PARAi welcomes Japan as the country partner of this year’s edition of Robotics Strategy Forum, which will take place on September 10, 2026, at Sofia Tech Park.
Japan is among the pioneers of industrial robotics on a global scale and home to companies that have shaped the way the world manufactures today, and a long-standing partner of Bulgaria. This year’s partnership marks a step toward deepening the ties between the two industrial ecosystems and opening new opportunities for Bulgarian companies.
H.E. Chikahisa Sumi to Open the Forum
Among the speakers in the opening part of Robotics Strategy Forum 2026 will be His Excellency Chikahisa Sumi, Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria, who will speak about the collaboration between Bulgaria and Japan.
J-Bridge: A Bridge Between the Bulgarian and Japanese Technology Industries
The forum will also serve as a stage for the presentation of J-Bridge – a program for the exchange of technologies and opportunities between Bulgaria and Japan. It will be presented by Ms. Risa Okai, Resident Agent for Bulgaria at the JETRO Bucharest office (Japan External Trade Organization).
J-Bridge outlines a concrete channel through which Bulgarian companies can gain access to Japanese technologies, partnerships, and markets, while Japanese investors and manufacturers can discover the potential of Bulgaria’s industrial and technological ecosystem.
A Partnership with Measurable Economic Results
The partnership between Bulgaria and Japan spans trade, investment, science, and industry, with measurable results across all four. PARAi’s research shows that:
- Bilateral trade turnover between Bulgaria and Japan reached US $216.5 million in the first nine months of 2025, an increase of nearly 10% compared to the same period the previous year.
- Bulgaria officially took part in the Expo Osaka 2025 world exhibition, as part of its efforts to position itself as an attractive high-tech destination for Japanese investors.
- Scientific cooperation is already a reality in the field of artificial intelligence: the Japanese research organization RIKEN, the largest of its kind in Japan, has partnered since 2023 with Bulgaria’s Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT).
- Robotics already has its own long-standing example of successful Japanese-Bulgarian cooperation: FANUC Bulgaria, the local subsidiary of one of the world’s largest industrial robot manufacturers, marks nearly 40 years of presence on the Bulgarian market in 2026.
Why This Matters for the Bulgarian Industry
Japan’s participation as country partner comes at a moment when PARAi has identified Bulgarian industry as standing at a crossroads. Access to Japanese expertise in robotics, automation, and precision manufacturing is exactly the kind of partnership that can accelerate this transformation.
Robotics Strategy Forum 2026 will bring together more than 50 exhibitors, robots, AI solutions, industrial software, and manufacturing technologies, under the motto “Renaissance of Bulgarian Industry.”
