Bosch in Japan: New Headquarters and Innovation Center

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Bosch has reaffirmed its commitment to Japan with a total investment of 270 million euros in a new headquarters in Yokohama. A state-of-the-art new Japanese headquarters brings under one roof development capacity for the mobility sector that was spread across several locations. In addition, as part of the construction project, a new municipal cultural center – the Tsuzuki Ward Cultural Center – was built on the same premises. This is Bosch’s first participation anywhere in the world in a public-private partnership.

Tanja Rueckert, the member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH responsible for Japan, said at the press conference: “I’m very proud of our new energy-efficient and state-of-the-art headquarters – it is a perfect fit for a tech-savvy country like Japan. As the Bosch Group’s first public-private partnership, this location is a testament to our ongoing commitment to the Japanese market – it shows that we continue to feel closely connected to the Japanese market and the people here, and we will build on our 113-year history in the country.”

Klaus Meder, the president and representative director of Bosch Corporation in Japan, said: “By consolidating divisions at the new headquarters, we’re strengthening cross-divisional cooperation and our development in Japan.”

The new building covers almost 53,000 square meters. Around 2,000 associates from eight locations in the Tokyo-Yokohama area can now work even more closely together there. This includes associates from administration, sales, and marketing as well as from research and development for the Mobility business. “In the new, innovatively designed areas, our highly qualified specialists can shape the future of mobility across divisions and respond even more specifically to the needs of our local customers,” Meder said. Local development activities focus on areas such as driver assistance systems and automated driving.

Technology meets culture: smart, energy-efficient solutions and the experience factor

The focus at the new location is on energy efficiency. Bosch opted for smart building technology and uses renewable energy sources, including solar cells and an automatic ventilation system. As a project partner, Bosch also built the new Tsuzuki Ward Cultural Center on the site’s grounds, which is named “Bosch Hall” and includes an event hall with around 300 seats and a gallery.

The “café 1886 at Bosch,” which already operated at the previous Bosch headquarters in Shibuya, will also open on the first floor of the new building complex. Open to third-party guests as well as associates, visitors of the café can also enjoy German specialties there.

Bosch in Japan: tradition and innovative strength

Bosch has been present in Japan since 1911, and all four of its business sectors are active in the country today. In 2023, the supplier of technology and services generated sales of 2.79 billion euros (420 billion yen) in the country. Bosch employs some 6,400 associates in Japan, including roughly 1,700 researchers and developers. The company manufactures mobility solutions and hydraulic systems at ten major plants in Japan. Since 2015, the global headquarters for the Two-Wheeler and Powersports business unit has been located in Yokohama – this is the first of the company’s business units whose management is based outside Germany.