Between tradition and innovation, and as a sign of opening up to exports which continues to be one of the main strategies for growth, the best of Italian jewellery will be on show from January 26 to 29 at the IJT Fair in Tokyo.

The Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE) will coordinate a group of 31 companies chosen from the most important throughout the country, which will offer quality, competence and a very diverse range of products.

The Italians will present a variety of products from different areas: in particular, Torre del Greco and Marcianise (coral and cameos), Valenza (fine jewellery), Vicenza (jewellery and gold), Arezzo and Florence (gold and silver).

Companies attending the event are well aware of the opportunity they are being offered to introduce their products and establish important new business opportunities: in fact, IJT is the biggest event in Japan dedicated to the sector and, despite signs of crisis in the Japanese jewellery market, it remains a point of reference for traders from neighbouring Asian countries.

This year, there is an extra incentive to be in Japan given the visibility that will come from the ‘The Year of Italy’ initiative. Thanks to the regular strong presence of Italian exhibitors at the Fair (this is the seventh consecutive occasion on which the ICE collective is taking part) and the importance of Italian manufacture worldwide, Italy has been chosen to represent the Fair’s country focus, the first in the event’s history. This initiative is certain to attract visitors, particularly local experts, to the Italian stands.

Italy's strong starting point for establishing new business opportunities is the interest that the Japanese market has always shown for jewellery made from coral and cameos. These products will be at the centre of attention and help raise awareness of other Italian jewellery products, such as those made from white gold, yellow and pink diamonds, coloured gemstones and pearls.

In short, there exist all the conditions for the event to provide a major stimulus to Italian exports, and the numbers registered by the IJT Fair last year bode well. The 2010 Fair hosted 1,350 exhibitors from 35 countries and attracted around 36,000 visitors, while ICE participated with a group of 28 Italian companies, the largest contingent at the entire event. Italy, with a market share of 13.1% of total imports, is ranked third among the countries supplying jewellery to Japan, behind the United States and France. The 2011 edition of IJT will therefore be an opportunity to further strengthen the already very good relations between Italian producers and Japanese distributors with the aim of gaining further ground in the dynamic market of the Rising Sun.