Are you running a business that specialises in innovative robotics or smart factory solutions?

Would you like to develop business in Japan and beyond? 

The EU-Japan Centre invites European companies and clusters to apply to the Smart Factory & Robotics Business Mission in Japan in February 2027.

The mission includes participation in Smart Factory Expo 2027, a leading Japanese trade fair for smart factory, industrial automation, digital manufacturing and robotics-related solutions.

ABOUT THE MISSION

The Smart Factory & Robotics Mission offers a unique entry point into the Japanese market. Mission participants will exhibit and take part in Smart Factory Expo 2027, held at Tokyo Big Sight as part of Factory Innovation Week. The fair focuses on smart factory, industrial automation, digital manufacturing and robotics-related solutions, including IoT/IIoT, AI-supported production systems, production management, control systems, vision systems, sensors, autonomous transportation and sustainable manufacturing solutions.

This mission offers:

• Exhibition space under the joint EU-Japan Centre booth at the Smart Factory Expo 2027
• Tailored 1-to-1 meetings with Japanese counterparts, pre-arranged with the EU-Japan Centre’s support
• Networking opportunities with Japanese and international stakeholders.

Number of participants: up to 16

SERVICES OFFERED BEFORE THE MISSION

Before travelling to Japan, participants will be offered two online training modules to prepare for the mission. The sessions are currently scheduled for the mornings of 21 and 22 January 2027 (TBC). Details of the agenda for each training day will be communicated in due course.

PLANNED SCHEDULE

18 Feb. (Thu)

OBJECTIVES

• Help EU companies initiate and develop connections in Japan
• Support EU companies in identifying potential partners for future business and innovation partnerships
• Offer first-hand exposure and promotion of EU companies’ technologies and services to prospective clients in Japan
• Support EU firms with actionable insights into the Japanese market, IP regulation, public procurement opportunities and the R&D landscape.

PARTICIPANT PROFILE

This call for applications targets individuals working for companies, including SMEs (*) and large companies, or clusters (**), from the European Union or a country associated with the Single Market Programme, SME Pillar (***).

The mission targets companies and clusters that provide innovative robotics, smart factory, industrial automation, digital manufacturing, and related enabling technologies.

We focus on companies offering solutions with a clear industrial use case and demonstrated potential for real-world deployment, particularly in areas such as industrial robotics, collaborative robots, factory automation, IoT/IIoT solutions, AI-supported production systems, vision systems, sensors, control and SCADA systems, autonomous transport and sustainable manufacturing solutions.

(*) Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are companies that meet the standard criteria set by the European Commission to be classified as SMEs.

(**) Clusters are those that are registered in the European Cluster Collaboration Platform. Registration on that platform is free of charge.

(***) Please check the status of your country here.

EXAMPLES OF RELEVANT TECHNOLOGY AREAS

• Industrial robotics and robotic systems, including collaborative robots, articulated robots, delta robots, automated guided vehicles, etc.
• Industry 4.0 Technologies, including Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and AI integration
• Components and materials for robots, including electronic components, sensors, actuators, related control technologies, etc.
• Smart factory and industrial automation solutions, including smart factory equipment, IoT/IIoT-enabled monitoring, and digital manufacturing solutions.
• AI-supported manufacturing and production optimisation technologies, including predictive maintenance, digital twins, and data-driven production optimisation
• Vision, sensing, control and connectivity technologies, including vision systems, industrial sensors, PLC/SCADA systems, and machinery safety solutions.

ELIGIBILITY

The applicant must:

• work for a legal entity located in the European Union, or in a country associated with the Single Market Programme, SME Pillar (***)
• have its (group) company/cluster headquarters in an EU/SMP country
• be supported by their head of department/CEO through a signed letter (in case they do not belong to senior management)
• be able to participate in the entire mission
• have a good command of English (recommended level B2 or higher)

Companies or clusters that are outside the scope of the defined sector/type-specific business mission will be rejected.

Companies and clusters are allowed to participate multiple times. If prior participation in a business mission has occurred, please clearly state in the application form the reason for reapplying and the expected benefits of participating again.

Applicants may be declined if they have previously cancelled their participation or were absent during part of a prior mission without a valid reason or have in any other way acted contrary to the guidelines of the mission, local laws, customs, and regulations or have disregarded the instructions of the Centre staff.

SELECTION

The Centre will evaluate applicants based on the following selection criteria:

• strategy and potential of their company/cluster regarding Japan
• relevance of their company/cluster for the topic of the mission and the targeted fair
• professional background of the applicant.

The mission will accommodate a maximum of 16 participants. Other applicants who score at or above the average will be placed on a waitlist and ranked according to their scores. Only one application per company/cluster will be considered.

Please note that once selected, the applicant will be regarded as a participant in the business mission. Any changes to the participating employee from the selected company/cluster must be discussed with and approved by the EU-Japan Centre.

WHAT DO WE PROVIDE?

For all mission participants, the EU-Japan Centre will provide:

• Two online business and market training modules scheduled prior to the mission
• Entrance fees for events and the trade fair covered by the mission
• A standardised display stand in the shared booth of the EU-Japan Centre
• Assistance by EU-Japan Centre staff (such as for promotion, B2B meetings)
• Professional interpreters at the joint EU-Japan Centre booth and at the trade fair
• Translation of the poster and the company/cluster profile, as well as printing of the poster for the exhibition
• Tailored 1-to-1 meetings with Japanese counterparts (arranged by the EU-Japan Centre)
• Custom-built IP-related advice and Public Procurement Tender Scan (on-demand)
• Hotel accommodation, arranged by the EU-Japan Centre, from Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027 (check-out morning)(*). All selected participants will be provided with the same room type.

(*) Accommodation dates are tentative and may be adjusted upon finalisation of the business mission schedule.

WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS NEED TO COVER?

All mission participants are responsible for covering:

• Flights and other travel expenses to the starting point of the mission in Japan and after completion of the mission.
• Living expenses in Japan, including local transportation and meals.

DEPOSIT AND CONTRIBUTION FEE

To secure their spot, all selected participants must pay a €1,000 deposit. This deposit will be refunded upon successful completion of full mission participation and submission of the required questionnaires.

Large companies (non-SMEs / non-clusters) must also pay a non-refundable contribution fee of €2,500 to secure their spot in the mission.

PENALTIES

In practice, the following penalties apply:

Last-minute cancellations made after confirming participation may result in the forfeiture of the deposit and, where applicable, the contribution fee. However, a refund is possible in cases of force majeure, such as natural disasters or other unforeseeable circumstances beyond the participant's control.

Failure to attend the mission (at the EU-Japan Centre booth or mandatory mission events): for each day that a participant is absent without a valid reason, between 200 and 250 EUR will be deducted (200 EUR for a 5-day mission, 250 EUR for a 4-day mission).

Please submit your application by 22 October 2026.

Any questions? Please contact h.koyano@eu-japan.eu.

The organisation of the Smart Factory & Robotics Business Mission is pending the receipt of an EU grant for the activities of the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation for the period covering cycle 2026–2028 of the programme. Please therefore note that this call is subject to the award and signature of an EU Grant Agreement, and may therefore be adjusted or cancelled if necessary.