CEATEC 2025 and the Road Ahead for 5G and 6G in Japan

The 5G/6G Special Day II at CEATEC 2025 offered a detailed view of Japan’s positioning on the current state of 5G and the early direction of Beyond 5G and 6G developments. This event was co-hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the XG Mobile Promotion Forum (XGMF) and the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB) at Makuhari Messe International Convention Center in October 2025. It brought together industry, government and research stakeholders to share insights across two full days of sessions.

The first day of the Special Day concentrated firmly on the evolution and prospects of 5G and local 5G. Japan’s mobile ecosystem has reached a stage where standalone 5G deployment and utilisation of millimetre waves are advancing, and this was reflected in the session design. Presentations overviewed domestic 5G status and future outlook, industry-level digital transformation enabled by 5G and local 5G, and further development of 5G with millimetre wave technologies. Speakers from operators, vendors and industry collaborators detailed deployment progress, practical use cases and examples of local 5G implementation. The tone of these sessions was clearly oriented towards demonstrating concrete achievements and identifying next steps in wider adoption.

Local 5G featured strongly on the first day, underscoring its transition from demonstration projects to practical deployment in manufacturing, construction and infrastructure use cases. This reflects broader trends where enterprise and industrial connectivity are key drivers of 5G adoption beyond consumer broadband. Several industry players discussed their real-world experiences, showing how local networks are being integrated into operations with the aim of boosting digitalisation and addressing specific operational challenges. The session on millimetre wave technology highlighted how high-frequency bands and related system innovations are being explored to meet demands for enhanced capacity and performance.

The second day moved the focus towards Beyond 5G and the emerging landscape for 6G. The session structure framed this in three parts: global trends in Beyond 5G, the intersection of 6G and artificial intelligence, and strategic directions for 6G development. The Beyond 5G segment presented the latest international research and standardisation activities, emphasising that 6G is not a purely regional endeavour but one that will require contributions from collaborative efforts across Asia, Europe and North America. This mirrors broader patterns seen in global 6G R&D initiatives where interoperability and international alignment are seen as foundational.

The 6G and AI session discussed how artificial intelligence is expected to play a role in the design and optimisation of future networks. Rather than being a separate topic, AI was positioned as an integral element that will shape how 6G systems operate, especially in terms of autonomously managing complex network behaviour and enabling novel service capabilities. By including multiple perspectives from both telecommunications and AI sectors, the session illustrated the interplay between core connectivity technologies and data-driven intelligence.

The final session of the Special Day focused on 6G strategy, bringing together leaders from industry, academia and government to discuss initiatives related to Beyond 5G standardisation and research. It also outlined progress on the Beyond 5G Fund managed by Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, along with broader efforts to coordinate future wireless development. The combination of presentations and panel discussions provided a comprehensive picture of the current strategic landscape for Japan’s involvement in shaping next generation mobile technology.

Overall, the 5G/6G Special Day II at CEATEC 2025 demonstrated that Japan’s approach embraces both the continued maturation of 5G and proactive engagement in global Beyond 5G and 6G discourse. The event’s content highlighted ongoing deployment experiences with 5G, forward-looking perspectives on millimetre wave and AI integration, and a coordinated view of strategic priorities for future networks. For those tracking the evolution from 5G to 6G, the Special Day provided valuable updates on where the ecosystem stands and how it is positioning itself for the next wave of wireless innovation.

A summary report of the event is available here. The slides and videos from the event are available here. While most of the talks were in Japanese, the videos have English translation but the slides are still in Japanese.

Related Posts: 

Posted by on

Comments

Post a Comment