For more than half a century, the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has been a magnet for Japanese companies, aided in part by its strategic location at the heart of Western Europe.
Today, roughly 650 Japanese companies maintain a presence in North Rhine-Westphalia. The latest wave of entrants spans a wide spectrum, from startups developing industrial assist suits and infrastructure inspection robots to a long-established noodle producer.
Germany's most populous state with about 18 million residents, North Rhine-Westphalia stands at the heart of the German economy, which has overtaken Japan to become the world's third-largest. The state generated €871.9 billion ($1.01 trillion), in gross domestic product in 2024, about 20% of the national total.
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