Hong Kong News Network, June 12 (Wen Wang Shaozhe) The Japan Chamber of Commerce in China officially released the "Chinese Economy and Japanese Enterprises 2026 White Paper" in Beijing on June 11, which deeply analyzed the current development status of China's economy and Japanese-funded enterprises. This report is divided into four parts: the current situation of Chinese economy and Japanese enterprises, the current situation of various industries and suggestions for revision and repair, covering 27 chapters, comprehensively and systematically expounding the strategic trends of Japanese enterprises in China.

At the press conference, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Tetsuro Benya, emphasized that even in the face of increasingly fierce market competition, the strong rise of local companies, and the rapidly changing international situation, the vast majority of Japanese companies have not wavered in their confidence in the Chinese market and still choose to be firm. Optimistic and continue to cultivate China.

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40% of overseas Japanese enterprises take root in China

According to the latest statistics, more than 30000 of the 70000 Japanese enterprises with overseas branches in the world are located in China, accounting for more than 40%. This data intuitively reflects that the Chinese market is still a vital global business stage for Japanese companies.

At the same time, the fact-finding survey of overseas Japanese-funded enterprises conducted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in 2025 also confirms this trend. In view of the business planning for the next one to two years, the total proportion of Chinese and Japanese enterprises planning to "expand business" and "maintain the status quo" is as high as about 85.6. This data shows that despite the uncertainty in the external environment, the business strategies of most Japanese companies in China are still based on stability and expansion, and their firm determination to deepen the Chinese market has not changed.

Business environment affirmed by 60% of Japanese enterprises

According to the business environment survey released by the Japan Chamber of Commerce in China in February this year, 62% of Japanese enterprises in China expressed "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with China's business environment. China's traditional advantages in policy continuity, developed logistics infrastructure and complete industrial supply chain are still widely recognized by the Japanese business community.

However, the white paper also admits the dual challenges faced by Japanese enterprises: first, the rapid improvement of technological innovation and price competitiveness of Chinese local enterprises has made traditional Japanese enterprises face unprecedented pressure of "market introversion"; second, supply chain adjustment pressure brought about by geopolitical risks.

Structural shift of investment focus: from "production base" to "innovative R & D center"

Market analysis pointed out that as China's economy accelerates the transformation to high-quality development, the concept of Japanese companies' investment focus in China is undergoing a fundamental structural change. In the past, Japanese companies mainly regarded China as a low-cost "world factory"; now, China is being positioned as a huge "strategic consumer market" and a "testing ground" for global innovation ".

The white paper pointed out that while traditional automobiles, parts and retail industries are facing transformation pressure, emerging fields such as green and low-carbon, intelligent manufacturing, medical care, and digital transformation (DX) are becoming new engines of Sino-Japanese economic and trade cooperation. For example:

In the field of automobiles and new energy: Facing the leading advantages of China's pure electric vehicles (EV), Japanese auto giants are accelerating the establishment of R & D centers in China, seeking to deepen cooperation with Chinese local battery, smart cockpit and autonomous driving technology companies, and implement "in China, For China's localized R & D strategy.

Green and carbon neutral: Japanese enterprises have technological advantages in energy conservation and environmental protection, hydrogen energy utilization and circular economy, which are highly compatible with the "double carbon" strategy promoted by China. The cooperation between the two sides in the fields of industrial emission reduction and smart city construction is accelerating.

Although multinational companies are currently facing the test of global supply chain diversification, the latest white paper and statement of the Japan Chamber of Commerce in China release a clear signal: China and Japan are still highly complementary and dependent in the economic and trade field. Japanese enterprises in China will continue to rely on China's huge market and industrial chain advantages, and seek long-term, stable and high-quality development through the integration of technological innovation and localization. (The End)