Mission dates: 01.12.25 - 04.12.2025 

Join our Innovation Business Mission in Japan and exhibit for free at the Innovation Leaders Summit (“ILS”) 2025 in Toranomon Hills, Tokyo.

Are you running a business developing advanced technologies in AI, robotics, climate tech, digital health, smart manufacturing, or other fields? Would you like to exhibit your solutions to top-tier investors, corporate leaders, and government representatives in Japan? If so, the Innovation Mission at ILS 2025 – Innovation Leaders Summit– offers a unique opportunity to access the Japanese market, connect with key decision-makers, and present your innovation at Asia’s largest open innovation conference in December 2025.

ABOUT THE MISSION

The Centre’s Innovation Mission in Japan will exhibit at the Innovation Leaders Summit 2025, taking place from 1 to 4 December 2025 in Tokyo. ILS is one of Asia’s largest open innovation events, bringing together startups, scale-ups, investors, and major Japanese corporations. The mission will offer business-matching opportunities for companies developing advanced technologies in fields such as AI, robotics, digital health, climate tech, smart manufacturing, and more. Selected participants will have the opportunity to connect with potential Japanese partners and present their solutions during the four-day summit. At a joint EU-Japan Centre booth in the exhibition area, Japanese-language posters will be prepared based on participant materials, and Centre staff, together with professional interpreters, will support engagement and ensure maximum visibility throughout the event.

Before travelling to Japan, selected mission participants will receive detailed information about the schedule and Japanese business etiquette through a webinar. This will ensure they are fully prepared for their business mission. A range of networking events and related activities will be organised during the stay in Japan, maximising the value of the visit for all participants at the Innovation Mission.

For more information on the ILS, please consult the official website here.

SCHEDULE

OBJECTIVES

• Explore and create partnering opportunities with Japanese companies during ILS 2025 and other organized events.
• Gain valuable insights into the Japanese innovation ecosystem and market dynamics.
• Prepare the ground for future business collaboration with Japanese counterparts.

PARTICIPANT PROFILE

This call for applications targets individuals working for SMEs (small and medium enterprises, start-ups) (*) or Clusters (**) from the European Union or a country associated with the Single Market Programme, SME Pillar (***), specialised in:

• Artificial intelligence, machine learning, or data-driven technologies;
• robotics, automation, and smart manufacturing
• digital health and medical technologies;
• clean technologies, climate tech, and sustainability solutions;
• mobility, smart cities, or energy innovation;
• advanced materials, sensors, or IoT;
• other emerging or deep-tech sectors relevant to open innovation and industrial transformation.

(*) 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 who are registered in the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (https://clustercollaboration.eu/). Registration on that platform is free of charge.

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

ELIGIBILITY

The applicant must:

• Work for a Cluster or an SME based in the European Union, or in a country associated with the Single Market Programme, SME Pillar (***);
• The headquarters of the company/cluster must be located in an EU/SMP country;
• Be supported by their employer through a signed letter (in case they do not belong to senior management);
• Be able to participate in the entire programme;
• 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.

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 disobeyed the instructions of the Centre staff.

*Please note that, if selected, the applicant is considered as the participant to the business mission. Any change in participating employee from the selected companies needs to be discussed with the EU-Japan Centre.

SELECTION

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

• Strategy and potential regarding Japan;

• Relevance for the topic of the mission and the targeted fair;
• Professional background of the applicant.

Priority will be given to new applicants. Applicants applying again for the same mission may be selected if they can convincingly explain why another participation would be beneficial for their business with Japan.

The mission will welcome up to 12 companies/clusters.

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

The EU-Japan Centre will cover these expenses for selected companies/clusters:

• An individual display stand within the joint EU-Japan Centre booth at the Innovation Leaders Summit 2025;
• On-site support from EU-Japan Centre staff and professional interpreters at the joint booth;
• Translation and printing of your poster and company profile for the exhibition;
• Participation in networking events organized during the summit.

COSTS

Mission participants are responsible for covering:

• Flight and other travel expenses to Tokyo and the trade fair venue;
• Accommodation in Tokyo;
• Other living expenses in Japan, including local transportation and meals;
• If utilised: Promotional materials for their company, e.g. flyers, business cards, etc.

DEPOSIT

Participants who have been selected for the mission are required to pay a deposit of €1.000 to secure their spot in the mission. After a brief post-event report is submitted, the deposit will be refunded. Before applying, please ensure you are committed to participate, as cancelling after confirming your participation will result in a forfeiture of the deposit.

In practice, the following penalties apply:

• In case of cancellation after paying the deposit, the deposit will be forfeited. However, the deposit will be fully refunded in the event of force majeure, such as natural disasters or other unforeseen circumstances beyond the participant's control.
• Failure to show up during the mission (at the EUJCIC booth or mandatory side events): for each day that the participant will be 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).

*Signatures for each mission day are collected to serve as proof of participation.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions