PRESS CONFERENCE

Japan's auto industry, its strength and weakness
Koji Endo, Managing Director, Head of Equity Research, SBI Securities Co., Ltd.
Christopher Richter, Deputy Head of Research, CLSA Securities Japan

11:00-12:00 Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in English.

Japan's world-famous automotive industry is under siege in a rapidly shifting international competitive landscape. And the sector’s soul searching will be on full display when a rebranded Tokyo Motor Show reconvenes this month as the Japan Mobility Show.

The show, to be held at Tokyo Big Sight and open to the public from Oct. 28-Nov. 5, is a bid to generate more buzz and excitement by looking beyond the traditional automotive companies to incorporate a whole host of “mobility” players, everything from software startups and robot-taxi hopefuls to flying car developers.

Joining us to speak about the state of Japan's auto industry and the challenges it faces are two of Japan's most highly regarded automotive analysts. Koji Endo is Managing Director and Head of Equity Research at SBI Securities Co., Ltd. Christopher Richter is Deputy Head of Research at CLSA Securities Japan.

Japan’s automotive sector is the backbone of the island nation's industrial might and the lifeblood of millions of people around the world who work for, supply or otherwise depend on such companies as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, Mitsubishi and Suzuki.

But despite their decades of success, Japan's automakers are suddenly facing unprecedented challenges in a new era of industry uncertainty and tumult. New technologies such as electrification, autonomous driving and artificial intelligence are changing consumer ideas about what a car should be. Meanwhile, the need to invest hundreds of billions of dollars into these new technologies is putting companies under crushing financial pressure.

At the same time, Japan's old guard players are being challenged by nimbler start-ups from Silicon Valley, China, Vietnam and elsewhere – that are rolling out the futuristic software-defined fully-electric vehicles that are all the rage among younger buyers and early adopters.

The Japan Mobility Show spotlights the domestic industry's attempt to grapple with a response. The biennial Tokyo Motor Show was last held in 2019, and organizers canceled the 2021 event because of the pandemic. The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association hope this year's reinvented expo showcases the country's future-facing technological prowess with a new focus on the world beyond cars, trucks and motorbikes.

How to attend:
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, the name of your media outlet, and FCCJ membership number. Due to space restrictions attendance will be limited. Doors open 15 minutes before the event. Please sign in, giving your name and contact details at the reception, and have your temperature taken before proceeding.

How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live
Livestreaming of the press events will be available and video of this event will be uploaded to our FCCJ YouTube channel.

How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/Dqt7Vjx9DMvTFYUf6
Members watching the event online can submit questions for the speakers in advance using this submission form.

TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event.


Professional Activities Committee