rapid pace of advancement and increasing complexity of doing business in these industries, however, makes it difficult for a single company–or even a single country–to compete globally. Firms are therefore increasingly relying on cross-border tie-ups and collaborations, both with businesses and academia to expand abroad.
JETRO works to provide opportunities for such tie-ups and collaborations to help boost trade and investment in these industries, as well as to enhance the international competitiveness of Japanese firms and their ability to set global standards.
For example, JETRO leads business missions made up of high-tech company representatives to important international industry events, giving participants valuable opportunities to introduce their leading-edge products, technologies and services to the global market, as well as to identify potential business partners and network with members of leading industrial clusters.
In line with the Japanese government's increased focus on promoting such fields as nanotechnology and robotics, JETRO works with relevant government ministries and industry associations to organize business-partnering events and international symposiums in these target fields.
Connecting regions in Japan and other countries
Japan's regional industry clusters include numerous small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that boast excellent technologies, products and services, and also high export potential. Many of these firms, however, have not actively sought growth in overseas markets, mainly due to a lack of management resources and know-how necessary to tap such markets.
To counter this, JETRO utilizes its extensive network in Japan and overseas to promote two-way industrial exchange and collaboration between regions in Japan and other countries. JETRO helps SMEs in these regions build technical and business tie-ups and develop new products/services through overseas surveys, dispatching missions abroad and inviting foreign companies to Japan; this leads to new industry creation in the regions.
Assistance provided by JETRO
Support to enhance cross-border business tie-ups
To promote business tie-ups between Japanese and overseas firms in the fields of biotechnology, IT, energy and the environment, JETRO operates Japan pavilions at major international trade fairs and leads business delegations abroad.
| Event | Period and location | |
|---|---|---|
| [Biotechnology] | BIO 2009 | May 18-21, 2009, Atlanta, US |
| JETRO BIOLINK FORUM 2009 | Oct 8, 2009, Yokohama, Japan | |
| BioSquare2010 | Feb 2010, Geneva, Switzerland | |
| [IT] | JETRO BIZMATCH@CEATEC JAPAN 2009 | Oct 6-8, 2009, Chiba, Japan |
| [Energy & the Environment] | Singapore InternationalWater Week 2009 | Jun 23-25, 2009, Singapore |
| World Energy Engineering Congress 2009 | Nov 4-6, 2009, Washington, DC, US | |
| Clean Energy Expo Asia 2009 | Nov 18-20, 2009, Singapore | |
| POLLUTEC 2009 | Dec 1-4, 2009, Paris, France | |
| RETECH 2010 | Feb 3-5, 2010, Washington, DC, US | |
| Globe 2010 | Mar 24-26, 2010, Vancouver, Canada |
Helping Japanese high-tech SMEs and venture firms expand overseas
JETRO offers a support program for promising Japanese SMEs, venture firms and entrepreneurs in high-tech fields who are targeting expansion into international markets. Under the program, JETRO sends participants to leading incubation centers abroad and covers the costs for tenancy (maximum of 18 months) and consultation services. In FY2009, JETRO is working with five incubators in the US and one in the UK.
Supporting industry exchanges between regions in Japan and other countries
JETRO conducts the Regional Industry Tie-up (RIT) program to promote joint development of new products/services and other forms of collaboration between industrial clusters in Japan and foreign countries. Support programs include: conducting surveys of foreign industrial clusters, sending business missions overseas, inviting key figures and company representatives to Japan, organizing seminars and symposiums, and hosting business partnering events both in Japan and overseas.
Japan-Saudi Arabia Industrial Cooperation Framework
In 2007, the "Japan-Saudi Arabia Industrial Cooperation Framework Project" was agreed at the Japan-Saudi Arabia summit meeting. As one of the members of the project task force, JETRO has been working to promote business expansion between the two countries and also increase interest in investing in Saudi Arabia, through conducting surveys and holding seminars.
Building a Japan-China business network in the environment and energy conservation fields
Based on the "Joint Communiqu´e on Promotion of Cooperation in the Field of the Environment and Energy," agreed between the governments of Japan and China in December 2007, JETRO operates consultation desks in its five offices in China to help connect Chinese firms (who are seeking Japanese technologies in these fields) with relevant Japanese companies.
Facilitating Japan-China business alliances through environment and energy-related trade fairs
JETRO operates Japan pavilions at trade fairs in China featuring new energy, energy conservation and environment-related technologies and services, to encourage business alliances between Japanese and Chinese companies in these fields.
| 11th China International Environmental Protection Exhibition and Conference (CIEPEC 2009) |
Jun 3-6, 2009, Beijing, China |
| China International Industry Fair 2009 | Nov 3-7, 2009, Shanghai, China |
Building networks with leading science experts and academics around the world
With the aim of building a wide network of leading science experts and academics in Japan and abroad–and to identify new areas for international industry/technology exchanges–JETRO has organized the international symposium, "Boosting Science and Technology through Industrial Collaboration" in Japan since 2004. The event invites key government, industry and academia figures from around the globe to discuss issues in the fields of energy, the environment, life sciences and IT.
| "Boosting Science and Technology through Industrial Collaboration" 2009 | Oct 7, 2009, Tokyo, Japan |
Success stories
A Japanese IT company, utilizing an incubator in the US under JETRO's support program, made a successful entry into the US market, and is expanding their business through acquisition of a local firm.
Through its participation in JETRO BIZMATCH@CEATEC JAPAN 2008, a Japanese company began a strategic partnership with a Korean developer of Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions to provide consulting, support product quality/function improvement and undertake sales and marketing.
Japan's Kyushu area, which boasts a strong concentration of firms with recycling technologies, took part in JETRO's RIT Program to promote business exchanges between local firms (in this field) with those in Dalian, China. The program succeeded in building strong ties between the two regions, as seen in the signing of an MOU (for industrial exchange) between the city of Dalian and the Kyushu-side coordinating body, and the establishment of several subsidiaries and joint ventures by Japanese companies in Dalian.
