Success breeds success.
In a follow-on to last year's Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) Trade Mission to Japan, the Commercial Service hosted last month a follow-on mission, led by AMT President John Byrd, from June 18 - 27, 2008. This year's ten member AMT delegation included:

• Allied Machine & Engineering Corporation
• ATS Ohio Inc.
• Cinetic Landis Corp.
• Creative Automation, Inc.
• Dukane Corporation - I.A.S. Division
• Haas Automation, Inc.
• Master Chemical Corporation
• The Minster Machine Company
• The Modal Shop, Inc.
• Techna-Tool Inc.

In addition to attending the Auto Parts Product Solution Fair in Tokyo, the AMT delegation also visited Japanese auto parts suppliers in the vicinity of Tokyo and Nagoya to develop business with Japanese auto parts manufacturing companies with factories in the U.S.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

(for full report, please access our Market Research Library )

New! Business Aviation Industry
Japan’s business aviation industry is famously underdeveloped considering that the nation has the world’s second largest economy. Graphic depictions of a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) versus its number of registered business aircraft depict Japan as a clear outlier. Reasons for this include the heavy promotion and protection of the rail and passenger airline industries, and an extraordinarily risk-averse and anti-entrepreneurial regulatory environment.

Motorcycle Industry
Favorable trends in the Japanese motorcycle market present an opportunity for U.S. motorcycle manufacturers. While overall Japan motorcycle sales have remained flat in recent years, statistics show that there is a trend toward an increase in the market for motorcycles with larger displacement.

Auto Parts and Accessories Aftermarket
Japan, which accounts for an estimated ten percent of the world’s total of approximately 700 million motor vehicles currently in use, is second only to the United States in terms of the number of motor vehicles on the road. Of the 75.7 million registered motor vehicles in Japan, 57.1 million are passenger cars, 16.7 million are trucks, and 230,000 are buses.

Aerospace Industry Market Brief
Japan offers a lucrative market for imported aircraft, aircraft parts, and engines. Thanks to long-term relationships (some spanning 50 years or more) with domestic manufacturers and trading firms, U.S. firms have an overwhelming presence in the market. U.S. firms are presented with ever increasing opportunities in the market as the domestic industry undertakes international projects, develops transport and patrol aircraft for defense, and develops small jets and small jet engines for civil aviation. U.S. firms that are new to the market should consider partnering with trading firms that are knowledgeable in aircraft industry networks.

TRADE EVENTS

The Commercial Service endorses the following Event:

Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2008

Schedule	October 1 – 5, 2008
Venue	PACIFICO Yokohama
Organizer	The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (SJAC)
Purpose	To assemble various aerospace-related companies and organizations from Japan and abroad in order to promote business and information exchange, as well as to contribute to the development of aerospace-related business, educate the public and about these businesses, and improve the domestic quality of life.
Visitors	109,898 (2004)
Exhibitors	346 (2004)
Website	http://www.japanaerospace.jp

USEFUL LINKS

Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
http://www.mlit.go.jp/english/index.html

Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association
http://www.jama-english.jp/

Japan Automobile Importers Association
http://www.jaia-jp.org/

The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies
http://www.sjac.or.jp/hp_english/english.htm

Japan Boating Industry Association
http://www.marine-jbia.or.jp/english/index.html

CS JAPAN CONTACTS

Unit Chief: Pat Cassidy
Commercial Specialist: Sayoko Koto