#Japan #AI Solutions #Tokyo #Dify #LangGenius

Dify Association Established to Propel AI and Innovation

LangGenius, in collaboration with NTT Data and Nihon Denshi Keisanki, has announced the inception of the "Dify Association" set to launch on September 1, 2025. This initiative comes at a crucial time when the rise of generative AI is fundamentally transforming software development and business strategies. Many organizations are grappling with the urgent challenge of swiftly deploying AI applications while ensuring meticulous operational management post-launch. This new association aims to harness the potential of "Dify", a middleware solution considered pivotal for next-generation AI application development, establishing an open ecosystem where developers, users, and partner companies can collaborate to enhance Japan's industrial AI capabilities and innovation capacity.

Background and Purpose of Establishment: Addressing Challenges of the AI Era

The introduction of generative AI is not merely a technical advancement; it signifies a paradigm shift in business application development. To gain a competitive edge during this transformation, companies must adeptly leverage advanced technologies in a fast and stable manner. However, the implementation and operation of these technologies remains complex, with many development environments struggling not just with creating applications, but ensuring their continuous functioning as intended. Here, observability and controllability become crucial.

Dify is designed as a core engine—a middleware platform—fulfilling these two essential requirements. It enables the visualization of complex AI operations through a graphical "Agentic Workflow" feature, allowing for reliable and scalable development of AI-native applications using no-code and low-code approaches.

The adoption of Dify is viewed not only as a means to solve individual corporate challenges but also as a key driver to accelerate digital transformation (DX) across Japan's industrial landscape. Therefore, the Dify Association aims to do more than just promote technology; its mission is to build a sustainable network that supports AI applications across Japan.

Vision for the Future: Building an Open Ecosystem for Co-Creation

With the importance of Dify as the foundation, the establishment of the "Dify Association" is a step towards broadening its value across Japanese society. The association does not simply seek to proliferate Dify products; its crucial significance lies in becoming a hub of co-creation in Japan's AI utilization, operating from an open and neutral standpoint without reliance on specific vendors. The association will provide several key values contributing to this mission:

1. Collection and Sharing of Practical Knowledge: The association will offer a platform for sharing success stories and practical know-how to tackle the challenges companies face in adopting AI. This sharing of insights will reduce trial and error, accelerating the commercialization of AI applications.
2. Networking among Diverse Players: By connecting developers, user companies, partner organizations, and stakeholders from academia and government, the association promotes collaborative initiatives that can foster new business opportunities.
3. Development of Technology Standards and Talent Cultivation: The association will propose improvements tailored to the needs of the Japanese market and will develop certification systems to ensure reliable implementations. Furthermore, it will focus on nurturing talent for future AI and digital transformation initiatives.

Through these efforts, the Dify Association aims to effectively support the implementation of AI and drive digital transformation within industry, academia, and civil society, ultimately enhancing the overall competitiveness of Japan's AI sector.

Association Overview

• - Name: Japan Association for Dify
• - Website: Dify Association (Launching soon)
• - Head Office: 1F, Nihonbashi Front Building, 3-6-2 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
• - Establishment Date: September 1, 2025
• - Business Activities: To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the association will engage in the following activities:

- Research to establish quality standards and certification systems for Dify in the Japanese market.
- Promotion of community activities aimed at information exchange and network formation regarding Dify.
- Organizing information exchange meetings and study sessions for members focused on trends and advanced examples of AI and DX technologies.
- Gathering and sharing advanced case studies of productivity improvements utilizing Dify.
- Facilitating future activities to promote collaboration among policies, industry, and academia to contribute to the advancement of Japan's AI field.

Executive Board

• - Board Members: Maldan Kizima, Takahiro Arai, Motohiko Yuzawa
• - Auditor: Kuniaki Toda

Founding Members

• - LangGenius, NTT Data, Nihon Denshi Keisanki

Maldan Kizima, President of LangGenius and Representative Director of the Dify Association, expressed his enthusiasm: "Today marks the official establishment of the Dify Association aimed at accelerating the dissemination and promotion of generative AI solutions within Japan. Since the introduction of Dify, we've seen widespread adoption among numerous customers in the country. However, there are still many enhancements and challenges we need to address. I am confident that by collaborating with stakeholders through this association, we will find effective solutions to these challenges and serve the community effectively. I hope that many interested parties will actively participate in our association. Your involvement is eagerly awaited!"

Future Prospects and Upcoming Events

As the Dify Association moves forward, it aims to become a central figure in leading AI utilization in Japan through working groups, technical seminars, and conferences. The first major event is planned for October 24, 2025, in Tokyo, called "IF Con Tokyo 2025". This event will feature a morning session announcing the establishment of the association and discussing its future activities, followed by an afternoon conference exploring the future of AI and business. This event will be partially invite-only, with public applications available through the provided link.

• - Date/Time: October 24, 2025, from 10:00 a.m.
• - Location: Bellesalle Shiodome, 8-21-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0061
• - Content:

- Morning: Dify Association Announcement
- Afternoon: AI and Business Conference

• - Public Application Link: Registration (Applications open September 25)

Additionally, a "Dify Studio Hackathon" is slated for October 25, providing a hands-on experience for developers and users to explore the latest in AI utilization.

About LangGenius

LangGenius is the company behind Dify, a no-code/low-code development platform that empowers anyone to effortlessly create generative AI applications. From agent workflows to RAG pipelines, Dify allows intuitive creation of AI applications via a GUI, setting a new standard trusted by developers and companies worldwide. In Japan, Dify has been successfully implemented across various industries, including major corporations such as NTT Data, NTT East, Kakaku.com, Nihon Denshi Keisanki (JIP), and Ricoh, contributing to enhanced productivity and the advancement of DX efforts.

For more information, visit the official Dify Japanese website.