The PIMAP+ consortium has been set up to support 6 leading European clusters, their SMEs and regional ecosystem actors to strengthen cross-sectoral cooperation in the fields of photonics, advanced manufacturing, metalworking and aerospace industry. Together, they accelerate innovation and provide a springboard for cluster SMEs to internationalise and support regional actions through the leverage of photonic technologies and cross sectoral collaboration in key industrial value chains. With the support of ALPHA-RLH delegate based in Tokyo, the PIMAP+ consortium has organized a learning expedition from June 20 to June 23 in Tokyo, visiting the Manufacturing World Japan exhibition with interpreters, the Science Square Tsukuba at the AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) and the Tsukuba Space Center at JAXA (photo). JAXA’s Tsukuba Space Center is a consolidated operations facility with world-class equipment and testing facilities for the development and operation of satellites, using the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” of the International Space Station, providing astronaut training, and promoting manned space activities. To end with, we have discovered the Panasonic Center Tokyo which is a Corporate Global Communications Hub for Panasonic. With a vision to realize ‘A Better Life, A Better World’ for each individual customer, the Center serves as a vehicle for communications, receiving opinions and requests directly from customers while presenting actual initiatives and solutions. That was for all the EU partners an inspiring visit and learning expedition that was concluded by a networking cocktail hosted by the French Chamber of Commerce in Japan.

Published: April 2023