Chairman
Minoru Makimura
Message
NIRO was established with the aim of promoting creative industrial development in the aftermath of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and has supported the growth of regional industries ever since. Now, as we mark the 30th anniversary of the earthquake, we are reflecting on the path of recovery and growth, while also reconsidering the future of our local communities and industries.
Since assuming the position of Chairman, I have worked to leverage NIRO’s highly experienced business coordinators and its network spanning industry, academia, and government. By strengthening collaboration not only with Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City, and our supporting companies, but also with national government agencies, the Kansai Economic Federation, which represents the Kansai business community, and regional support organizations, we have enabled cooperation that transcends regional boundaries and helped create new value.
At present, NIRO is mainly engaged in disseminating information to foster future growth industries, proposing industrial policies to local governments, providing technical support in response to the needs of companies, and developing human resources.
As for future growth industries, we have identified the following as priority areas: “DX (AI, ICT, and robotics),” “environment and energy,” “health and medical care,” “aviation, space, flying cars, and drones,” and “regional industries.” We are also working to strengthen support for the “manufacturing” and “intellectual property” sectors that underpin these fields.
For example, in the field of “environment and energy,” we have placed particular emphasis on the hydrogen industry. In Hyogo Prefecture, where many hydrogen-related demonstration projects have been carried out, the region is expected to become a core hydrogen hub in a wide area encompassing Setouchi and Kansai. In light of this, Hyogo Prefecture and Kobe City have been implementing initiatives to support companies that are expanding their business into overseas regions where hydrogen-related infrastructure is being developed, and NIRO is actively engaged in these efforts as well.
As for drones, we began our efforts in fiscal 2020 and launched the “Drone Utilization Platform” with the aim of building networks among businesses, users, and other businesses. More than 200 companies and organizations now participate, and the platform is highly active. It was also exhibited at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, where we introduced concrete examples of drone use in addressing social issues.
In the area of manufacturing support, we have placed importance on hands-on, continuous support aimed at improving productivity. Through consistent assistance from current-state analysis through to the establishment of improvements, the number of support requests has increased, and we have achieved results that help strengthen the competitiveness of local companies.
Regarding the use of AI and digital technologies, we are also focusing on “support for the practical implementation of AI and digital technologies in the field,” so that local mid-sized and small-to-medium-sized enterprises can respond to rapid changes.
To make these initiatives more widely known and encourage greater participation from companies and organizations, we actively disseminate information through events such as The International Industrial Fair Kobe, one of the largest exhibitions in western Japan, which NIRO plans and operates at its core.
By keeping our eye on industrial trends across the Kansai region as a whole and expanding collaboration by leveraging the strengths of each local area, we will continue to devote ourselves to the development of future growth industries and support for manufacturing, both of which are essential to the growth of mid-sized and small-to-medium-sized enterprises. We sincerely ask for your continued support and cooperation.
