Korea Special Exhibition Hosted Within Central Japan’s Largest Automotive Exhibition in Nagoya
Targeting Trends in Japan's Delayed Electrification, Supply Chain Diversification, and Expansion of Overseas Production
Expanding Entry of Promising, High-Potential Future Mobility Materials, Components, and Equipment (MCE) Enterprises into the Supply Chain of Japanese Finished Car Makers
Prime Timing to Build a Future Car Partnership Sparked by Shuttle Diplomacy and Supply Chain Cooperation
Published an Analysis Report Tracking the Trends of Japanese Corporations' Overseas Expansion and Global Factory Procurement/Supplies

The entry pathway for Korean Materials, Components, and Equipment (MCE) enterprises into the Japanese future car supply chain has opened.

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA, CEO Kang Kyung-sung) announced that it hosted the "Inside JAPAN Mobility Technology Exchange Exhibition" at the Aichi Sky Expo in Nagoya, Japan, for three days from June 17 to 19.

Marking its 5th edition, the exchange exhibition was held in conjunction with the "Automotive Engineering Exposition 2026 Nagoya," the largest mobility exhibition in the central region of Japan. This specialized exhibition brings together major Japanese finished car makers and component suppliers, including Toyota and Honda. KOTRA participated as the sole "National Special Pavilion" for the second consecutive year.

The Japanese automotive industry is currently grappling with the challenges of a delayed transition to electrification. While electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 25 percent of global vehicle sales in 2025, the share of EV sales within Japan stood at a mere 1.6 percent. Shifts in the manufacturing landscape are also critical. With the share of overseas production by Japanese finished car corporations steadily rising to 47 percent (as of 2025), there is an increasing necessity to restructure supply chains around supply source diversification, tariff responses, and energy stabilization. This exchange exhibition directly targeted these Japanese market trends. Out of the 67 total participating companies at the booths, nearly half—30 companies—showcased items related to electrification and intelligence. Other participating enterprises also met the supply chain diversification demands of Japanese corporations by putting forward precision machining, advanced new materials, and motor components.

True to its title as an "Exchange Exhibition," the event also facilitated advancements in supply chains, investments, and collaborations. Through a preliminary survey on supply chain bottlenecks, KOTRA supported participating companies in discovering new Japanese suppliers (sellers). Furthermore, Invest KOREA, in partnership with Jeonbuk State, the Ulsan Free Economic Zone Authority, and the Korea Battery Industry Association, hosted a "Mobility Investment Promotion IR" to publicize Korea's investment environment and incentives to around 50 Japanese corporations. A "Joint Expansion Win-Win Cooperation Pavilion" featuring 14 Hyundai Motor Group supplier companies was also operated, alongside a Daegu City joint pavilion (4 companies) in collaboration with EXCO.

Kim Kwan-mook, Executive Vice President for Economic Security and Trade Cooperation, stated, "This exchange exhibition aims to materialize the recently revitalized Korea-Japan shuttle diplomacy and supply chain cooperation into substantial business outcomes, targeting Japan's demands for electrification, supply chain diversification, and overseas expansion." The official added, "Based on the future car technical prowess of our MCE enterprises, we will actively support them to penetrate not only the domestic headquarters in Japan but also the global production base supply chains of Japanese corporations."



Source：Invest KOREA (2026.06.19.)