The photo has been used for illustrative purpose.

Sajjad Ahmad, Deputy Business Editor

Japan has always welcomed ideas from around the world and reinterpreted them to create something new and uniquely Japanese. This has played a key role in the development of its culture and learning.

The Japan pavilion at Expo 2020 will uphold this culture of innovation with the theme ‘Where ideas meet’ and herald how the future will change for the better through the exchange of people’s ideas.

The Japan pavilion will connect the past, present and future through five unique exhibitions and events themed "Wondrous Encounter," "Nature and Culture," "Innovation," "Issues" and "Where ideas meet."

The pavilion will have dynamic projections, light installations, and an immersive experience created with digital technologies such as AR (Augmented Reality), said Hiroyuki Shibutani, MD, Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa.

He added, “as a strategic sponsor to the pavilion, Panasonic will be making this possible by providing cutting-edge projection mapping solutions and mist solutions. We will also present a wide range of innovative products and technologies at the event.”

Hiroyuki Shibutani.

Shibutani said, “This Expo is very important to Japanese companies and the government of Japan since it offers a vital opportunity to showcase as the event comes home to our country in 2025. The theme of the Dubai Expo ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’— deals with the importance of partnerships, and will highlight the trade relations between the two countries and provide a platform for Japanese businesses to highlight their technological innovation and skills, as well as expand their market reach beyond Dubai.”

About the company participation, he said, “Panasonic will attract audiences at the Japan Pavilion by employing its visual technologies and adding further value by announcing new solutions that will meet customer needs in the new-normal for a better life, aligning with the brand’s vision and commitment. Panasonic’s main exhibits during the Expo 2020 are themed ‘Quality Air for Life’, and will include the new nanoeTM X technology, ziaino air sterilisation technology, and an exclusive demonstration of our connected living IoT solutions for homes - MirAIe. Panasonic will also conduct exclusive introduction to these new technologies for the business partners and other VIP guests.”

Shibutani explained,” as I have mentioned, we will be launching our nanoeTM X air purification technology (Air Conditioners & Air Purifiers) as well as the new portable nanoeTM X Generator. In addition, we will be introducing ziaino, an air sterilisation solution for commercial usage such as hospitals, schools, shopping malls, business facilities, etc. Another highlight would be a special presentation of our home IoT solution MirAIe, which brings control of all smart appliances to your fingertips. We will also showcase some of our latest B2B solutions.”

“Expo 2020 is expected to attract millions of international visitors to Dubai, which will help us to introduce our products to a wider audience. I am confident that Expo will bring an unprecedented experience to the region.  The event will also provide a platform for Panasonic to share its vision for the region.”

He added,” the Middle East remains an important region for our business and makes up to a considerable share of our global business which we expect to grow in the future. The year 2021, so far has been good for business. In fact, our overall global sales in Q1 2021 increased 29% compared to last year, driven by the automotive and appliances segment. With widespread vaccination efforts and businesses across the world opening up, we believe the business will boom further in the upcoming quarter.”

“The Global economy was pushed into an unexpected as well as uncertain phase by the COVID-19 pandemic, as a result, Japanese companies have felt the setback to no small extent. We at Panasonic have been focusing on controlling costs according to the business conditions as well working on capturing new business opportunities reflecting changes in the lifestyles brought in by the pandemic. We have been continuously reinventing ourselves by identifying areas where the company should be focussing on to stay competitive and have launched concepts such as "Quality Air for Life," Solutions for the New Normal and more. This has helped us steer clear of the crisis and be profitable as well as be ready for the future.”

Shibutani said, “come April 2022, and our global business will transition into a new organizational system of operating companies with a holding company structure, which will allow us to enhance our performance further. Overall, we expect the uptick in the sales of home appliances and system devices to continue in the region as a result of changing preferences by consumers, and our offerings will be enhanced according to this demand ensuring the right solutions are brought into the market.”

He concluded, “Panasonic has always put in the same focus in this regional market, as we do for our other global markets, and our history of continued investment is a strong example of brand’s dedication to this region. This region has been a unique market with growing demand for smart city and smart homes solutions, that is where we expect big growth in the future. Not to mention the growing investment into IoT and smart industries to enhance life quality are remarkable in the Middle East compared to other regions globally. Looking into the future, we at Panasonic, will further invest in R&D to innovate solutions for the new normal.”