Market Trends of Japan Digital Transformation Industry
Telecom and IT Holds the Largest Share
- The country is experiencing an expansion of 5G networks with significant investments in building the necessary infrastructure. Japan has been actively rolling out 5G infrastructure, with major telecom operators like NTT Docomo, KDDI, and SoftBank, which are involved in expanding the 5G network. As per data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Japan), the number of 5G subscriptions rose to 69.81 million in 2023, which is expected to grow further.
- SoftBank and KDDI, through 5G JAPAN, have collaboratively built more than 38,000 5G base stations each. This effort has notably reduced capital expenditure costs by USD 0.29 billion (JPY 45.0 billion) for each entity. Beyond bolstering network coverage and technologies, the telcos focus on standardizing construction specs, spanning both 5G and 4G base stations. Both companies have planned joint equipment procurement. Moreover, they started to initiate technology discussions and trials in fiscal year 2024, with a vision to broaden their collaborative endeavors by fiscal year 2026.
- Japan's smart cities leverage data-centric technologies such as IoT, big data, AI, automated driving, and biometric authentication. These technologies are generally used in traffic management systems, smart grids, and connected public services. Advanced traffic management systems use real-time data to optimize traffic flow, reduce congestion, and improve public transportation efficiency.
- The Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) in November 2023, held in Barcelona, served as a platform for future urban living. At the event, Japan's spotlight was its "Japan Pavilion," showcasing a spectrum of projects and initiatives designed to enhance urban living, bolster efficiency, and promote environmental sustainability. The Pavilion, featuring collaborations between major Japanese corporations, startups, and representatives from local governments, facilitated discussions with global partners. The topics covered included public transport optimization and the Internet of Things (IoT) to waste management and the digital transformation of residential spaces.
- Moreover, there is increasing adoption of cloud services for data storage, computing power, and business applications, which facilitate remote work and collaboration for organizations. Companies are increasing their investments to improve efficiency, productivity, and the customer experience.
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Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is Expected to Witness Growth
- The manufacturing sector's deployment of analytics, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning is growing. This helps with predictive maintenance, quality control, and optimizing supply chains. Smart factories and Industry 4.0 concepts are gaining traction in Japan. Thus, businesses are increasingly adopting AI for process automation, reducing operational costs and improving efficiency. As per the data by Internet Initiative Japan, around 43.4 manufacturing companies planned to make investments in smart factories to detect signs of malfunction in production equipment
- In March 2024, Cisco Systems, Mitsui Information, and KDDI Engineering announced a collaboration to roll out a private 5G network tailored for smart factories. The trio planned for the establishment of an "Industry 4.0 Testbed" at the Shinwa Komaki SFiC Lab, situated in Komaki City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. This initiative aimed to provide manufacturers with a platform to test and validate various industrial applications leveraging private 5G technology. Envisioned applications span from automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to industrial robots, machine vision systems, and other facets of advanced factory automation.
- The Japanese government is actively promoting AI research and development through various initiatives and funding programs. The establishment of the Digital Agency aims to foster AI adoption in public services and streamline digital transformation efforts across sectors.
- In March 2024, Digital Realty, a provider of cloud—and carrier-neutral data centers, announced the initiation of construction on its third data center on the NRT campus in Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Dubbed NRT14, this center is a pivotal addition to Digital Realty's global data center platform, PlatformDIGITAL®, which is planned to open in December 2025. Its launch aims to significantly bolster the availability of advanced, AI-ready infrastructure in Japan.
- Moreover, retailers are leveraging AI for enhanced customer insights, supply chain optimization, and dynamic pricing strategies. E-commerce platforms are using AI to provide personalized shopping experiences and improve customer retention.
