Message from the Chairman

Greetings

I am honored to have been appointed as Chairman of Japan exhibition Association in January 2024.

Following the sudden passing of our former Chairman, Mr. Shigeo Koshino, I was endorsed by the the Board of Directors of the Japan Exhibition Association to take on the role of Chairman. I am fully committed and prepared to take on the heavy responsibility of Chairman of Japan Exhibition Association.

I have served on the board of the Japan Exhibition Association since 2011, including as chair of the Public Relations Committee and chair of the MICE Coordination Committee. I have actively shared industry issues and collaborated with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Japan Tourism Agency's MICE meetings, the Tokyo MICE Collaboration Promotion Council, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's MICE Sustainability Subcommittee, and other exhibition, event, and MICE-related organizations and government agencies.

Exhibitions are now back again and having regained their momentum, further progress can be expected. While there are still many tough issues to be addressed, this is the right time to take a leap forward.

As the exhibition industry enters a new phase, I will do my utmost to help the industry develop even more than before, with the goal of making a leap forward for the next generation and realizing a sustainable exhibition industry.

To this end, I will take actions based on the following three points:
(1) Build a future-oriented and sustainable industry for the next generation
(2) Create of an open world in the exhibition industry
(3) Act promptly to resolve any issues

In an age of 100 years life expectancy, the exhibition industry is also aiming to flourish for 100 years, and I hope that the exhibition industry will continue to be an attractive, ambitious and confident industry for the next generation.

With the motto "Exhibitions are the engine that drives the economy”, the Japan Exhibition Association will continue to look forward with optimism and vigor. I sincerely ask for your continued support and cooperation to make exhibitions ever more vibrant.

Masato Hori
Chairman
Japan Exhibition Association
　　　　January 2024