The automotive industries in Germany and Japan are navigating the same seismic shift: the transition from horsepower to lines of code as the Software-Defined Vehicle（SDV） takes center stage. To turn this disruption into shared opportunity, this exclusive seminar convenes leading researchers and industry visionaries from both nations under one roof. Participants will explore high-impact collaboration and investment pathways with the powerhouse R&D ecosystem of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in our dedicated 'NRW meets Japan - Business and Investment Seminar'.
We warmly invite you to join the conversation, connect with key cross-border pioneers, and help shape the next era of mobility.
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Date: October 15th, 2026 (Thu.)
Time: 16:00 - 18:00 | Networking - 19:00 | Reception Desk will be open at 15:45
Venue: Belle Salle Toranomon, Sumitomo Fudosan Toranomon Tower 2F (In-person only)
Language: Japanese & English Simultaneous Interpretation
Hosted by: NRW.Global Business Japan / German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH) Tokyo
Supported by: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany (tbc) / The Mobilities
Please register >>> latest by 13th October (Tue.) 13:00
Please be informed, on the same day from 14:00 to 16:00, ＜Part 1＞Technical Exchanges on the SDV will be held at the same venue. learn more>>>
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Program
Opening Greeting & Presentation: North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) as an Innovation Hub
Dr. Carolina Kawakubo, NRW.Global Business Japan, Representative Director and President, NRW Japan K.K.
Greeting:
Axel Karpenstein, Director of the DWIH Tokyo / DAAD Tokyo
The Architecture of the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV): The Impact on Monozukuri?
Prof. Takahiro Fujimoto, Management of Technology, Tokyo University of Science
Germany and Japan in the SDV Era: Competitors or Partners?
Prof. Daniel Arturo Heller, Faculty of Global Management, Chuo University
Developing Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV): Case Study of the BMW iX3
Lutz Rothhardt, Director, Development Japan, BMW Group
Bridging German and Japanese Automotive Engineering
Dr. Dirk Heinrich Neumann, CEO, JADEA K.K.
Software as a Driver of Innovation and Differentiation in the SDV Era
Thomas Fraessle, Representative Director and CEO, ITK Engineering Japan
Panel Discussion with Speakers: Business Opportunities for Japanese Companies in NRW, Germany
Moderator: Dr. Carolina Kawakubo, NRW.Global Business Japan
Q&A and Concludes
Networking (18:00-19:00)
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Notes: This Event is designed for participants affiliated with organizations, such as corporations. Please register using your corporate email address matching your domain. We kindly ask for your understanding that we may have to limit participation if we are unable to verify your organizational affiliation.