Why Tokyo is the most important tech destination of 2026

Every major tech conference has themes. Most are vague enough to mean everything and nothing at the same time. SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 is doing something different — four tightly defined technology domains, each backed by live demonstrations, dedicated exhibit floors, and sessions featuring the people actually building and funding these technologies globally.

TechCrunch is partnering with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 as an official media partner, and our Startup Battlefield team will be on the ground selecting one standout semifinalist from the SusHi Tech Challenge to advance to the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield 200 — one of the most prestigious launchpads in tech. Here’s what’s on the floor.

AI — beyond the hype, into the infrastructure

Sessions featuring Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS), and Eric Benhamou (Benhamou Global Ventures) cut through the noise to examine where AI is genuinely deployed at scale and where the real risks lie. On the floor, AI-themed university startups pitch alongside global players, and the AI Film Festival Japan, a partner event at Tokyo Innovation Base in Yurakucho, explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping culture in real time.

Robotics — physical AI has arrived

The robots at SusHi Tech aren’t behind glass — they’re on the floor and interactive. Onstage, Nissan, Isuzu, and Applied Intuition’s Qasar Younis examine how software-defined vehicles are reshaping transportation. Physical AI isn’t a future trend. It’s in Tokyo on April 27.

Resilience — the cities that survive what’s coming

Eva Chen (Trend Micro) and NEC’s Noboru Nakatani tackle cyber defense, while top climate tech VCs from Breakthrough Energy and Cleantech Group examine where global investment is flowing. A VR disaster simulator and site-visit tours of Tokyo’s underground flood-control infrastructure make the stakes viscerally real.

Entertainment — Japan’s cultural engine meets AI

Sessions with the CEOs of Production I.G, MAPPA, and CoMix Wave Films tackle what it takes for Tokyo to become the Hollywood of animation. On the floor, startups are using AI to translate manga globally, generate music from text prompts, and bring Japanese IP to life as anime — delivered worldwide.

Can’t make it to Tokyo? You can still be there

Missing SusHi Tech Tokyo doesn’t have to mean missing out. Remote participants get more than a livestream — on-site staff will walk the floor on your behalf, carrying a device that displays your face so you can interact with attendees and exhibitors in real time, face-to-face. It’s the closest thing to actually being there.

Note: Please note that some sessions may not be available for viewing.

Apply for remote participation with on-site staff support here.

Can’t swing that either? Ticket holders can stream sessions online and tap into the programming from wherever they are. Browse the full session list here.

In conjunction with the startup event, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government also hosts a meeting of leaders from 55 cities across five continents. They will discuss the theme of “A New Urban Future Built on Climate and Disaster Resilience.” The city leaders’ summit is part of G-NETS (Global City Network for Sustainability), organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government since 2022 as a multicity forum to discuss how to solve common challenges with a focus now on resilience to urban climate disasters and the well-being of citizens. The summit can be observed by general audiences on YouTube in real time and after the event.  

G-NETS official website

G-NETS YouTube Channel 

SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 runs April 27–29 at Tokyo Big Sight. Business days are April 27–28; public day (free admission) is April 29. Register here.