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700 industry leaders gather for 2025 FA Industry New Year’s Reception

February 5, 2025

The 2025 FA Industry New Year’s Reception, hosted by News Digest Publishing (ND), the organization behind SEISANZAI Japan, was held on January 10 at CHUNICHI HALL in Nagoya, Japan. The event brought together approximately 700 executives and key figures from the factory automation (FA) industry, setting the stage for discussions on the industry outlook and future prospects. 

Industry Outlook: Market expected to rebound in 2025 

About 700 industry executives and leaders attended the reception.

About 700 industry executives and leaders attended the reception.

The event opened with remarks from Hachiro Higuchi, President of ND, who expressed his gratitude and noted that MECHATRONICS TECHNOLOGY JAPAN 2025, scheduled for October this year, has already exceeded the venue’s capacity due to overwhelming exhibitor interest. He encouraged attendees to enjoy the event as an “intellectual exercise” to kick off the new year. 

Dr. Shu Yasumi, Editor-in-Chief of SEISANZAI Japan, then presented an industry outlook for 2025. While acknowledging potential risks, he highlighted several positive economic factors that could support a market recovery. He forecasted that capital investment in key industries would gain momentum in the second half of the year and predicted that Japan’s machine tool orders would increase 16.4% year-on-year to JPY 1.7 trillion. 

In addition, Dr. Yoshiharu Inaba, Chairman of the Japan Machine Tool Builders’ Association (JMTBA), shared the JMTBA’s forecast of JPY 1.6 trillion in orders, the first increase in three years and the fourth highest level in history.  

It is also noteworthy that this was the first time in history that ND’s forecast exceeded that of the JMTBA. 

The 40th ND Marketing Award and Industry Leaders Discussion 

The event also featured the 40th ND Marketing Award, with Dr. Masahiko Mori, President of DMG MORI, receiving the prestigious award. The award was presented by Takao Katayama, CEO of UNION TOOL, the previous year’s winner. Dr. Mori received a certificate and a bronze statue in recognition of his contributions to the industry. 

The first session concluded with a New Year’s Top Interview, where Dr. Inaba and Dr. Mori engaged in a discussion on the future of the industry, exploring key trends and upcoming challenges. 

The second session featured a standing reception, providing attendees with the opportunity to network and exchange insights. Akihiro Teramachi, Chairman and CEO of THK, addressed the decline in Japan’s global ranking for industrial robot adoption – from 4th to 5th in terms of robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers. He emphasized the urgent need for Japan to accelerate automation and capital investment to maintain its competitive edge. 

The evening concluded with a toast led by Takao Katayama, CEO of UNION TOOL, followed by the traditional Japanese “Ippon-jime” handclasp led by Kenji Takada, Chairman of the Japan Machine Tool Distributors Association (JMTDA) and President of Idaka. 

A detailed analysis of the industry outlook for 2025 and an in-depth look at the 40th ND Marketing Award will be covered in our upcoming articles on SEISANZAI Japan. 

Dr. Masahiko Mori, President of DMG MORI, receives a bronze statue from Takao Katayama, CEO of UNION TOOL, last year’s award winner.

Akihiro Teramachi, Chairman and CEO of THK, delivers a speech at the networking reception.

Akihiro Teramachi, Chairman and CEO of THK, delivers a speech at the networking reception.

 

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