Japan's Analytical and Scientific Instruments Market

Analytical and scientific instruments play vital roles in a wide range of applications in key elements of Japan’s core manufacturing and service industries, including R&D, production, inspection and monitoring processes. Domestic demand accounts for roughly 40% of Japanese production, with the remaining 60% exported worldwide.  

Most major American analytical instruments manufacturers are well established in Japan and American analytical instruments have steadily expanded their share of the overall market. While many American firms with a long history in the market have established their own sales offices in Japan, new-to-market American firms are advised to start by partnering with local agents or distributors with industry knowledge and sales networks to market their technology and products to potential end-users in Japan.

According to the Japan Analytical Instruments Manufacturers’ Association (JAIMA), the annual production of 167 member firms in fiscal year 2019 amounted to 592 billion yen ($5,431 million), which is a slight increase of 0.5% in original yen terms from the previous year.  

Domestic demand leveled off, while exports made a steady increase each year since 2017 resulting in export demand of 70% of the Japanese production in 2019.

Steadily over the past several years imported analytical instruments have accounted for approximately 13 - 15% of the domestic market.  In calendar year 2019, total imports amounted to 30.9 billion yen ($283.6 million), which represents a slight increase by 1.7% (14.8%).  

By application, analytical instruments for advanced diagnostic such as in genetic analysis, protein marker searching, metabolic marker searching, and cell research, the bioresearch market has seen the emergence of new segments including genomics, proteomics and metabolomics. Another demand in the market is materials, material development and quality control as microplastic and lightweight materials as well as food safety are gaining attention. Also, given the current COVID-19 pandemic, the attention to the COVID-19 related analytical technologies has been rising such as breath omics diagnosis, etc.

*2020 figures only consist of 1st and 2nd quarters.

NOTE: Unless otherwise indicated all yen-dollar calculations in this report are based on the average rate of exchange as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
[Source: JAIMA, Ministry of Finance] 

JASIS is a major annual industry event which is comprised of exhibits, seminars and conferences and is comparable to U.S. PITTCON in areas of scientific and laboratory instruments for government, academia and industry users. 

Without exception, JASIS 2020 was greatly affected by COVID-19 pandemic.  Although the show organizers went to great lengths to host an in-person show in 2020, the show attracted only 7,299 visitors a 2/3 decrease in numbers of visitors from a previous year. 
To respond to the increased demand for the virtual showcasing opportunity , JASIS has expanded its contents of “new technology seminars” and newly established “life science innovation zone” under the “JASIS WebExpo” format, which drew 39,000 viewers, a threefold increase  from the previous year.    

Users of analytical and scientific instruments accounted 43.6% of all visitors, 12.3% were analytical instrument distributors, and 19.6% were analytical instrument manufacturers. 

These visitors represented the following application profiles which shows some aspect of prospective sectors: 
Electronics, electric, machinery, 17.3%; 
Analytical technical service 10.6%; 
Chemical (ink, paint, pesticides, fragrance, etc.) 9.1%;
Pharmaceuticals, reagents, cosmetics 8.7%;
Government, public institutions, 6.7%; 
Foods 6.4%;
Education and educational institutions, 4.5 %; 
Steel, nonferrous metal, other metal products, 3.7%;
Automotive, construction and transportation, 3.6%;
Rubber and plastics, 3.2%;
Others, 26.3%

Event: JASIS2021
Date: November 8–10, 2021
Venue: Makuhari Messe, Chiba, Japan
Web: https://www.jasis.jp/en/

Event: INTERPHEX Week
Date: December 8-10, 2021
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan
Web: https://www.interphex.jp/en-gb.html

Event: IIFES2022
Date: January 26-28, 2022
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan
Web: https://iifes.jp/ex/

Event: nano tech 2022 (International Nanotechnology Exhibition & Conference)
Date: January 26-28, 2022
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan
Web: https://www.nanotechexpo.jp/

The U.S. Commercial Service in Japan welcomes your inquiry on market opportunities in Japan’s analytical and scientific instruments industry. For further information and consultation, please contact the U.S. Commercial Service Tokyo at Office.Tokyo@trade.gov.