Newsweek International 10/15/2021

While Japan has faced stiff regional competition in recent decades, it has retained a competitive advantage thanks to the SME manufacturers which have excelled in developing niche technologies often impossible to imitate. Working behind the scenes and guided by the monozukuri craftsmanship philosophy, these niche players may be small, but they play a huge part in international supply chains, providing high-tech parts and components for tier one companies in Japan and across the globe. One such niche player is fusemaker SOC Corporation, whose commitment to innovation has enabled it to gain the trust of high-end customers in a range of industries, including Mitsubishi Motors. Having supplied fuses for Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV electric vehicles (EVs) series, SOC Corporation aims to play a big role in the EV revolution through the provision of…

“We have diversified and are now focusing more on our Shin-Ei Eco Life business, which deals more with the disposal of industrial waste.”Toyohisa Kaneko, President, Shin-Ei Holdings Co., Ltd. As an island that is scarce in mineral resources, Japan’s economic success has long been considered somewhat of an industrial miracle, with the country having had to develop technologies that process and utilize imported materials in an efficient and innovative manner. Shin-Ei Holdings is one such company that has pioneered such industrial processes. “Japan has faced the challenge of a scarcity of resources for a long time and our biggest mission has been to effectively utilize the resources available to us,” explains Toyohisa Kaneko, president of Shin-Ei Holdings. “Of all the materials and resources, Japan has focused on steel the most.…

“I can confirm that it was the right thing to do to acquire these very precious surviving manufacturers in a small market here in Japan.”Taishi Yoshioka, President, Mitsui Matsushima Holdings Co., Ltd. Faced with unprecedented market changes, such as those brought about by a shrinking and aging domestic population and shifting industry demands due to climate change, Japanese companies have had to adapt to survive. With the Japanese government’s goal for Japan to become a carbon-neutral country by 2050, Nippon companies involved in the automotive and traditional energy sectors are faced with the tough challenge of reorienting their business towards new areas such as electric vehicles and renewable energy. Having seen the changes on the horizon, former coal-focused company Mitsui Matsushima Holdings (MMH) began diversifying its business in 2011 before…

“The automotive industry is set to change dramatically due to the increase of EVs. We must respond to those changes.”Kyoichiro Oki, President, SPK Corporation With a global value set to exceed $800 billion by 2027, the fast accelerating electric vehicle market is expected to explode over the next decade. Asia-Pacific is set to be the highest revenue contributor to that figure, meaning Japan’s automotive parts industry, alongside its renowned car manufacturing industry, is well placed to capitalize on this modern transport revolution. SPK Corporation, a trading company specializing in automotive parts, is one such Japanese firm which is already strategizing ahead for this future growth. “By 2030, the automotive industry is set to change dramatically – and the aftermarket will change correspondingly too – due to the increase of EVs.…

“The plastic plating technology which we developed a long time ago is still very prevalent throughout the world and about 80% of the technology we invented is still used in the same way today.”Takeshi Miyazaki, President, Kanto Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd. Since inventing the world’s first plastic plating technology back in the 1960s, Kanto Kasei Kogyo has grown to become a leader in plastic plating, metal plating and composite plating. Established as an independent company that separated from Kanto Gakuin Technical School (now Kanto Gakuin University) in the 1960s, Kanto Kasei Kogyo has continued to work in collaboration with universities to develop surface treatment technologies associated with plating technology for a wide range of fields. Today most of its plating products are used in the automotive industry, ensuring the high-performance…

“The products and services we offer embody the spirit of Japanese monozukuri.”Susumu Asanuma, President, Asanuma Giken Co., Ltd. From aluminum casting and CNC machining to measurement devices, the three divisions of Asanuma Giken are united through excellence in delivering high-precision to the automotive and aircraft industries. Drawing on its expertise in monozukuri manufacturing, Asanuma offers superior quality products and services, with its product development always guided by the latest demands of its customers, such as those brought about by a shift towards electric and lighter-weight vehicles. “The essence of monozukuri is the ability to provide the best possible solutions to obtain the products, equipment, or prototypes with the highest capability,” says company president, Susumu Asanuma. “Our newest coordinate measuring machine (CMM), Zeiss Xenos, is an embodiment of that spirit. This…