[Seminar] Understanding Supply Risks of Critical Minerals: Circular Economy as a Resource Strategy

[Speaker] Masamichi Miyanohara, Senior Analyst, Strategic Research Team, Economic Division, Sumitomo Corporation Global Research [Key Lecture Content] With the advancement of decarbonization, electrification, and digitalization, the stable procurement of critical minerals such as lithium and rare earths has become a challenge related to corporate supply chain strategies. This lecture will reframe the circular economy not only in terms of waste and environmental response but also from the perspective of resource procurement and supply chain resilience. Using lithium-ion batteries and rare earth magnets as subjects, we will organize how to incorporate source procurement, recovery, recycling, market and policy requirements, and information certification into the supply chain, while considering the policy trends of major countries and regions, and explore the direction of corporate responses required. [Lecture Items] 1. Background of the growing attention to the circular economy as a resource strategy 2. Policy trends of major countries and regions regarding lithium-ion batteries and rare earth magnets 3. Five functions in corporate responses - from source procurement to information certification 4. Case studies of corporate responses regarding lithium-ion batteries and rare earth magnets 5. Insights for companies 6. Q&A / Business card exchange

[Speaker] Zhang Yi, Chief Researcher, ICT Research and Consulting Department, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology [Key Lecture Content] As the global competition for physical AI development accelerates, China is rapidly advancing in mass production and social implementation by leveraging its strengths in supply chains and other areas. It is enhancing its presence not only in the robots themselves but also in the construction of AI foundational models and data infrastructure. This lecture will provide an overview of the current state of China's robotics market and industrial policy, analyzing the industry structure and key players from the main body and components to models, data, and infrastructure, as well as the forefront of implementation across different industries. Additionally, it will organize the challenges of implementation and efforts to address them, offering insights for Japanese companies. [Lecture Items] 1. What is Physical AI? 2. Market Overview and Industrial Policy of Physical AI in China 3. Structure of the Physical AI Industry in China and Key Players 4. Implementation in Progress in China 5. Challenges of Implementation 6. Future Outlook 7. Q&A / Business Card Exchange

[Speaker] Hajime Hiraki, CEO of Chemistry Cube Co., Ltd., Innovation Consultant [Key Lecture Content] Japanese companies possess numerous products with world-class technology and high market shares. However, merely developing excellent technology does not guarantee the establishment of sustainable competitive advantage. In this lecture, we will examine case studies of technological innovation from Japanese companies such as Murata Manufacturing, Tokyo Electron, Terumo, Shimano, Daikin, Hitachi, Komatsu, and Nitto Denko. We will unravel "why that technology succeeded as a business" and explain how to create a "winning strategy" to connect technology to business outcomes and build sustainable competitive advantage from the three perspectives of business strategy, technology strategy, and intellectual property strategy.

This symposium is an international conference where researchers representing the field of single-molecule biophysics from East Asian countries (Japan, China, South Korea, and Singapore) gather together. At the venue, we will introduce PicoQuant's single-photon detection confocal fluorescence microscope "Luminosa." It supports a wide range of single-molecule biophysical measurements such as FLIM, smFRET, and FCS, and with automatic alignment and high-speed GPU analysis, anyone can efficiently obtain high-quality data. We warmly invite you to visit our booth. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Akimoto Machinery Co., Ltd. will be exhibiting at the "Industrial Exchange Exhibition 2026" held at Tokyo Big Sight. This exhibition is a comprehensive showcase where small and medium-sized enterprises, startups, and ventures with excellent technologies and products from the metropolitan area gather to expand sales channels and foster inter-company collaboration. We sincerely look forward to your visit.