While the efforts of newly industrializing countries are bringing light back to the world, Japan as well as countries in Europe and North America are still suffering from the global economic crisis caused by the sub prime-loan problem. The outlook for the Japan's economy is such that manufacturing industry in particular will continue to be in a severe economic situation. However, in spite of this economic slump, the bio industry is on the verge of seeing a new growth. The rebirth of bio industry has begun.

The world now stands at crucial turning point. Highly resource-consuming industries have come to a standstill and environment/low-carbon business has emerged as a new engine for the growth. Developed countries plus China are entering into aging societies at a furious pace. Thus, "environment" and "health" have become the major focus of technological innovation to save the Earth.

Among a number of innovative technologies, biotechnology is the most important technological innovation to solve various problems we are facing today, such as environment/low-carbon society, food, medical care, information/communication, etc. In the field of medicine, biopharmaceuticals have already exceeded 10% of the world pharmaceutical market in 2007 and are still growing at a speed more than twice as fast as low-molecular weight drugs. Vaccines and biopharmaceuticals have become the foundations of the restructuring of world's pharmaceutical companies. Also for the environment/low-carbon business, energy revolution that focuses primarily on bio-ethanol and industrialization of white biotechnology that uses biomass as the raw material for petrochemical products is about to take off.

BioJapan2010 will revolve around four main themes : 1) Health , 2) Environment/Low Carbon, 3) Food (Functional Food, GMO), and 4) Clusters & Bio-ventures. Opinion leaders in biotechnology from Japanese and overseas major companies, venture companies, financial institutions and other support industry entities, national and local governments, and other organizations will gather for this event to discuss the future of bioindustry and solutions for the current problems. Together with you, we intend to create a major trend that further accelerates the reborn biotech industrialization.

The Japan's Largest and Only Place for Open Innovation in Biotechnology

The rapid and continuous technological innovation with biotechnology as its core has made it difficult to develop new technologies or products relying only on the internal resources. Now open innovation, in which universities / research organizations, venture companies, large/middle-sized companies, and companies from different industrial sectors work together to realize new product /business development, has become essential for the growth of bioindustry.

In BioJapan2009, exhibition booths (alliance booths etc.) of 32 companies from Japan and overseas were set up in the exhibition floor, at which the personnel in charge of licensing were stationed during the event and active business talks were conducted. Thus, we were able to transform a mere exhibition into a forum for open innovation. While 1,164 meetings were held in BioJapan2009, we aim at improving the meeting both quantitatively and qualitatively in BioJapan2010. Companies from Europe, North America, and Asia in addition to those from Japan will gather in Yokohama, with the expectation to seek your technologies and ideas. BioJapan2010 will grow as the Japan's largest and only field that provides you with opportunities for technological introduction, cooperative development, cooperative research, investment, etc.

We hope that you will join us and experience the vigorous rebirth of biotech industry in Yokohama that will enable us to make a breakthrough in the stagnant economy.