Strengthening EU–Japan Cooperation in the Healthcare and Medical Equipment sector

The EU Business Hub @ World Health Expo 2026 took place in Osaka, from 30 June to 4 July 2026. The business mission brought together 47 European SMEs and start-ups showcasing digital health & health IT, disposables & consumer goods, healthcare & general services, manufacturing & design, regenerative medicine, among others, solutions which allowed Japanese stakeholders to gain a first-hand look at advanced technologies and services designed to respond to major healthcare challenges and emerging market needs.  

The mission opened with a Welcome Gathering, where participants connected with their coaches, the EU Business Hub team, and each other. On July 1 EU participants took part in briefing sessions providing them with an overview of Japan’s healthcare and medical equipment market, followed by a networking event held at Quintbridge, offering additional opportunities for business dialogue, and future partnerships.

From 2 to 4 July, EU participants exhibited at World Health Expo at INTEX Osaka, where they showcased their companies and explored partnerships and distribution opportunities in Japan’s healthcare sector through B2B meetings, walk-in visits, and hands-on discussions. WHX Osaka 2026 brought together more than 8 000 visitors and 364 exhibitors, offering a strong platform for international exchange and business development in the healthcare sector. For the EU Pavilion, the event created valuable opportunities to elevate the presence of European innovation and connect with a wide range of Japanese stakeholders, including healthcare providers, distributors, manufacturers, researchers, corporate partners, and public-sector representatives.

As Japan continues to advance its healthcare transformation in response to demographic change, growing care needs, and digitalisation, the exhibition provided a timely setting for European companies to engage with Japanese organisations offering practical, market-relevant solutions. The EU Pavilion served as a gateway for direct exchange between European innovators and Japanese partners.

Throughout the mission, the EU Business Hub supported participants with tailored coaching, translation, and targeted matchmaking to help them successfully pitch their solutions. Over the course of the mission, EU participants held over 1000 meetings with Japanese counterparts, generating promising business leads and opening opportunities in areas such as distribution, co-development, licensing, technology partnerships, and market access.

The EU Pavilion also attracted strong interest from high-level Japanese representatives. During the exhibition, it welcomed visitors from government and industry, including the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Kansai Economic Federation. The Pavilion was also honoured by visits from Vice-Minister Ino of METI, Minister Ueno of MHLW, and a delegation including former Prime Minister Kishida, Governor Yoshimura, Mayor Yokoyama, and Professor Sawa. These visits reflected the growing relevance of EU-Japan cooperation in healthcare innovation and market development.

The keen engagement shown by these representatives was also reflected in the experience of EU participants, many of which reported productive exchanges, valuable market insight, and promising opportunities for future collaboration.

SportMed S.A. (Luxembourg) – Wellness & Prevention
“As a small Luxembourgish screening expert, we couldn't attend global trade shows alone. Following a great mission in Korea, this well-organised Japanese mission is a massive opportunity for us. We're highly impressed by Japan’s kind, professional people and hope to expand internationally by securing a local distributor here.”

VIRTUAL MEDICINE (Slovakia) – Digital Health & Health IT
“As a global XR medical education company, finding the right local partner is key to succeeding in Japan. This highly recommended program helped us understand the local ecosystem and connect with potential long-term resellers. I’m thrilled to return to this inspirational country and bring home valuable partnerships to scale our business.”

Micronit B.V. (Netherlands) – Manufacturing & Design
“Micronit supplies high-precision microfluidic components for life sciences and diagnostics. Japan is a highly attractive market for us, and this event has created valuable conversations with potential partners. We have already had promising discussions and hope to grow our business in Japan and across Asia through long-term collaboration going forward.”

As the EU Business Hub continues its activities in Japan, it remains committed to supporting the international growth of European companies and fostering partnerships that create value for both Europe and Japan in priority sectors such as healthcare and medical innovation.

Next Business Mission: SEMICON Japan 2026 - Deadline for application: 11 September 2026

Looking ahead, the EU Business Hub is pleased to announce its third participation in SEMICON Japan 2026, one of Japan’s largest international exhibitions for the semiconductor electronics supply chain, to be held at Tokyo Big Sight from 9 to 11 December 2026. The event will offer European SMEs and start-ups a valuable platform to showcase advanced technologies, connect with key Japanese industry players, and explore partnerships across the semiconductor value chain. Building on its previous successful participations, the EU Business Hub will once again support companies through the EU Pavilion with tailored services such as coaching, matchmaking, and networking opportunities.

Next Business Mission: Smart Energy Week Spring 2027 

Moreover, EU SMEs and start-ups in the renewable energy sector looking to expand to Japan can already apply to our upcoming business mission EU Business Hub @ Smart Energy Week Spring 2027, from 22 – 26 March 2027, in Tokyo. This business mission will select and support up to 50 European SMEs and start-ups in the renewable energy sector to attend the Smart Energy Week Spring 2027, with all the benefits provided by the EU Business Hub, including financial support for accommodation and customised services, coverage of the exhibition fee, personalised agenda of B2B meetings, market intelligence, and cultural and linguistic support. Interested companies can apply by 27 November 2026.

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EU Business Hub - Japan and the Republic of Korea is an EU-funded programme launched in 2024 to support EU SMEs and start-ups in the Green and Low-Carbon, Digital, Healthcare and Medical Equipment sectors in expanding into the Japanese and Korean markets. Between 2024 and 2027, the programme is organising 20 sector-focused business missions -10 in each market- with services including strategic coaching, matchmaking, local interpretation, and full logistical support. The EU Business Hub is the successor programme of the EU Business Avenues / EU Gateway to Japan.