KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 7 – The Soft Launch of the Malaysia–Japan Industrial & Innovation Expo (MJIIX) 2026 was successfully held on 7 September 2026 at He & She Coffee, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Kuala Lumpur. Hosted by the Malaysia–Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), the event marked an important milestone in the lead-up to MJIIX 2026, a platform dedicated to strengthening Malaysia–Japan collaboration across academia, industry, government and the wider innovation ecosystem.
A central feature of the soft launch was the MJIIX 2026 Preview Dialogue, themed “Driving Industrial Excellence: Accelerating Innovation, Shaping Tomorrow.” The dialogue brought together representatives from academia, university leadership, industry and Malaysia–Japan institutional collaboration, reflecting the multi-stakeholder spirit at the heart of MJIIX.
The panel featured the Dean of MJIIT, Assoc. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Nurulakmar Abu Husain; UTM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation), Prof. Ts. Dr. Ali Selamat; and President of Japanese Chamber of Trade & Industry (JACTIM) Malaysia, Hiromitsu Narukama. The session was moderated by Ts. Dr. Pramila Tamunaidu, Manager of the Malaysia–Japan Linkage Office (MJL), MJIIT.
The Preview Dialogue underscored the value of closer engagement between universities and industrial partners in responding to evolving technological and economic challenges. It also highlighted the role of innovation as a bridge between knowledge creation and practical implementation, while recognising that sustainable industrial progress increasingly depends on collaboration across institutional and disciplinary boundaries.
The dialogue reflected the broader philosophy behind MJIIX 2026: innovation does not occur in isolation. Universities contribute research capability, talent development and new knowledge, while industries provide practical challenges, implementation pathways and market perspectives. The Malaysia–Japan relationship provides a foundation for such collaboration, combining complementary strengths, experience and technological capabilities.
Against this backdrop, the soft launch introduced MJIIX 2026 as more than an exhibition. It represents a meeting point for researchers, industry practitioners, technology providers, government stakeholders, students and potential collaborators to exchange ideas, showcase capabilities, identify common challenges and explore new opportunities for partnership, particularly in areas such as digitalisation, advanced manufacturing, automation, sustainability and emerging technologies.
The event further demonstrated MJIIT’s continuing commitment to its Malaysia–Japan identity and its role as an interface between the two countries’ academic and industrial communities. Through platforms such as MJIIX, the institute seeks to create opportunities for research collaboration, technology transfer, talent development and longer-term strategic partnerships.
MJIIX 2026 is co-organised with partners including Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), JACTIM and supporting organisations, alongside contributions from industry sponsors and institutional stakeholders. Their participation reflects the collective nature of the initiative and the importance of ecosystem-level cooperation in advancing innovation.
As the countdown towards MJIIX 2026 continues, the Soft Launch has established a foundation for the event’s broader mission to connect people, ideas and capabilities across borders and sectors, creating an environment where conversations can evolve into collaboration and collaboration can ultimately generate tangible impact.
