A year-end gathering of the Sunco-kai, hosted by Sunco Industries, was held on 21 November 2025 at the Hotel Nikko Osaka. The Sunco-kai is an association consisting of manufacturers that supply products to Sunco Industries, with the aim of exchanging information and fostering mutual growth. This year’s year-end gathering was held on a grand scale, welcoming 171 member companies and a total of 244 participants. The event opened in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
From the outset, an opening address was delivered by Yasuhiro Nishi (pictured below), President of Nishi Seiko and Chairman of the Sunco-kai. He discussed social topics that became prominent in Japan in 2025, including Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, held for 184 days from 13 April to 13 October 2025, as well as the achievements of Japanese athletes active on the domestic and international sports scene. He then expressed his views on the Japanese fastener industry, which is something Japan can be proud of. In closing, he stated: “Even as the Japanese yen is expected to continue weakening, we will remain steadily committed to manufacturing, and I hope Sunco Industries will continue to expand its exports.” He concluded with expectations for the future of the fastener industry.
After that, Yoshihide Okuyama, President of Sunco Industries, delivered a speech on the company’s performance in 2025 and its policies for the upcoming fiscal year. From March to October, the company’s sales increased to 101.6% year-on-year, while the volume of products sold slightly declined to 98.3%. Okuyama commented: “Even though the sales amount is growing, the decrease in units sold suggests that the economy lacks strength.”
Okuyama then emphasised strengthening information sharing with Sunco-kai member companies. He also announced that the company will distribute the SUNCO Trend Report starting from early December 2025, which summarises inventory circulation, quantities and shipment volumes at Sunco Industries. Unlike reports organised by individual products, this report provides an overview of supply and demand across the entire company and is scheduled to be distributed regularly at the beginning of each month. The report will be shared with all Sunco-kai members.
Okuyama added: “We hope that by providing an overview of the company, we can help you better understand the current situation.” In addition, he announced plans to offer Sunco-kai members the company’s internal demand forecast data, which summarises daily shipment volumes and has long been used within Sunco Industries. Okuyama explained: “By sharing the same indicators, we can discuss issues from a common perspective and make our work proceed more smoothly.”
Yoshikazu Noda, Mayor of Higashiosaka City, spoke about the international recognition of Japan’s fastener industry. He mentioned the third Japan International Art Festival, highlighting the diorama of the Grand Roof Ring, made entirely of fasteners, which attracted attention at the festival. He noted that the exhibit demonstrated the high level of technology and quality of Japanese fasteners. Finally, he expressed his commitment that Higashiosaka City will continue to support the development of local industries, concluding his address.
This year’s Sunco-kai Year-End Gathering provided an opportunity to share the current state of the industry and key policies for the coming fiscal year. In particular, Okuyama’s speech, which emphasised creating a common language for business through data sharing to facilitate smoother operations, generated strong interest among the participants. The Sunco-kai will continue its activities aimed at promoting mutual development among member companies and contributing to the growth of the industry.
