Largest-ever Japan Pavilion at Innoprom 2017, welcoming President Putin Promoting Japan's technologies in Russia

July 2017

From July 10 to 13, JETRO set up the Japan Pavilion at the ninth Innoprom International Industrial Trade Fair in Ekaterinburg, an industrial city in central Russia. It was realized based on an agreement between the leaders of Russia and Japan made during a summit meeting in which it was decided that Japan would serve as the official partner country.

The Japan Pavilion was joined by 168 Japanese companies and organizations (including 89 SMEs, accounting for more than half), a remarkable fact given that this was the first time it had a number of exhibitors greater than a single-digit figure for Innoprom. Furthermore, it occupied a space of 4,000 square meters (approximately 10% of the entire venue area).

At the opening of the event the pavilion was visited by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov and other Russian dignitaries. JETRO Chairman and CEO Hiroyuki Ishige had the privilege of guiding them among the exhibitors together with Japanese Economic Minister Hiroshige Seko.

Within the Japan Pavilion there were numerous booths to promote a wide variety of Japanese products and services ranging from the manufacturing field, including machine tools and industrial robots, to the fields of the environment and energy, infrastructure, aerospace, virtual reality, artificial intelligence and plant factories. In addition to that, special booths were also set up in order to promote the attractiveness of Japan through its food culture and tourism, which were very popular among visitors with families as well.

As a part of the "Support Program for Japanese Companies to Accelerate Business with Russia" conducted by JETRO, three experts from its Russia Desk went along with member companies to participate in Innoprom 2017. Under the support of the experts, the companies were able to focus on engaging in business talks as well as looking for potential partners.

On top of that, Japanese companies already operating in Russia held a special procurement trade fair (a reverse trade show) within the Japan Pavilion with intent to seek out Russian suppliers who are capable of creating adequate parts in line with the products on display.

Outside of the Japan Pavilion, various programs were also concurrently held within Innoprom with the aim of deepening exchange between Russia and Japan in terms of economy and business. The Japan-Russia Industrial Forum under the title of "Optimizing Cooperation in Trade and Industry" was organized by the Japan Association for Trade with Russia & NIS (ROTOBO), as were its sub-sessions under the titles of "Cooperation in the Industrial Efficiency Field" and "Cooperation in the Environmental and Energy Conservation Field.” Another sub-session under the title of "SME Challenges" was also held by JETRO. It was moderated by Kazufumi Tanaka, Director-General in charge of Global Business Development of Business Development Support Department of JETRO, and keynote speeches were delivered by Hiroshi Takada; Chairman and CEO of the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan (SME Support, Japan); and Yury Abramov, Deputy General Director in Charge of Partner Cooperation. In the panel discussion, six representatives from Russian and Japanese companies and institutions made presentations regarding their own business activities and engaged in a discussion on the possibility of industrial collaboration between SMEs in Russia.