IJK 2011 POST SHOW REPORT
15th International Jewellery Kobe (IJK2011)
At the opening ribbon-cut ceremony which attracted more than 600 spectators, Tad Ishizumi, President of Reed Exhibitions Japan which organizes the show, emphasized IJK's position as the largest jewellery show in Western Japan, and a world renowned trading center for pearls. He also extended a special welcome and appreciation to international buyers that visited Japan at such times, wishing them great business and a good time in the beautiful city of Kobe. Tatsuo Yada, Mayor of Kobe, also took to the stage to comment, "IJK is an immensely valuable event for Kobe, and I wish everyone the best of success for the show. I also wish that the economic effect and energy we emit from here will serve to encourage the people in the disaster areas."
39 dignitaries including the President of Japan Pearl Promotion Society and top executives of major jewellery retailers participated in this grand event to cut the ribbon and kick-start three days of non-stop vibrant business.
Jewellery Industry Stood by IJK
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, IJK show management confirmed that damage to Kobe was minimal and it was safe to hold the show as scheduled. As the natural disaster cast shadows on the Japanese economy, it was announced that it was increasingly important that the show continued especially in times like this, to provide a business opportunity for jewelers to increase sales and to stimulate the entire market. Many jewellery industry members agreed that it was especially important to show presence at IJK and voiced support for the show and confirmed their participation.
As a result of extensive efforts by show management to organize a successful show, exhibitors gathered from all over Japan including hard-hit areas of northern Japan, as well as from the following 21 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Madagascar, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, UAE, and the United States. In addition, some exhibitors also graciously lent a helping hand by participating in charity sales, where a portion of sales from selected products were donated to help with relief efforts in the north of the country. Many were pleasantly surprised at the buzz created onsite, and voiced their positive feedback.
Exhibitor Comments
"We are extremely satisfied with our results at IJK this year. We met many buyers including one buyer that placed an order of 10 million JPY worth for Ethiopian opals during the show."
- Mr. Sunil Goyal, President of RL Trading, Japan/India
"This was our third time exhibiting at IJK, and we enjoyed the best results this year. We met about 300 buyers during the show, and our leather and pearl jewellery were very well received. We had 3 million JPY of sales on-site, and we expect our sales total to reach 11 million JPY."
- Ms. Ayako King, President of Fun Empire, Japan
"I was worried about the show at first, but am very glad that I joined IJK this year as we met 10 completely new customers, mainly from western Japan, who purchased many loose diamonds and precious gemstones. We were able to meet new customers who we are unable to meet in Tokyo, and our on-site sales reached US$55,000. I have already rebooked for IJK in 2012!"
- Mr. Sharma Koshal, President of Gauri International, Japan
Buyers Boost Success of Show
A total of 12,306 professional buyers visited IJK over the 3 show days. These included executives of Japan's top jewellery retailers and 400 overseas premium buyers that were extended special invitations by show management. Additional support was provided to overseas VIP buyers by the multi-lingual staff who conducted personalized sourcing tours as part of a special service to help buyers find products on-site with ease. This service was well received by international participants, and played a key role in facilitating over 200 new business negotiations during the show. Countless discussions took place on the show floors during all show days, and with many buyers coming from not just Japan but also from countries such as China, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, India, and Thailand, IJK was filled with a vibrant energy which greatly boosted the professional atmosphere of the show.
Visitor Comments
"My company was hit hard by the quake, and we were unsure of whether we should attend IJK or not until the last minute. However, once we arrived, we were blown away by the heavy traffic and energy in the halls, and ended up sourcing well-over our planned budget."
- President of major jewellery chain store in Ibaraki, Japan
"We come to IJK every year, and we found IJK to be well organized than ever this time. Exhibitors were very welcoming to international buyers, and we were able to have fruitful business discussions, so we ended up sourcing over 40 million JPY worth of jewellery on-site."
- President of Taiwan's largest jewellery retailer
"This was our first time visiting IJK, and we are satisfied that we were able to purchase large volumes of coral jewellery which totaled 13.6 million JPY. We are also looking to expand our product line-up to include pearls, so we will definitely return to IJK next year."
- Purchasing Manager of Chinafs largest jewellery chain store
From the moment the opening ribbon-cut ceremony commenced, through to the lavish dinner party attended by 720 industry VIPs, IJK continued to provide the best business venue to conduct purchases, sales, and networking to all its participants. Booths and aisles bustled with eager visitors, and exhibitors were kept busy until the very last minute of the show. The fact that IJK enjoyed such success and high ratings even under disadvantageous situations further confirms the show's level of importance as the most vital mid-year jewellery event in Japan.
Preparation for IJK 2012 Begins
The number of quality buyers, especially those from overseas, brought great energy to IJK and gave boost to business for IJK exhibitors. The high ratings by visitors prove the quality and level of importance this leading mid-year jewellery show held for the industry. The next IJK will be held at an even greater scale from May 16th-18th, 2012 at the Kobe International Exhibition Hall, and is expected to attract even more buyers. As space is limited and booths are expected to be fully booked soon, those interested in participating at IJK 2012 are recommended to contact show management immediately for details.
Sister Show, IJT 2012
The 23rd International Jewellery Fair Tokyo (IJT2012) will be held from January 11-14, 2012 at Tokyo Big Sight. IJT is Japan's largest international jewellery trade show with participants from 35 countries worldwide.
For any further information please contact:
Katherine Kanami Nishimura
TEL: +81-3-3349-8503
Email: ijk-eng@reedexpo.co.jp