On May 8, 2024, the first day of the 62nd Shizuoka Model Exhibition, President Shunsaku Tamiya (hereinafter referred to as President S Tamiya) was interviewed by the media at the Twin Messe Exhibition Hall (the venue of the Shizuoka Model Exhibition), President S Tamiya, who was born in 1934 and is 89 years old, talked about the current situation and his insights on the future of the model industry.
Q: Now that the Japanese (Yen) exchange rate is at an all-time low, what impact will it have on the model industry?
A: Export business and overseas products are settled in US dollars, so overseas procurement of products from Japan becomes cheaper, which is a good thing, maintaining high quality but lower price. However, the Japanese domestic market has become very difficult for small and medium-sized companies to operate due to the new low yen exchange rate, and I think it will also get better with some measures taken by the Bank of Japan, but the domestic market is still at the worst time in history.
Q: Is the weakness of the yen positive or negative for the model industry?
A: Negatively, of course. The previous pandemic had little impact on our industry, but after the global pandemic ended, life became more difficult, and almost all of the model industries were small and medium-sized businesses, but after the pandemic, they all suffered from the impact, so I don't want the yen to continue to depreciate.
Q: Is this due to the negative impact on the model industry due to the tighter wallets of Japanese consumers?
A: I believe yes, not only because local consumers are less interested in buying models, but also because the yen is too weak and consumer confidence is low.
Q: How does the model industry survive this crisis?
Answer: The model company is still continuing the existing model of business, Tamiya model opened a new factory in the Philippines in October last year that can accommodate 500 people at night and 500 people working during the day (RCFans added: Tamiya's project in the Philippines was originally planned to be closed due to the expiration of the lease period, and with the opening of the new factory, the production capacity has increased by about 20%, and the relevant reports can be found in the APP article "May be interested", and the PC web terminal "related reading"), This is not possible in Japan. Being able to operate at full capacity with 500 people day and night, we are also reviewing the operation of our factory, and for Tamiya Tamiya, it is currently working well, and it would be better if it was not used for a weak yen.
In October 2023, Tamiya Model opened a new factory in Tamiya Philippines, a subsidiary of Tamiya, in Cebu, Philippines, and at this Shizuoka Model Exhibition, we also introduced this new factory through exhibition panels, the new factory is very important, and the yen exchange rate has been low, and the factory in the Philippines has played a key role in overseas business and ensuring a stable supply of products. (RCFans added: President S Tamiya mentioned in 2023 that Southeast Asia is a big market, and it is possible to open new factories, but there are unstable situations in some countries, so Tamiya is carefully considering countries or regions to add new foundries.)
Q: What is the purpose of opening a children's workshop?
A: The children in Shizuoka need more models, and I want them to get into the habit of making things by themselves. Professors at Shizuoka University are also supporting us in this process and setting an example in school education. The model market is not large compared to the rapid growth of manga and movies, however, it is now slowly spreading in Japan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia, and regardless of whether or not this becomes big business in the future, I think it is important to encourage not only Shizuoka University, but all universities in the country with education departments to participate.
Q: What happens to the children after they use their own hands to make models?
A: Observe the process once and you'll understand how exciting it is to create moving models with your own hands. I had this experience for the first time when I was in the fifth grade of elementary school, making my own motor from materials, and I've been hooked ever since, and I've always been fascinated by making models, and even at my age, I can't forget how I felt at that moment. Elementary school, junior high school, and high school reception days (Shizuoka Model has established a reception day for elementary and junior high schools, admission is free), and it was proposed by Shizuoka Prefecture Governor Heita Kawakatsu to let children learn about the local plastic model industry and bring fun and experience through model making.
Q: How do you think about the expansion of overseas markets in the future?
A: Expansion is underway, however, this is based on manufacturing capabilities. When I was 31 years old, I went to the United States, and then for more than 10 years, every year, going to the United States on January 20 and returning to Japan in March, I researched a lot overseas, and came to one conclusion: Japan is a small country, and another conclusion: Japanese people think they are small. (RCFans added: President S Tamiya mentioned in 2023 that the most worthy place for overseas development is China, and Tamiya is strongly demanded by the Chinese market, but for China, President S Tamiya does not have a deep understanding of China, and there is currently no branch in China, only Hong Kong, China has a distributor). Don't think about Japan from the perspective of Japan itself, think about it from the standpoint of overseas, that's why people from other countries came to Shizuoka and it took 65 years to get to this point, and I will do my best! Thank you.
President S Tamiya concluded by concluding to SBS Media and saying, "We will continue to do our best!" The legendary world of plastic models will lead the development of the Shizuoka model industry as well as the global model industry.