Why Tokyo is the top tech destination of 2026

Most tech conferences lean on broad, forgettable themes. SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 takes a sharper approach, zeroing in on four specific technology domains. Each one is backed by live demonstrations, dedicated exhibit floors, and sessions led by the people actually building and funding these innovations on a global scale. This focus makes Tokyo the top tech destination of 2026.

TechCrunch is joining as an official media partner. Our Startup Battlefield team will be on site, 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 the industry. Here is what awaits on the floor.

AI moves beyond hype into infrastructure. Sessions featuring Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS), and Eric Benhamou (Benhamou Global Ventures) cut through the noise to show where AI is genuinely deployed at scale and where real risks lie. On the exhibit floor, AI-focused university startups pitch alongside global players. 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 takes center stage as physical AI arrives. The robots at SusHi Tech are not behind glass. They are interactive and on the floor. Onstage, leaders from Nissan, Isuzu, and Applied Intuition’s Qasar Younis examine how software-defined vehicles are transforming transportation. Physical AI is not a future trend. It is in Tokyo on April 27.

Resilience addresses the cities that will survive what is coming. Eva Chen (Trend Micro) and NEC’s Noboru Nakatani tackle cyber defense. 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 fuses Japan’s cultural engine with 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 use AI to translate manga globally, generate music from text prompts, and bring Japanese IP to life as anime delivered worldwide.

Cannot make it to Tokyo? You can still be there. Missing the event does not 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 is the closest thing to actually being there.

Your next round, your next hire, your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000 founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250 tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $410. San Francisco, CA. REGISTER NOW.

Apply for remote participation with on-site staff support here. Cannot 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 hosts a meeting of leaders from 55 cities across five continents. They will discuss “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 solve common challenges, with a focus on resilience to urban climate disasters and citizen well-being. The summit can be observed by general audiences on YouTube in real time and after the event.

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.