YOKOHAMA’S MAJOR INDUSTRIESADVANCED MANUFACTURING
An advanced manufacturing hub ready forindustry transformation
The manufacturing industry is on the verge of a major transformation, with advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things(IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and biotechnology increasingly
becoming key determinants of success for companies. This shift,often called Industry 4.0, is expected to drastically change theoutlook of the industry, lowering barriers to entry, dissolving lines
between related industries and exponentially speeding up the development of new products and processes. Yokohama, which ishome to both forward-thinking manufacturing companies andleading IT and life science companies with the potential to become powerful partners to these manufacturers, has the capacity
to emerge as a leader in 21st century manufacturing.
Ever since it opened its port to foreign trade 160 years ago, Yokohama has been recognized as one of Japan’s leading industrialcities. The manufacturing sector in Yokohama is the fourth largest in scale following Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya in terms of thenumber of business establishments and employees, and second in
the nation after Kawasaki in the amount of manufactured goodsshipped.
The city has seen a significant clustering of manufacturing
companies over the years, especially those related to the automotive industry. In addition to the headquarters of NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., 13 of the world’s top suppliers of automobile
parts have established their Japanese subsidiaries or R&D facilities in Yokohama. Many manufacturers outside the automotive
sector have also set up major establishments in Yokohama. For
example, the Japanese subsidiaries of Caterpillar Inc., the world’s
largest construction machine maker, and KUKA Robotics, aleading industrial robot manufacturer headquartered in Germany,
have both recently moved their Japanese head offices from Tokyoto Yokohama.

The momentum for innovation is reaching far beyond major
companies. The City of Yokohama operates its very own Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which provides
funding and step-by-step support to local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as they work to commercialize theirinnovation seeds in manufacturing. The city has also actively
promoted open innovation initiatives between Yokohama-based
global companies, SMEs, startups, universities and other relevantorganizations through its two distinct collaboration platforms: IoTOpen Innovation Partners Yokohama (ITOP Yokohama) and Life
Innovation Platform Yokohama (LIP.Yokohama). The goal of thecity is to stimulate cross-sector collaboration between IT, life science and manufacturing companies of all shapes and sizes.
The Yokohama Industrial Development Corporation (IDECYokohama), which operates as the main SME support center of theCity, plays a central role in supporting companies through ITOPYokohama and LIP.Yokohama and also runs several incubation
centers throughout the city. IDEC also hosts the Yokohama Business Grandprix, a startup pitch competition which awards multiple cash prizes including special prizes for student and women entrepreneurs and provides long-term business support to finalists.
Additionally, IDEC has published the “Yokohama Monozukuri(manufacturing) Company Guide” in an effort to aid manufacturing SMEs’ product promotion activities directed at both domestic
and international audiences and facilitates partnerships between
Yokohama-based SMEs and companies overseas.

Another recent trend is that global manufacturers have been
setting up their open innovation bases in Yokohama. In 2016, Hitachi, Ltd. launched a new open-laboratory within the Yokohama
Research Laboratory (YRL). In 2017, Murata Manufacturing Co.,
Ltd. announced plans to establish its new Minato Mirai Innovation Center in the area, and in 2018 Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. started operations of the Yamaha Motor Advanced Technology Centerin the Shin-Yokohama district. The heavy-industry manufacturer
IHI Corporation also has its R&D and engineering centers in Yokohama.
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Phone 646-905-3758
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Leading breakthroughs in research andbuilding the next generation manufacturing
workforce
Yokohama is home to top tier research institutions and universities pursuing groundbreaking research in a wide range of academic disciplines including science and engineering. At the sametime, these institutions are producing highly skilled engineers
and specialists who will continue to support the prosperity of theregion’s manufacturing industry in the future.

