Tokyo Build 2025 | VDE at Japan's Leading Trade Fair for Construction and Digitalization Technology

Tradition is so important in Japan because it forms the foundation of identity, stability, and social cohesion. You don’t perceive it as an explanation, but rather as an atmosphere. Tradition isn’t something people talk about. It manifests itself in behavior, in the rhythm of daily life, and in small, quiet gestures.

Why am I talking about tradition and culture in Japan right now? Because a few days ago, I attended Tokyo Build with Nguyen Huynh and Ngo Phuong Uyen from our team in Vietnam.

We’ve already had the opportunity to carry out several projects in Japan, and I’m very interested in the country and its market. When I’m traveling in Japan, I quickly sense why the country is once again among the world’s most expensive construction markets. It’s no coincidence that five of its cities rank among the global top 15.

This has less to do with prestige—and much more to do with attitude. Japan doesn’t build expensively; Japan builds consistently. Tradition isn’t just romantic baggage here. It’s a functioning system. Responsibilities are clearly assigned, processes are meticulously planned, and quality isn’t up for debate—it’s a given.

That’s exactly what makes projects stable—even when everything around them becomes more difficult: rising costs, a shortage of skilled workers, and uncertain supply chains. At the same time, it’s clear that Japan, too, is under pressure. Pure manual labor, outdated processes, and endless on-site presence no longer work this way.

But instead of throwing everything overboard, something very typical happens: they adapt without losing their own values. Digitalization, new delivery models, prefabrication, BIM—all of these are utilized, but not to go faster, rather to avoid mistakes and ensure quality. Technology is a means to an end.

In conversations at the trade show, I noticed that Japan—especially when it comes to renovation—isn’t yet where we are in Switzerland today. Here, 3D has gone from being a trend to the absolute norm in recent years. In Japan, I see many parallels to the Swiss market five or six years ago.

There’s enormous interest in 3D as-built models. It’s about accuracy, risks in existing buildings, and better decision-making. And yet, in the end, something familiar often happens: when it comes to the final decision, people fall back on the tried-and-true 2D approach.

Not because people don’t want 3D—but because the final step is still missing. The step from “we know that 3D would be better” to “we’re now consistently implementing it.”

We understand this situation from our own experience. We know the doubts, the internal discussions, and we know how the tide turns when 3D is viewed as a reliable foundation.

Everyone is talking about the move toward 3D planning reliability—in Japan just as they did back then here. Often, all that’s missing is that little bit of courage, experience, and trust.

And that’s exactly what we bring to the table.