2026 Taiwan-Japan Economic Forum: Business Associations Highlight Complementary Industrial Strengths for Regional Prosperity and Resilience

To deepen the Taiwan-Japan economic and trade partnership and promote industrial exchange and supply chain collaboration, the Taiwan Business Association and Japan's 'Chubu Economic Federation' jointly hosted the '2026 Taiwan-Japan Economic Forum' this afternoon (April 4) at the Taipei International Convention Center. Huang Jiaozhang, Vice Chairman of the Taiwan Business Association, stated that Taiwan and Japan possess highly complementary industrial strengths. By integrating their technological capabilities, talent pools, and market resources, both sides can not only create new business opportunities but also jointly enhance the resilience of Asian supply chains, injecting strong momentum into regional economic growth.

The forum focused on two core themes: 'Smart Mobility' and 'Disaster Response,' bringing together high-level representatives from industry, government, and academia in Taiwan and Japan for in-depth discussions. Topics included the rapid advancements in AI, digital transformation, and green transition, as well as the ongoing restructuring of global supply chains and accelerating geopolitical changes.

In his opening remarks, Huang Jiaozhang expressed sincere condolences and sympathy to Chubu Federation Chairman Katsuno Tetsu regarding the recent earthquake in Kumamoto. He noted that following last year's (2025) visit by Association Chairman Wu Dongliang to Japan's Chubu region, Chairman Katsuno's reciprocal visit to Taiwan marks a new milestone in bilateral exchanges and demonstrates a firm commitment to deepening cooperation and co-creating regional prosperity.

Chairman Katsuno emphasized that Japan's Chubu region, a manufacturing hub, is actively advancing its 'Chubu Vision.' He expressed hope that this visit would deepen understanding of Taiwan's semiconductor and high-tech industries, public-private-academic collaboration models, and disaster response experiences, with the aim of applying these insights to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the Chubu region's manufacturing sector.

Chairman Katsuno added that the federation will continue to promote personnel exchanges and民间 economic cooperation, leveraging cross-border and cross-sectoral talent collaboration to address challenges posed by international energy fluctuations and economic uncertainties. He also expressed expectations for Taiwanese and Chubu-based enterprises to build closer partnerships and jointly contribute to global economic development.

The forum began with presentations from both associations outlining their organizational developments and core operations, highlighting their efforts and achievements in promoting business exchanges, regional governance, and industrial upgrading. This session enhanced mutual understanding among industry, government, and academic stakeholders regarding the operational mechanisms and collaborative resources of both organizations.

Following the organizational briefings, the forum proceeded to in-depth discussions on the two key themes. In the 'Smart Mobility' session, Yang Chih-jung, Technical Director of Hua-Tech Electric Mobility (2237-TW), a subsidiary of Carlex Electric (1533-TW), shared innovative practices and applications in electric buses and intelligent transportation systems. Chubu Federation's Director Kazuhiro Wada presented the latest achievements in smart mobility initiatives and regional development in Japan's Chubu region.

In the 'Disaster Response' session, Huang Shih-chieh, Head of Member Data Innovation and Research at FamilyMart (5903-TW), shared practical experiences in corporate disaster preparedness and data utilization. Chubu Federation's Managing Director and Secretary-General Umemura Michifumi delivered insightful perspectives on disaster response mechanisms and regional resilience building in the Chubu region. The exchange of experiences between Taiwanese and Japanese enterprises and experts sparked innovative thinking, fostering new models of industrial cooperation and yielding substantial outcomes from the dialogue.