The Times Australia
News From Asia

.

Kaohsiung Vies for Win-Win at Kumamoto Expo in Japan

KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN - Media OutReach Newswire - 29 February 2024 – As head of a delegation comprising officials and local businesses to KUMAMOTO Industrial Revitalization EXPO 2024, Deputy Mayor of Kaohsiung Lo Ta-sheng officiated the opening of the Kaohsiung Pavilion and signed an MOU on innovative startups with the Japanese city.

On top of attesting to the friendship between the two cities and expanding bilateral exchanges, Kaohsiung's attendance at the expo also brought the city's cutting-edge chipmaking technologies and highly competitive tourism-related food products to the international stage. Kumamoto Prefecture Governor Ikuo Kabashima made a special appearance to express gratitude to the Kaohsiung City Government and the hope that more business opportunities can be created, thereby fostering closer collaboration in the semiconductor supply chain and strengthening relations between Taiwan and Japan.

Kumamoto Governor Kabashima’s friendly chat with Deputy Mayor Lo at the Kaohsiung Pavilion
Kumamoto Governor Kabashima’s friendly chat with Deputy Mayor Lo at the Kaohsiung Pavilion

Deputy Mayor Lo said that since the establishment of sister city ties in 2017, Kaohsiung and Kumamoto have developed diverse cooperation in tourism, education, culture, and industry. Over this period, Kumamoto has sent a number of delegations to Kaohsiung for a first-hand look at the latter's lantern festival celebrations, commuter pass program, and harbor-front development among others. During this ongoing visit, the Kaohsiung delegation aimed to learn more about Kumamoto's advanced green energy and circular economy facilities that are quite suitable as points of reference for the city's own urban planning. The newly signed MOU on innovative startups with Kumamoto marks the beginning of collaboration in promoting startup ventures between Taiwan and Japan. Kaohsiung expects to foster more exchanges and collaborations with other innovative startup clusters in Japan to assist the city's own startups in creating an international presence and bring about a convergence of startups from other parts of the world.

Since 2016, Governor Kabashima said, Kumamoto has been confronted with a myriad of challenges: earthquakes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and flooding. Yet, industry in the prefecture has managed to revitalize itself on the back of public-private partnerships. KUMAMOTO Industrial Revitalization EXPO 2024 not only attests to success in having surmounted the said challenges but also heralds the promise of Kumamoto's rising to a new peak on the industrial and economic fronts. Gratitude is warranted to the city government and businesses of Kaohsiung for their attendance, itself an act of solid support for Kumamoto's recovery.

Group photo at the opening event of the Kaohsiung Pavilion
Group photo at the opening event of the Kaohsiung Pavilion

This EXPO gathers key semiconductor manufacturers from Japan, including Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing, a major global CMOS supplier. Sony's representative also visited the Kaohsiung Pavilion, engaging in discussions to understand Kaohsiung's semiconductor industry development policies and investment environment. The on-site interactions were enthusiastic.

Liao Tai-hsiang, director-general of the Economic Development Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, said that the Kaohsiung delegation brought seven businesses to the Kaohsiung Pavilion for presenting their respective products at the expo. They were in turn approached by a good number of Japanese counterparts for business discussions. In addition to enhancing their brand visibility, 4DMEN Technology Co., Ltd., Taiwan Valqua Engineering International Ltd., Gongin Precision Ind. Co., Ltd., and Advanced Echem Materials Co., Ltd. learned more about Kumamoto's semiconductor needs and broadened business reach accordingly, thereby helping deepen collaboration between the semiconductor sectors of Taiwan and Japan. Likewise, MAYUSHAN FOOD Co., Ltd., Joywell Cake Store Co., Ltd., and LE PONT took advantage of the occasion to present both Kaohsiung's delicacies and their own latest offerings. Indeed, Kaohsiung's attendance at the 2024 Kumamoto expo went a long way toward making the city's brand names better known in Japan. The city's meticulously planned series of exciting events also elicited a hearty response from Japanese businesses.

Hashtag: #Kumamoto #Kaohsiung #Japan

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Times Magazine

Building an AI-First Culture in Your Company

AI isn't just something to think about anymore - it's becoming part of how we live and work, whether we like it or not. At the office, it definitely helps us move faster. But here's the thing: just using tools like ChatGPT or plugging AI into your wo...

Data Management Isn't Just About Tech—Here’s Why It’s a Human Problem Too

Photo by Kevin Kuby Manuel O. Diaz Jr.We live in a world drowning in data. Every click, swipe, medical scan, and financial transaction generates information, so much that managing it all has become one of the biggest challenges of our digital age. Bu...

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Decline of Hyper-Casual: How Mid-Core Mobile Games Took Over in 2025

In recent years, the mobile gaming landscape has undergone a significant transformation, with mid-core mobile games emerging as the dominant force in app stores by 2025. This shift is underpinned by changing user habits and evolving monetization tr...

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

What AI Adoption Means for the Future of Workplace Risk Management

Image by freepik As industrial operations become more complex and fast-paced, the risks faced by workers and employers alike continue to grow. Traditional safety models—reliant on manual oversight, reactive investigations, and standardised checklist...

The Times Features

Is our mental health determined by where we live – or is it the other way round? New research sheds more light

Ever felt like where you live is having an impact on your mental health? Turns out, you’re not imagining things. Our new analysis[1] of eight years of data from the New Zeal...

Going Off the Beaten Path? Here's How to Power Up Without the Grid

There’s something incredibly freeing about heading off the beaten path. No traffic, no crowded campsites, no glowing screens in every direction — just you, the landscape, and the...

West HQ is bringing in a season of culinary celebration this July

Western Sydney’s leading entertainment and lifestyle precinct is bringing the fire this July and not just in the kitchen. From $29 lobster feasts and award-winning Asian banque...

What Endo Took and What It Gave Me

From pain to purpose: how one woman turned endometriosis into a movement After years of misdiagnosis, hormone chaos, and major surgery, Jo Barry was done being dismissed. What beg...

Why Parents Must Break the Silence on Money and Start Teaching Financial Skills at Home

Australia’s financial literacy rates are in decline, and our kids are paying the price. Certified Money Coach and Financial Educator Sandra McGuire, who has over 20 years’ exp...

Australia’s Grill’d Transforms Operations with Qlik

Boosting Burgers and Business Clean, connected data powers real-time insights, smarter staffing, and standout customer experiences Sydney, Australia, 14 July 2025 – Qlik®, a g...