Alexandru Arba
Research expert covering Japan
International conferences in Japan - statistics & facts
For the government of Japan, measures to attract international conferences are part of the overarching objective to increase inbound tourism to Japan. Several merits are associated with hosting international conferences. They provide the ideal platform for business and scientific collaboration, offer a place for cultural exchange, and bring about local economic benefits in numerous ways. Hence, hosting international conferences was identified as a strategic imperative that warrants governmental involvement and support.
Before COVID-19, a few thousand international conferences were hosted in Japan per year, tendency rising. However, the advent of the pandemic put an end to nearly all international conventions that were to be held in Japan. Between March 2020 and March 2022, no on-site international conferences took place in Japan. For the events that did happen, organizers switched to hybrid or entirely online formats.
Various types of venues cater to different purposes. Depending on the type and topic of the convention, ample space for exhibitions or shows might be required, or there might be a need to accommodate as many guests as possible. The largest venues in Japan in terms of audience capacity are the Tokyo International Forum, and Pacifico Yokohama, which can accommodate a maximum of around five thousand guests. Leading venues in Japan by floor area include Tokyo Big Sight and Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture (close to Tokyo).
Hosting entities have two external sources to finance events. On the one hand, contribution from local governments who are motivated to enable large-scale events due to the expected merits mentioned above. This help can be either monetary or it can be a service. The other way to secure income is through the participation fee of attendants.
With Japan’s infrastructural assets and strong branding, hosting international conferences will most likely resume the course it had before the pandemic, especially considering that COVID-19-related entry requirements and limitations will be lifted in May 2023 for inbound travel from most countries.
Cities and venues
International conferences are typically hosted in areas with a high degree of urbanization. Larger cities and metropolitan areas provide the necessary infrastructure for such large-scale events. It includes the provision of event venues, means of transportation for guests, and the availability of gastronomy and lodging services. Tokyo, Yokohama, and Kyoto were among the most successful cities to attract international conventions to Japan.Various types of venues cater to different purposes. Depending on the type and topic of the convention, ample space for exhibitions or shows might be required, or there might be a need to accommodate as many guests as possible. The largest venues in Japan in terms of audience capacity are the Tokyo International Forum, and Pacifico Yokohama, which can accommodate a maximum of around five thousand guests. Leading venues in Japan by floor area include Tokyo Big Sight and Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture (close to Tokyo).
Income and expenditure
Hosting international conferences is expensive. Organizers need to clear numerous hurdles to make events possible. Other than the venue fees, the cost of equipment, miscellaneous expenses, and exhibition-related expenses all rank high in the long list of expenditure items that organizers must deal with. In many cases, overall expenditure for hybrid international conferences amounts to more than 40 million Japanese yen.Hosting entities have two external sources to finance events. On the one hand, contribution from local governments who are motivated to enable large-scale events due to the expected merits mentioned above. This help can be either monetary or it can be a service. The other way to secure income is through the participation fee of attendants.
With Japan’s infrastructural assets and strong branding, hosting international conferences will most likely resume the course it had before the pandemic, especially considering that COVID-19-related entry requirements and limitations will be lifted in May 2023 for inbound travel from most countries.
