Layers Consulting Launches New Serial Column "Unleash the Potential of Japanese Manufacturing" in Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun

Layers Consulting Co., Ltd. (Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO Takashi Sugino; hereinafter referred to as "Layers") today announced the launch of a new serial column, "Unleash the Potential of Japanese Manufacturing," in the "Machinery, Robots, and Aircraft" section of Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, a leading industrial and economic newspaper in Japan, starting Thursday, June 11, 2026. The column is scheduled to be published every Thursday.

Japanese manufacturing has been globally recognized for its strengths in excellent production technology and high quality. On the other hand, there are cases where product development is premised on the domestic market, and while pursuing high quality, responses to cost competitiveness and price competitiveness lag behind. To achieve sustainable growth in the global market, it is essential to develop products with a global perspective, accurately grasp the value demanded by customers, and provide them with a competitive cost structure and pricing.

This series will focus on "design," "cost," and "pricing" as key themes for translating the high technical capabilities and quality of Japanese manufacturing into global competitiveness. We will disseminate perspectives to maximize the inherent potential of Japanese manufacturing by integrating market needs, functional value, cost, price, and supply systems from the initial stages of product planning and design.

Mr. Takashi Sugino, our Representative Director and CEO, will be responsible for writing the first three installments, presenting the overall problem awareness and direction for reform in the series. From the fourth installment onwards, consultants from our company with extensive experience in supporting the manufacturing industry will write in a relay format, broadly covering issues for strengthening manufacturing competitiveness based on their respective areas of expertise.

Through this series, Layers will disseminate new perspectives and proposals to help Japanese manufacturing achieve further growth in the global market and establish sustainable competitiveness.

Series Overview

Series Title: "Unleash the Potential of Japanese Manufacturing" Publication Medium: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, "Machinery, Robots, and Aircraft" Section Series Start Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026 Main Themes: Design, Cost, and Pricing Reform; Global Market Strategy; Front-loading; Strengthening Manufacturing Competitiveness Publication Date: Thursdays (scheduled) URL: https://www.nikkan.co.jp/

About Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd.

Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd. is an industry-specialized media company founded in 1915. Focusing on manufacturing, it covers a wide range of topics including technological trends, corporate management, policy, overseas information, and market analysis, primarily disseminating information through the "Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun." In addition to print media, it also engages in electronic editions, databases, specialized book publishing, and the organization of exhibitions, forums, and seminars, supporting technological innovation and the development of the manufacturing industry from an informational standpoint.

URL: https://corp.nikkan.co.jp/ Head Office Location: 14-1 Nihonbashi Koami-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Phone Number: 03-5644-7000 Representative: Takashi Kamihana Established: November 1915

Layers Consulting Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1983, Layers Consulting is an independent consulting firm originating in Japan. As a "fighting creative group," our mission is to support our clients in surviving fierce environmental changes by realizing open innovation and breaking down internal conventional wisdom, acting as their power engine. We provide consulting services in a wide range of fields, including HR/human resource strategy formulation, talent management system construction, HR system design, management control system construction and implementation, accounting system reconstruction, cost planning, cost management, product development process reform, business strategy reconstruction, new business development, and digital transformation promotion. We have provided approximately 1,000 projects to about 500 leading domestic companies.

URL: https://www.layers.co.jp/ Company Name: Layers Consulting Co., Ltd. Location: Meguro Central Square, 3-1-1 Kami-Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Established: December 1983 Representative: Takashi Sugino, Representative Director and CEO Consulting Domains: 1. Management Control (Accounting) 2. Business Strategy (New Business/M&A) & Marketing 3. Supply Chain (Design, Production, Logistics) 4. Human Resources (Organization/HR) 5. DX, ERP, AI (Information) 6. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

[Contact for Inquiries]

Layers Consulting Co., Ltd.

Marketing Department TEL: 03-5791-1189