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                  WCM

 

Upcoming Editions

· 56th WCM Programme: 19–23 October 2026 | Click here for more information (Application period held on - May/July) 

· 57th WCM Programme: 1–5 March 2027 | Click here for more information (Application period held on - October/December) 

About the Programme

Since 1992, the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) programme has welcomed more than a thousand participants from all EU Member States. This intensive five-day training programme is designed for EU decision-makers with an engineering background who wish to gain first-hand insight into the principles behind Japan’s manufacturing excellence.

Japan’s manufacturing industry is globally recognised for its outstanding quality, efficiency, and customer focus. This success is built on proven methodologies such as Total Quality Control (TQC), Total Quality Management (TQM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Just in Time (JIT), and Total Industrial Engineering (TIE). At the heart of these approaches lies the kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement, which plays a central role in refining processes and enhancing product quality.

Through this programme, participants are invited to explore how these world-renowned techniques are applied in practice and to discover the principles that have helped Japanese manufacturers achieve exceptional performance and lasting customer satisfaction.

All sectors are eligible for the programme.

Objectives

•    Discover the Japanese approach to World Class Manufacturing and the principles that underpin its long-standing industrial excellence. 
•    Learn how Japanese firms achieve superior production efficiency, quality standards, and continuous improvement through proven methodologies. 
•    Gain first-hand insight into current industry practices and trends through visits to leading manufacturing plants in Japan. 
•   Experience the real Gemba, the production site itself, where manufacturing processes, quality control, and operational excellence can be observed in practice. 
•   Exchange perspectives with senior Japanese managers and industry experts to better understand how these methods can be applied within your own organisation.

WCM Programme FAQ

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Events

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Japan
16/03/2026 - 19/03/2026
The next mission will take place from 23-26 March, 2027 Planned application period: September-early November 2026 Highlights from Green Mission in March 2026   Are you a European business…
Japan
05/10/2026 - 09/10/2026
Mission dates: 05 - 09 Oct 2026 Are you active in the biotech, pharma, or related healthcare sectors and seeking business, technology, or collaboration opportunities in Japan? This autumn, the EU-…
Time in Brussels
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Time in Tokyo
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Exchange rate
1€ = 186,058 JPY