Announcements

As a part of the visit of His Excellency Mr. Joachim Gauck to Japan in November 2016, a meeting with German and Japanese industry representatives including Prof. Dr. Nishioka, President of the IVI, was held on the topic “Digital Transformation – Impact on Companies and Employment Relations”. The attendees discussed on the topic which is widely debated in Germany, and Japanese attendees were also asked for their candid opinions about the case of Japan. Profound insight rooted in each participant’s experiences was well received by His Excellency Mr. Gauck.

His Excellency Mr. Joachim Gauck (center) and attendees of the meeting representing German and Japanese industries including Prof. Nishioka

 

Prof. Dr. Nishioka, President of the IVI, was invited as a keynote speaker for a symposium on Industrie 4.0 held on October 26, 2016 in Tokyo. The event was organized by the association of nine German technical universities in Germany, TU9 German Institutes of Technology (TU9) and German Research and Innovation Forum (DWIH) Tokyo. In the speech by Prof. Nishioka entitled “Japanese Initiative of Industrial Value Chain Platform for Connected Factories”, IVI’s activities to promote development of ecosystems were introduced.
In the symposium, His Excellency Dr. Hans Carl von Werthern, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Japan, gave an opening speech. The main sessions were composed of two themes: “Smart, Connected Products and Digital Infrastructure” and “Advanced Implementation of Industrie 4.0 and Academia-Industry Collaboration in Smart Manufacturing”, with prominent scholars from TU9 universities such as university presidents and directors of research institutes making presentations. In the last part, there was an active discussion on various aspects of Industrie 4.0 by all presenters and the audience.

Professors from TU9 universities, organizers of the sumposium and Prof. Nishioka

On October 25, 2016, Ms. Kramme and Prof. Nishioka, President of the IVI, had a meeting in Hosei University in Tokyo. The ministry initiated a public dialogue process on “Work 4.0” which provided a framework for a broad discussion on the future of work in Germany. Ms. Kramme and Prof. Nishioka intensively exchanged opinions on the labour aspect of the fourth industrial revolution. They discussed on common concerns and involved parties including employers and employee representatives in Germany and Japan. IVI’s approach and use cases drew interest of Ms. Kramme, as well as Prof. Nishioka appreciated learning from her vision and the initiative of the German ministry.

Ms. Kramme, German Parliamentary Secretary of State; Prof. Nishioka, President of IVI; and Prof. Pohl, IVI academic member. At Hosei University, Tokyo.

On February 19th, Dr Johannes Winter, head of Programme Area “Technologies” at the National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech / Germany), and Dr Alexander Werbik, project coordinator of the project “Industrie 4.0 Global” at acatech, visited the head of the Industrial Value Chain Initiative, Prof. Nishioka, at his office in Hosei University, Tokyo. Reason was the interest from German side to understand the perception and status of Industrie 4.0 in Japan first-hand. The findings serve as input to a study covering the world’s leading countries. Taking advantage of the occasion, possibilities of a closer collaboration between Japan and Germany in the area have also been discussed.

Dr Winter, Dr Werbik, and Prof Nishioka in discussion at Hosei University, Tokyo. (Photo: Axel Saleck)