#Japan #Digital Transformation #Shizuoka #SmartMat Cloud

Shizuoka's Manufacturing DX Transformation

Introduction
On July 24, 2025, an event titled “TECH BEAT Shizuoka 2025” took place in Shizuoka City, focusing on the significant strides being made in the realm of digital transformation (DX) in manufacturing. Major companies like Suzuki and Yamaha teamed up with innovative startups, including SmartMat, to address the challenges and potential of manufacturing DX in the region.

The discussions revolved around various aspects of manufacturing, highlighting the importance of optimizing supply chains through effective inventory management, enhancing quality, and addressing workforce shortages.

Manufacturing Industry in Shizuoka

Shizuoka Prefecture is renowned as one of Japan’s key manufacturing hubs. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s 2023 economic survey, the total shipment value of manufactured goods in the region amounts to approximately 19 trillion yen, placing it third nationwide and accounting for 5.3% of the national share. Furthermore, the prefecture contributes about 6 trillion yen in added value, positioning it second in the country with a 5.7% share.

A 2020 census indicated that roughly 25% of Shizuoka's workforce is employed in manufacturing, highlighting the sector’s pivotal role in driving local economies. The findings from the Prefecture's 2024 economic calculations revealed that around 3.2 percentage points of Shizuoka's impressive 5.8% economic growth rate could be attributed solely to the manufacturing industry.

This context underscores why manufacturing DX is viewed as a revolutionary initiative that could catalyze widespread economic benefits throughout the region. Discussions at the event emphasized developing frameworks to reduce inventory and improve quality across the supply chain while addressing workforce challenges.

Event Highlights

Suzuki: Smart Factory Initiative

Suzuki introduced its plans for a smart factory based on its medium-term management strategy. They shared success stories related to the IoT inventory management system, “SmartMat Cloud,” marking a shift away from paper-based processes toward actionable insights and visibility.

Yamaha Motor: Cultivating 'Field Scientists'

Yamaha is focused on developing 'field scientists' who can leverage digital tools while understanding on-ground operations. They showcased efforts to integrate data into a hypothesis-testing cycle to accelerate improvements driven by those on the front lines.

Encourse: Challenges from the Next Generation

Encourse discussed challenges from the perspective of successor companies, advocating for management reform and sustainable growth through the application of DX in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Skillnote: Addressing Labor Shortages

Skillnote presented its skill management platform aimed at resolving labor shortages in manufacturing. They are actively collaborating with Shizuoka companies to develop new functionalities that support sustainable growth in the workforce.

SmartMat: Proposing On-Site DX

Yasuhito Hayashi, president of SmartMat, highlighted the importance of “on-site DX” and the vital role of collaboration between large enterprises, SMEs, and local communities in enabling transformation.

Message from the Shizuoka Governor

Towards the end of the panel session, Shizuoka Governor Yasuyuki Suzuki declared Shizuoka as a “leading region in manufacturing DX.” He emphasized a collective push towards advancing manufacturing digital transformation and underlined the importance of Corporate and Local Government Transformations (CX and LGX) for success. The Governor demonstrated a strong commitment to continue supporting startups and the second founding phase of SMEs within the prefecture.

Future Prospects

The DX initiatives stemming from Shizuoka have the potential to serve as a model for manufacturing businesses across Japan. SmartMat aims to further expand its influence through the SmartMat Cloud system, fostering collaboration with clients, communities, and government offices to contribute to the future of the manufacturing industry.

For those interested, detailed reports from the event can be found here.

Event Details

• - Event Name: TECH BEAT Shizuoka 2025
• - Session Name: Shizuoka -- A Leading Region in Manufacturing DX
• - Date: July 24, 2025
• - Speakers: Key representatives from SmartMat, Encourse, Skillnote, Suzuki, and Yamaha, along with a moderator from TECH BEAT Shizuoka.

About SmartMat Cloud

SmartMat Cloud is an AI and IoT-based inventory management system that provides real-time visibility into stock levels, automating processes that traditionally required manual effort. Since its launch in 2018, it has been adopted by over 1,200 businesses across various sectors, demonstrating its versatility and effectiveness in transforming inventory management.

For more details, visit SmartMat’s website: SmartMat

About SmartMat Inc.

Founded in November 2014, SmartMat aims to revolutionize inventory management using IoT solutions. Based in Shinagawa, Tokyo, the company is committed to making inventory management smarter and more efficient through its services.

SmartMat Inc.