JETRO, JAPIA, JBSD and OESA will host “Japan’s Automotive Industry:  Achieving Recovery and Growth Through Monozukuri” on Dec. 8, 2011, at the Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, Mich. 

The Great East Japan Earthquake spurred an unprecedented recovery effort from the Japanese automotive and manufacturing communities.  Through intensive collaboration and the shared mindset of monozukuri – the spirit and quest for manufacturing excellence – Japanese automotive suppliers and OEMs managed to quickly recover production in the face of crisis.

In this seminar, suppliers will hear perspectives from Japanese OEMs and parts suppliers on how they were affected by the March disaster, how crisis and recovery management played out both in Japan and the United States and on future prospects for growth and opportunity.

Speakers include:

• Hon. Kuninori Matsuda, Consul-General of Japan in Detroit
• Hidehiro Yokoo, President, JETRO Tokyo                        
• Nampachi Hayashi, Senior Technical Executive, Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan
• Nobuhiro Ozawa, General Manager, Nissan Iwaki Factory, Nissan Motor Co., Japan
• Dave Thomas, Plant Manager, Keihin IPT Mfg.
• Hiromi Ikehata, President, Toyoda Gosei North America Corporation
• Tatsuhiro Shindo, Chief Executive Director, JETRO Chicago

In addition, Neil De Koker, president and CEO, OESA, will share impressions of his recent JETRO-sponsored visit to Japan to tour the region devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.  He will comment on visits to local Japanese OE suppliers, OEMs, transportation hubs and government agencies.  

The theme of monozukuri will be presented as a catalyst to foster innovation in manufacturing technologies, sustain a talented workforce and encourage collaboration, interaction and cooperation between American and Japanese manufacturers.