Yokohama’s nationally recognized academic institutions areleading front line research in various interdisciplinary fields. Yokohama National University (YNU) has a center for advanced
research called the Monozukuri Life Innovation Research Center
which aims to develop a platform which accelerates innovation in
3D nano-fabrication, high precision/high aspect fabrication and
3D molding techniques to create groundbreaking products in thefields of health and welfare. The center works to develop various
3D micro devices such as micro sensors, flexible sensors, lab-ona-chip devices and artificial organs. Through this program, YNU
promotes collaboration between academic and industry partners
and works closely with the Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (KISTEC) and IDEC Yokohama. Anotherexample is the Tokyo Institute of Technology (TITECH), which
launched its Laboratory for Future Interdisciplinary Researchof Science and Technology (FIRST) on April 1st, 2016 with themission of creating innovative industrial technologies by fusing
research fields such as mechanical engineering, information science and technology, electrical and electronic engineering, environmental engineering, disaster prevention engineering andsocial engineering. FIRST operates 11 distinct interdisciplinary
research groups and envisions to contribute to the future prosperity of human society through their research findings and products.
Both YNU and TITECH are also contributing to high skilled human resources development in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields.
Yokohama-based academic institutions, long-known for theirfirst-class research in STEM fields, are now gearing up to furtherexplore new research fields and prepare the future workforce forthe era of Industry 4.0.

cross-industry collaboration between traditional manufacturing
and industrial design. The Yokohama Makers Village is a branding project by metal processing companies in Yokohama that havecome together to make cutting-edge products by combining thecraftsmanship of traditional manufacturing companies with theinspiration of talented designers, including those from overseas.
The project has given birth to quality products that integrate highend design and technology which have received high praise inevents such as the MILANO SALONE 2017 held in Milan, Italy.
Initiatives
ITOP Yokohama: An innovation platform for collaborationand exchange, project implementation, and human resources development to spur the growth of new businesses in IoT,
big data, AI, and robotics, while capitalizing on Yokohama’s
existing manufacturing and IT industries. In order to qualify
for membership, companies/organizations/universities must
be interested in engaging in open innovation to design new
products or services using IoT etc., and either already workwith SMEs or plan to involve SMEs in their prospective projects.
Yokohama Industrial Development Corporation (IDECYokohama): As the main SME support organization of theCity, IDEC supports SMEs stabilize and strengthen theirbusiness bases, offers solutions for managerial issues,
promotes the launch of businesses and the development ofoverseas business, all with the objective of contributing tothe vitality of Yokohama’s economy.

This is in line with Yokohama’s continued efforts to transform itself into a “Creative City,” adding on an Arts aspect to its original
strengths in STEM. In 2005, the city successfully attracted theGraduate School of Film and New Media of the Tokyo Universityof the Arts, the top-ranking arts university in the nation, a testament to the city’s focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). This has caused a steady stream of artists
and creators to flow into the region, further fueling the creative
culture and creating new possibilities of collaboration between
the manufacturing and creative industries.

Exploring creativity in manufacturing: theevolution from STEM to STEAM

December 2018

Lately, SME manufactures in Yokohama have been leadinga unique movement in design manufacturing, which involves
References• Caterpillar Japan’s relocation to Minato Mirai: https://tech.nikkeibp.co.jp/kn/re/atcl/15/100302741/• Deloitte, Exponential technologies in manufacturing: https://www.compete.org/storage/reports/exponential_technologies_2018_study.pdf• Forbes, The Future of Manufacturing Technologies, 2018: https://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2018/04/15/the-future-of-manufacturing-technologies-2018/#58819a732995• Hitachi’s cutting-edge technologies to be available for prototyping with customers in a new open-laboratory: http://www.hitachi.com/rd/news/2016/1130.html• Keio University: http://www.sd.keio.ac.jp/first/aboutsd/; https://www.hpcwire.com/2018/05/17/ibm-q-network-expands-in-japan/• KUKA Robotics Japan’s Yokohama relocation: http://www.city.yokohama.jp/ne/news/press/201202/20120227-024-14105.html• MarkLines Co. (2015), Weekly Toyo Keizai, “Why is Yokohama winning a string of automotive mega-suppliers?”• Murata Manufacturing Minatomirai Innovation Center: https://www.murata.com/ja-jp/about/newsroom/news/company/general/2017/1129• Tokyo Institute of Technology FIRST: http://www.first.iir.titech.ac.jp/about/about-first.html• Yamaha Motor Technology Center: https://global.yamaha-motor.com/news/2018/0530/technology-center.html• Yokohama Business GP: http://www.idec.or.jp/kigyo/ybg/• Yokohama Maker’s Village: https://www.y-m-v.jp/about• Yokohama National University Monozukuri Life Innovation: http://monozukuri-life-innovation.ynu.ac.jp• Yokohama SBIR: http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/keizai/shien/sbir/

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Phone 646-905-3758
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URL www.BusinessYokohama.com