J-AGRI 2026 Korea Pavilion Wrap-up… Japanese Buyers Scrutinized Performance and After-Sales Service Over Price

According to Japan’s 2025 Census of Agriculture and Forestry by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (as of February 1), the number of core agricultural workers mainly engaged in self-employed farming stood at 1.036 million, down 24% from five years earlier. Their average age was 67.7, and those aged 65 or older numbered 721,000, accounting for about 70%. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Japan’s average temperature last summer was 2.36°C higher than normal, making it the hottest summer since observations began. In other words, the workforce is shrinking while the environmental variables that must be managed are increasing. Korean agricultural technology companies that targeted this gap and knocked on the door of the Japanese market confirmed both achievements and challenges.

At the “16th J-AGRI Tokyo,” held from the 7th to the 9th at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, 27 Korean companies participated in the Korea Pavilion operated by the Korea Rural Community Corporation and the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative. As a result of this newspaper’s on-site reporting and follow-up coverage of participating companies, Japanese buyers’ interest was concentrated on facility environment equipment for responding to high temperatures and agricultural work automation technologies. However, many companies remained at the stage of consultations and MOUs rather than on-site contracts.
 

Carefully Checking After-Sales Service, Product Performance, and Efficiency

In the field of facility environments for coping with high temperatures, insulation, ventilation, and cooling and heating equipment attracted attention. Yukil FGC drew buyers’ interest with a product that adds a small amount of cotton to thin insulation material, and it is currently preparing quotations in consultation with Japanese clients. Sisco promoted its vertical forward-reverse diffusion fan and received inquiries from Japanese facility companies, importers, and farms. It signed an MOU with one Japanese company on introducing the product and expanding it locally. Blazen received a series of consultations asking about the efficiency of its two-outlet cooling and heating unit and small metal heat exchanger.

What Japanese buyers examined most closely was performance and after-sales service rather than price. A Yukil FGC official said, “In Japan, the atmosphere is such that they do not pay much attention to price for this product category,” adding, “Because they will use a product if it is good even when it is expensive, they focused their questions on durability and insulation efficiency.” A Sisco official said, “They were very curious about whether we have a dealership in Japan and whether we have already entered the market,” adding, “It is a question of whether the product has been verified in the Japanese market and whether after-sales service is available.”
 

Questions for Autonomous Driving and Spraying Robots Focused on the Potential to Replace Existing Farm Machinery and Benefits for Farms

Regarding agricultural work automation technologies, many questions focused on their utility. GINT met buyers with an emphasis on the results of joint technology development with local manufacturers. The company explained that the Japanese side mainly asked how such automation technologies could replace the existing agricultural machinery ecosystem and what benefits farms would gain. The company estimated that GINT’s booth had around 1,000 visitors and 400 to 500 survey respondents.

Hada Co., Ltd. featured spraying robots for open fields and greenhouses as its main products at this exhibition. The open-field model was developed for multi-axis apple orchards in areas such as Pohang and Andong in Korea. Although multi-axis orchards are not yet widely distributed in Japan, young farmers in Aomori Prefecture and others showed interest. Hada Co., Ltd. plans to separately develop a low-spec electric tractor for spraying tailored to local conditions in Japan in the future.
 

7 to 70 Consultations per Company…No Main Contracts Except MOUs

Quantitative results varied widely by company. The three high-temperature-response facility environment companies whose results this newspaper confirmed had 60 to 150 booth visitors and 7 to 70 consultations (according to each company’s tally). One company received expressions of willingness to collaborate from seven domestic and overseas companies and also received a verbal order from a Korean company, but it did not proceed to the signing of a contract. Excluding memoranda of understanding (MOUs), none of the three companies signed a main contract on site.
 

Consistent Participation for 3 to 5 Years and Local Sales Networks Are Key

Companies view the Japanese market not as a short-term sales destination but as a mid- to long-term target. Blazen, which participated in J-AGRI for the third consecutive year, has secured one dealership in Japan. A Blazen official said, “You need to attend consistently for 3 to 5 years,” adding, “We plan to participate again next year and enter the market through Japanese distributors.” Yukil FGC also plans to participate every year, with the purpose of meeting existing clients in person.

Unlike in Korea, where GINT has a relatively dense dealership system, in Japan it has set the goal of securing nationwide sales channels. Its strategy is to carry out joint R&D with a leading local global manufacturer and also utilize that company’s global sales network. Hada Co., Ltd. has already signed a local demonstration contract. Next year, it plans to use an apple expo rather than J-AGRI as a springboard to enter Aomori Prefecture.

The differences from domestic exhibitions were also clear. A Sisco official compared them, saying, “KIEMSTA (Korea International Exhibition of Machinery, Equipment, Science and Technology for Agriculture) draws many farm visitors, so it connects directly with consumers and is advantageous for raising recognition by leading to pilot projects,” adding, “Japan has a B2B character with many company visits.” GINT also explained that domestic exhibitions are closer to sales targeting farms, such as subsidy projects or used tractors, while J-AGRI was a venue for introducing products and platforms and confirming installation demand for next year.
 

RX Says Invited Buyers Accounted for More Than 40%…Operating Organizations Are Compiling Results

The Korea Rural Community Corporation and the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative are currently compiling the results of the participating Korean companies.
Kwon Hyun-ah, manager of the Smart Technology Department at the Korea Rural Community Corporation, the organization operating the Korea Pavilion, said, “When we surveyed companies’ demand last year, J-AGRI was the No. 1 exhibition they wanted to participate in, so expectations were high,” adding, “As expectations were high, the results were also good, and companies’ responses were generally positive.” Manager Kwon said, “Because demand from Korean companies for Japanese exhibitions is strong, we plan to continue making Japan a target country for this project, and we will continue to spare no support so that many Korean companies can participate.”

Jeong Dong-hwa, general manager at RX Korea, which belongs to the same group as J-AGRI organizer RX Japan, said, “As the event changed to paid admission this year, the quality of visitors improved more than the number of visitors, and invited visitors (buyers) accounted for more than 40%,” adding, “Korean companies also met four to five buyers with contract potential out of about 40 consultations per company.” He added, “Securing even one buyer at an exhibition is a success, and many companies met more than that, so expectations are high.”

Japan is a market that is already experiencing the aging population and climate burdens that Korean agriculture will soon face. The participating companies shared the assessment that for the strong buyer interest confirmed at this J-AGRI to lead to actual transactions, companies must first secure product performance, a local after-sales service system, and trustworthy distribution partners.