World Class Manufacturing — October 2026 Programme
56th Edition
Programme dates: 19–23 October 2026
Location: Tokai region (Chubu), centred around Nagoya — the heartland of Japan's automotive and precision-manufacturing industry, anchored by the Toyota Group supply chain
Five Days Inside Japan's Manufacturing Heartland
Starting Monday, 19 October 2026, 25 selected participants spend five days moving between lectures, factory floors, and workshops — building a hands-on grasp of Lean Thinking, TQM, and TPM, the three pillars behind Kaizen.
This edition is delivered with Avex Inc., a precision manufacturer founded in 1949 and a long-standing automotive supplier in the Tokai region, with clients including Aisin — a Tier 1 supplier to Toyota — and Daihatsu Motor.
The week closes on Friday, 23 October, with group presentations turning what participants saw into a plan for their own organisations.
Your Week, Day by Day
Day 1 · Mon 19 Oct — Foundations Orientation, introductions, and an opening lecture on the origins of Kaizen and its three pillars (TPS, TQM, TPM).
Day 2 · Tue 20 Oct — Kaizen in Action A precision-manufacturing factory tour, a visit to a local elementary school to see 5S habits taught from childhood, and a second factory visit outside the automotive sector — proof Kaizen travels across industries.
Day 3 · Wed 21 Oct — Workshop Day (Dojo) Hands-on standard-work documentation, then a small-group exercise simulating production-line improvement, with team presentations and instructor critique.
Day 4 · Thu 22 Oct — Two Factories, Two Lenses A smart factory built around DX and automation, then an automotive parts supplier where TPS is pushed to its limits on a high-volume pressing and welding line.
Day 5 · Fri 23 Oct — From Insight to Action A closing lecture on the supervisor's role in sustaining improvement, group Action Plans, presentations, and the closing ceremony.
Sessions are interpreted into English; site visits are indicative and may be adjusted.
Participant Profile
The evaluation of applicants will be based on two key criteria:
1. The applicant’s professional background, knowledge of Lean principles, and experience in process improvement. Applications with limited relevance in these areas may receive a lower score.
2. The applicant’s motivation to participate in the programme, as well as their ability to apply Lean tools within their organisation.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
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A1/ A2 |
Work for a company (SME* or large enterprise) based in the European Union or in a country associated with the Single Market Programme (SME Pillar**). The company’s headquarters must be located in an EU or SMP-associated country. |
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B1 |
Be employed on the company payroll and, if not part of senior management, be supported by a signed letter from their employer. Be based in the EU or in a country associated with the Single Market Programme (SME Pillar). |
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B2 |
Be able to participate in the programme in full. Substitution by another participant is not permitted. |
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C |
Have a good command of English (recommended level B2 or higher). |
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D |
While the sector of activity is of secondary importance, candidates from the consulting sector may receive lower priority during the selection process. |
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E |
Companies may participate multiple times, but individual employees may only participate once. Applicants may be excluded if they have previously participated in the World Class Manufacturing programme, cancelled their participation at short notice, were absent without a valid reason during a previous programme organised by the Centre, or otherwise failed to comply with programme guidelines, local laws, or instructions from Centre staff. |
(*) Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are companies that meet the standard criteria set by the European Commission.
(**) Please check the status of your country here.
Selection Criteria
The Centre will evaluate applicants based on the following selection criteria:
|
A |
The company's Lean strategy |
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B |
The applicant’s professional background, knowledge of lean manufacturing and experience in process improvement. |
|
C |
The applicant’s motivation and involvement in implementing lean tools within the company |
Costs
The EU-Japan Centre will cover all costs directly related to the WCM programme, including factory visits, lectures and workshops, venue costs, daily lunch, and bus transportation between programme sites.
Participants are responsible for arranging and covering their own travel to and from Japan, as well as their accommodation costs. For logistical reasons, all selected participants are kindly requested to stay at the designated hotel used for the programme, in order to facilitate group transportation and ensure the smooth running of the schedule.
Selected participants are therefore kindly asked not to book accommodation for the duration of the programme until they have received confirmation and further instructions from the Training Programmes team at the Centre’s Head Office in Tokyo. Detailed hotel information and booking guidance for the programme period will be provided after the selection process.
Deposit and Contribution
All selected applicants are required to pay a €1,000 refundable deposit to secure their place, which will be returned upon successful completion of the programme. Successful completion requires full participation throughout the programme, completion of all daily questionnaires, and submission of the final survey.
Participants from large companies (non-SMEs) are additionally required to pay a non-refundable contribution of €1,500 towards the programme costs.
Should a participant need to cancel after confirming their participation, the deposit may be forfeited. Exceptions apply in cases of force majeure or other circumstances genuinely beyond the participant's control.
For each day of absence without a valid reason, €200 will be deducted from the refundable deposit.
We kindly invite you to submit your application by 8 July 2026.
Questions and Further Information
Please consult the WCM Programme FAQ before contacting the Centre, as it addresses the most common questions regarding eligibility, deposits, programme logistics, and the selection process.
The organisation of this programme 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.