Background of the Symposium The German-Japanese Business Association (DJW) held a symposium titled "Japan-Germany Economic Cooperation Under the Trump Administration - From Competition to Co-creation" in Tokyo on September 5. The strategic importance of Japan-Germany cooperation was discussed against the backdrop of US protectionist tariff policies and rising geopolitical risks.
Paradigm Shift from "Competition to Co-creation" Regarding DJW's policy shift, Anne Pomsel, Executive Director of DJW, explained the symposium's purpose: "In the past, Japanese and German companies were competitors, but they will now become co-creative partners based on trust."
In identifying cooperation areas, the emphasis is on building collaborative and complementary relationships in strategic fields such as hydrogen, artificial intelligence (AI), defense, and robotics.
Specific Cooperation Examples In AI research, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) has established its first research base outside Germany at Osaka Metropolitan University.
In robotics, German startup Wandelbots, which handles industrial robot systems, has ongoing collaborations with Fanuc and Yaskawa Electric.
Response Strategies to US Tariff Policy Regarding Germany's impact assessment, Gerhard Wiesheu, Chairman of DJW, presented in his keynote speech that while 15% US tariffs are "not to be underestimated" for Germany, they are "not insurmountable."
For market diversification strategy, he emphasized that "Japan, Germany, and the EU should diversify export markets," and stressed that "for Germany, Asia, particularly Japan, has great potential as an export market."
Recommendations from Industry Experts Regarding startup collaboration, Incubate Fund's co-representative Masahiko Honma and Carolina Kawakubo, President & CEO of NRW Japan, recommended "supporting overseas expansion and bilateral cooperation" in critical technology areas of hydrogen, robotics, AI, and defense.
For localization strategy, Martin Schulz, Chief Policy Economist at Fujitsu, pointed out that in response to global bloc formation, German companies need "localization specialized in Asia." He suggested the possibility of German companies entering Asian supply chains through Japanese companies.
Regarding private-sector-led co-creation, Osamu Mogi, Chairman of the Europe Committee at Japan Association of Corporate Executives, emphasized the importance of proactive "co-creation" by private companies combining Japanese companies' on-site knowledge with German companies' technology. He recommended improving business environments including reducing EU regulatory barriers and ensuring technology compatibility.