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Boost Your Business with IT! "Plus IT Fair" Supporting Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Now Open
The Small and Medium Enterprise Agency and the Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry held the "Plus IT Fair in Tokyo" at Bellesalle Tokyo Nihonbashi in Chuo Ward on March 3.
This fair is an event targeting SMEs and small businesses nationwide. Its purpose is to enhance participants' IT literacy and promote productivity improvements and sales channel expansion through IT adoption. At the venue, a wide range of approaches supported IT adoption for visiting SME representatives, including expert interviews with SMEs effectively utilizing IT, hands-on exhibitions of the latest tools by various companies, and beginner-friendly consultation sessions with specialists.
At the outset, Mr. Toshinao Nakagawa, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and the event organizer, stated in his address: "Amidst worsening labor shortages due to the declining birthrate and aging population, Japan's 3.81 million SMEs hold the key to the nation's economy. We aim to achieve wage increases and boost the economy by enhancing productivity through IT investment and IT talent."
Guest speaker Toshio Iwamoto, Chairman of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry's IoT Utilization Committee (President of NTT DATA), referenced the history of computers and the internet, stating, "The development of SMEs leads to Japan's development. With excellent technology or business models, even regional SMEs can thrive globally through the power of IT." He declared the Chamber of Commerce and Industry's support for SMEs' IT utilization.
In the keynote address, Yumiko Ishihara, Editor-in-Chief of the SME IT management magazine "COMPASS," took the stage. Titled "Boost Your Earning Power with IT! Insights from Nationwide Case Studies," she presented examples of SMEs and small businesses that increased sales and productivity through IT adoption. Drawing on her extensive nationwide reporting experience, she shared the latest insights using data and video footage.
This was followed by a "Business Prosperity Discussion" featuring successful IT-adopting companies and experts. Motohiro Yamakawa, Business Promotion Department Manager of the IT Coordinator Association, served as navigator, facilitating a talk with three business owners from different industries as panelists. The participants—owners of an abacus school/early childhood education center, a festival supplies store, and an izakaya—shared their experiences with IT implementation and the resulting benefits. The abacus school built a smartphone-first website enabling information sharing between teachers and parents, smoothing communication while also allowing the headquarters to visualize interactions. They also highlighted outcomes like improved operational efficiency achieved by reviewing and eliminating waste in business processes during the IT conversion of traditional tasks.
Also on this day, a public recording of the Japan FM Broadcasting Council (JFM) program "Japan Kawaii Project. with Minna no Keizai Shimbun" took place on stage. This program aims to generate network topics and promote sales activities in response to the accelerating regional revitalization trend leading up to 2020. Talent and program host Tomoe Shinohara and Minna no Keizai Shimbun Network representative Mr. Nishiki engaged in a talk titled "Let's Make Japan Cute with IT" with business owners participating in the "Business Prosperity Discussion." In a relaxed atmosphere, lively opinions were exchanged on topics like "IT that energizes Japan and revitalizes companies." Business owners also shared concrete examples, such as increased customer traffic achieved through information dissemination on websites.
Other stage events included interviews on industry-specific implementation experiences and programs like the Industrial Competitiveness Council (COCN), which drew attentive audiences.
The exhibition hall hosted an IT tool showcase featuring 62 IT companies. Exhibits covered industries like "Accommodation," "Transportation," "Food & Beverage," and "Medical/Care/Childcare," as well as business functions including "Reservations," "Communication," "Sales/Retail," "Payments," and "Customer Management." Many attendees were seen asking questions with great interest.
The fair is scheduled to be held at venues across Japan in April.
■ Plus IT Fair (11:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Free Admission)
April 5 (Wed) Sendai Event Hall Matsuei
April 10 (Mon) Kumamoto Hotel Nikko Kumamoto
April 12 (Wed) Hiroshima Hiroshima International Conference Center
April 14 (Fri) Matsuyama Matsuyama City General Community Center
April 18 (Tue) Naha Okinawa Industrial Support Center
April 20 (Thu) Nagoya Aichi Prefectural Industrial Labor Center WINC AICHI
April 24 (Mon) Kanazawa Ishikawa Prefecture Local Industry Promotion Center
April 26 (Wed) Osaka MyDome Osaka
April 28 (Fri) Sapporo TKP Sapporo Station Conference Center
Official Website: http://www.it-fair.go.jp/
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