Why Tokyo is the most important tech destination of 2026

Every large tech league has themes. Most are vague capable to mean everything and thing astatine the aforesaid time. SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 is doing thing antithetic — 4 tightly defined exertion domains, each backed by unrecorded demonstrations, dedicated grounds floors, and sessions featuring the radical really gathering and backing these technologies globally.

TechCrunch is partnering with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 arsenic an authoritative media partner, and our Startup Battlefield squad volition beryllium connected the crushed selecting 1 standout semifinalist from the SusHi Tech Challenge to beforehand to the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield 200 — 1 of the astir prestigious launchpads successful tech. Here’s what’s connected the floor.

AI — beyond the hype, into the infrastructure

Sessions featuring Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS), and Eric Benhamou (Benhamou Global Ventures) chopped done the sound to analyse wherever AI is genuinely deployed astatine standard and wherever the existent risks lie. On the floor, AI-themed assemblage startups transportation alongside planetary players, and the AI Film Festival Japan, a spouse lawsuit astatine Tokyo Innovation Base in Yurakucho, explores however artificial quality is reshaping civilization successful existent time.

Robotics — carnal AI has arrived

The robots astatine SusHi Tech aren’t down solid — they’re connected the level and interactive. Onstage, Nissan, Isuzu, and Applied Intuition’s Qasar Younis analyse however software-defined vehicles are reshaping transportation. Physical AI isn’t a aboriginal trend. It’s successful Tokyo connected April 27.

Resilience — the cities that past what’s coming

Eva Chen (Trend Micro) and NEC’s Noboru Nakatani tackle cyber defense, portion apical clime tech VCs from Breakthrough Energy and Cleantech Group analyse wherever planetary concern is flowing. A VR catastrophe simulator and site-visit tours of Tokyo’s underground flood-control infrastructure marque the stakes viscerally real.

Entertainment — Japan’s taste motor meets AI

Sessions with the CEOs of Production I.G, MAPPA, and CoMix Wave Films tackle what it takes for Tokyo to go the Hollywood of animation. On the floor, startups are utilizing AI to construe manga globally, make euphony from substance prompts, and bring Japanese IP to beingness arsenic anime — delivered worldwide.

Can’t marque it to Tokyo? You tin inactive beryllium there

Missing SusHi Tech Tokyo doesn’t person to mean missing out. Remote participants get much than a livestream — on-site unit volition locomotion the level connected your behalf, carrying a instrumentality that displays your look truthful you tin interact with attendees and exhibitors successful existent time, face-to-face. It’s the closest happening to really being there.

Note: Please enactment that immoderate sessions whitethorn not beryllium disposable for viewing.

Apply for distant information with on-site unit enactment here.

Can’t plaything that either? Ticket holders tin watercourse sessions online and pat into the programming from wherever they are. Browse the afloat league database here.

In conjunction with the startup event, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government besides hosts a gathering of leaders from 55 cities crossed 5 continents. They volition sermon the taxable of “A New Urban Future Built connected Climate and Disaster Resilience.” The metropolis leaders’ acme is portion of G-NETS (Global City Network for Sustainability), organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government since 2022 arsenic a multicity forum to sermon however to solve common challenges with a absorption present connected resilience to municipality clime disasters and the well-being of citizens. The acme tin be observed by wide audiences connected YouTube successful existent clip and aft the event.  

G-NETS authoritative website

G-NETS YouTube Channel 

SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 runs April 27–29 astatine Tokyo Big Sight. Business days are April 27–28; nationalist time (free admission) is April 29. Register here.