What can the world learn from Japan’s hidden manufacturing powerhouse—the Suwa region? Far from Tokyo and Osaka, Suwa has cultivated a globally competitive manufacturing ecosystem built on dense networks of highly specialized small firms. This book uncovers how mature industrial agglomeration has continually reinvented itself amid globalization, technological disruption, and demographic pressures. Drawing on rich empirical research, it introduces the concept of the Network of Excellence (NOE)—a distinctive model of innovation fueled by collaboration among industry, academia, government, and local communities. A compelling account of resilience, creativity, and regional transformation, Challenges of a Regional Industrial Agglomeration System in Japan offers fresh insights for researchers, policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of manufacturing and regional development.

Hajime Kita, Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University

Takao Terano, Professor Emeritus, Chiba University of Commerce