Japan’s appeal as a business events destination continues to rise according to recent data indicating more international conferences are being held in the country, including in secondary cities.
Statistics published by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranked Japan seventh globally and first in the Asia-Pacific for the number of international conferences hosted in 2024. Japan’s total was 428, equating to an 18 per cent uptick year-on-year, which was the highest rate of increase among all nations in the top 10 of the ranking.
Among the factors influencing Japan’s growth is its MICE Ambassador programme, according to the Japan Convention Bureau (JCB).
The influential figures from academia and industry promoting Japan as a destination for international conferences “are based not only in major cities but also at regional universities and research institutions”, Mariko Tatsumi, executive director of JCB, told TTGmice, adding that “their ongoing efforts and dedication have contributed significantly to the success of numerous conferences”.
Of Japan’s cities, Tokyo hosted the most international conferences (fourth), followed by Kyoto (11th), Osaka (18th), Sapporo (21st) and Fukuoka (25th).
Smaller cities, including Kitakyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture), Tsukuba (Ibaraki Prefecture), Hiroshima (Hiroshima Prefecture) and Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture), also experienced “a large increase” in the number of international conferences held compared to last year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
“The number of cities that hosted one or more events in 2024 rose to over 60, showing that the combined strength of not only major cities but also regional cities has led to Japan’s position as seventh in the world,” JNTO continued.
