JETRO is a Japanese governmental organization established in 1958 to promote trade and investment between Japan and other countries. It has over 70 offices worldwide and supports companies through various initiatives such as attracting foreign investment to Japan and helping Japanese companies expand abroad. While Switzerland, Germany, and Japan all invest heavily in research and development, Japan is less experienced than other countries in certain forms of open innovation like international collaborations. JETRO aims to strengthen Japan's open innovation ecosystem through initiatives such as its online platform and overseas missions.

1. Copyright (C) 2020 JETRO. All rights reserved.
Open Innovation Activities in
Japan and Switzerland
April 28, 2021
Takashi Wada
Japan External Trade Organization
(JETRO) Geneva

2. Copyright (C) 2021 JETRO. All rights reserved.
1. What is JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)?
2
 Governmental organization to promote mutual trade and investment between
Japan and the rest of the world
 Founded in 1958
 74 offices (in 54 countries) and 47 offices in Japan
 Employees: 1,766 (1,046 in Japan and 721 abroad)
JETRO's Global Network

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JETRO’s activities for attracting overseas companies
Investment projects JETRO supported (FY2003-2020)
3
 JETRO has supported 20,386 projects (cumulative total in FY2003-2018).
 Achieved success in 2,013 projects in establishing business operation or expanding
businesses in Japan (cumulative total in FY2003-2019)
 Asia ranked 1st (cumulative total since 2003)
Accumulated FDI stock in Japan
(by region, 2019)
JETRO-attracted investment projects
(by region, FY2020)
US, 31.6%
China,
11.6%
Germany,
6.3%
France,
6.3%
Korea,
5.3%
Others,
38.9%
US
China
Germany
France
Korea
Others
(n=95)
Europe
43.4 %
North
America
24.1 %
Asia
22.1 %
Central
and
South
America
7.3 %
Others
3.1 %
Source: "International Investment Position of Japan" (MoF,
BoJ)

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2. Switzerland/Germany/Japan
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Switzerland Germany Japan
Land 41,285 km2 357,386 km2 377,386 km2
Population 8.7 million 83.0 million 126.3 million
Language Sch-German, French,
Itariano
German Japanese
Immigrants 25% 13% 2.1%
GDP 703 billion USD 3,861 billion USD 5,082 billion USD
Major
industries
Pharmacy, Financial,
Precision, Tourism
Machinery,
Electronics,
Chemistry
Machinery,
Electronics,
Chemistry
People Diligent, Skilled
Conservative
Diligent, Skilled,
Frank
Diligent, Skilled
Conservative

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Well funded in R&D
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 Japan 3.2 %, Germany 3.2%, Switzerland 3%,
 EU28 2.4% (R&D expenditure / GDP, 2018)
(source) OECD

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Innovation in Switzerland/Germany/Japan
Per capita 4.2
World rank 2
Per capita 2.2
In 10K
Per capita 5.6
World rank 1

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Inventions by Switzerland
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 WWW, Computer Mouse, Hand sanitizer,

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Inventions by Germany
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 Beer, Vehicles, Tram

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Inventions by Japan
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 Walkman, Kanban production system, Blue LED

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However, innovation takes pace differently
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Switzerland Germany Japan
6-8 17 6
(source) CBinsghts + JETRO Geneva survey

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JETRO’s activities for open innovation
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 Create an online platform to promote Japanese Innovation Ecosystem to
abroad
Open Innovation
Platform
Japanese Open Innovation
Ecosystem
Overseas
Startup
Ecosystem
Missions
2018 Israel, France, Germany
2019 Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Germany
Pavilions
CES, MWC, Hanover Fair
Websites JETRO Global Connection
https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/jgc/

12. Copyright (C) 2021 JETRO. All rights reserved. 12
Trade promotion:
What JETRO is doing under Covid?
<What is JAPAN STREET?>
New online catalog service
exclusive for JETRO buyers.
Registered buyers can search
finest Japanese products on
“JAPAN STREET” anytime
anywhere!
Jan 2021
Launch!
It allows buyers to have easy search
by words, category, producing area
and so on anytime anywhere!
Recommendation function will bring
you an special encounter with a new
item.
JAPAN STREET holds wide range of
product line ups including foods,
cosmetics, kitchenware, even
machineries. All are exportable.
Send estimate request, meeting
request to multiple Japanese
companies via JAPAN MALL, with
support from JETRO.
No fee required to sign up.
Since it is membership based service,
registration by buyer is required.
Why sign up?
https://japanstreet.jetro.go.jp/en

13. Copyright (C) 2021 JETRO. All rights reserved. 13
- Supported more than 30 companies to expand their business in
Japan
- 4 webinars to promote Open Innovation
July 2020 Oct 2020 Nov 2020
March 2021
JETRO Geneva achievements under Covid 19 crisis

14. Copyright (C) 2021 JETRO. All rights reserved.
Various Research Capabilities
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IT
Trading
Finan
cial
Semico
nductor
,
Auto
Pharma
Finan
cial
Basel
Liechtenstein
Zurich
Genève
Lausanne
Jura
Zug
Federal Institute
Federal Institute
Quantum
Lugano
AI
AI
Int’l Development
Nanotech, electronics
Natural Env
Material
Quantum
Professional Training
Material
Aquatic
High Performance Computing
Neuchatel

15. Copyright (C) 2021 JETRO. All rights reserved. 15
Zurich
Swiss Innovation Park network
Nanotech
Molecule
Life science
Med Tech
Smart Factory
Med Tech
Battery
Image Proc
AI/Comp Sci
Robotics
Drone
Life science
5 innovation part by innosuisse
(Swiss Innovation Agency)
Geneva
Basel

16. Copyright (C) 2019 JETRO. All rights reserved.
Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit
■Takashi Wada
JETRO Geneva
takashi_wada@jetro.go.jp
This document is owned by JETRO. All of the content in this document, including, but not limited to, still images,
text, pictorial works, designs and logos, is owned or licensed by JETRO.
This document shall not be reproduced or reprinted on any medium or registered on any search system in whole
or part by any means, without prior permission of JETRO. Although JETRO makes its best efforts to ensure the
accuracy of the information contained in this document, JETRO does not take any responsibility regarding losses
derived from the information contained in this document.

17. Copyright (C) 2021 JETRO. All rights reserved.
3. Open Innovation
17
 Switzerland is among the top of international joint research
 Japan is behind in open innovation such as international joint R&D
and academia-industry collaboration.
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
日本 アメリカ ドイツ フランス イギリス 韓国 中国
%
OECD, Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2017 NEDO, Open Innovation Report, 2018
Ratio of expenditure to university
among R&D expenditure by industry
Ratio of international joint report and invention
Ratio of international joint invention (％)
Ratio of international
joint report (％)
Japan
China
India
Russia
Brazil
Turkey
USA
Korea
Median
Median
Italy
Spain
Poland
Finland Chile
Australia
Belgium
Switzerland
Ireland
Slovenia
Greek
Luxembourg
Indonesia
Iceland
Mexico
UK
Canada
Slovakia
Hungary
Denmark
Israel
Norway
Netherland
Latvia
Estonia
Portugal
Czech
France
Germany
Sweden