FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH International Marketing of the Region (FRM GmbH) is currently in Japan as part of a delegation from the City of Frankfurt. As part of the trip, led by Frankfurt’s Lord Mayor and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of FRM GmbH, Mike Josef, FRM GmbH organised the business event ‘Frankfurt meets Tokyo’. The aim was to expand the Frankfurt RheinMain region’s network in Japan, to inspire Japanese companies to invest in Frankfurt RheinMain as a business location, and to deepen existing contacts with Japanese business representatives.
Mike Josef, Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of FRM GmbH: “Frankfurt and Tokyo have a great deal in common. Both cities are the undisputed financial centres of their respective countries and are characterised by a high level of innovation. Numerous Japanese banks, technology groups and companies already have their European headquarters in the Frankfurt RheinMain metropolitan region. Conversely, key companies from our region are based in Tokyo. This connection opens up significant opportunities for businesses, start-ups and institutions in both countries. In future-oriented fields such as artificial intelligence and robotics, there are numerous points of contact for economic cooperation. The fact that more than 350 Japanese companies are already based in the Frankfurt RheinMain region and that our region is home to Germany’s second-largest Japanese community, numbering around 5,500 people, underlines the special significance of this partnership. We would like to further deepen this exchange and provide impetus for innovation, investment and economic growth.”
Japan and Frankfurt RheinMain: It’s a match
The close ties between Japan and Frankfurt RheinMain are rooted in a long history of economic and industrial cooperation. Both Japan and the Frankfurt RheinMain region are highly innovative and are closely integrated into global value and supply chains. Japanese banks, financial services providers, trading companies and the research and development centres of leading Japanese firms utilise the central location of the Frankfurt RheinMain metropolitan region, its international transport links and the high concentration of skilled workers and services for their activities in Germany and Europe.
Artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming industry worldwide. Japan has been one of the leading centres of innovation in these technological fields for decades, and Frankfurt RheinMain is increasingly emerging as a key European hub for technology-driven companies. This provides the perfect foundation for further partnerships and innovation.
FRM GmbH aims to further expand these connections and therefore organised the business event ‘From Frankfurt RheinMain, the Centre of Industrial AI x Robotics: Unlocking New Opportunities in Europe and Germany’ on 8 September. The seminar was aimed at Japanese companies and start-ups in the field of robotics that are planning to enter the German market or wish to establish business partnerships in Europe. Around 50 participants received offers of support as well as information on the opportunities and challenges of the German market.
The presentations focused on the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and robotics for industry and the economy. Insights were provided by Prof. Dr Debora Clever, Professor of Robotics Systems at Darmstadt Technical University and an expert in intelligent robotics and AI, and by Fumio Ando, Senior Executive Vice President of Yaskawa Europe GmbH. Both highlighted the potential of German-Japanese cooperation in future-oriented fields such as industrial AI and robotics. At the same time, the importance of the Frankfurt RheinMain region as a leading centre of innovation and a European hub for Japanese companies was highlighted.
he event was organised by FRM GmbH in cooperation with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and supported by the German Embassy in Tokyo and the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO). SMBC is one of Japan’s leading international banks and has its European headquarters in Frankfurt. In doing so, the financial institution underlines the strategic importance of the location for its business activities in Europe.
“Against a backdrop of technological transformation, growing investment in future-oriented sectors and a stronger international focus amongst Japanese companies, face-to-face engagement is becoming increasingly important. There are a wide range of opportunities for projects and investment, particularly in the fields of digitalisation, artificial intelligence, GreenTech, life sciences and mobility. We have had an office in Tokyo for many years. This enables us to make early and direct contact with companies interested in Frankfurt RheinMain and to provide them with comprehensive advice and support right from the start of a potential relocation process. When company representatives subsequently visit Frankfurt, they are seamlessly supported by our local team. Discussions in Japan have made it clear that, despite complex conditions and a challenging global environment, Germany is held in high regard in Japan. We are perceived as a reliable, open and forward-looking partner, and Frankfurt RheinMain stands for stability, reliability and a commitment to quality – values that are highly prized in Japan,” said Eric Menges, Managing Director of FRM GmbH.
This year alone, three Japanese companies have already set up operations in the Frankfurt RheinMain region with the support of FRM GmbH. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management (SMD-AM), one of Japan’s leading asset management companies, opened its European headquarters in Frankfurt at the start of the year. KEIWA Incorporated, a manufacturer of display and functional films, has now also opened a branch in Eschborn, which, according to the company, serves as a base for its mobility-related business in Europe – an area defined as a key growth sector in KEIWA’s current medium-term management plan. Hakuhodo Products, a full-service marketing and communications agency, now also serves its automotive clients from its Frankfurt office.