PKN will report on innovations from the show floor at Tokyo Pack 2026, where managing editor and publisher Lindy Hughson will also present on global trends and innovation shaping circular packaging outcomes.
Japan’s packaging technology, design and research will be on display at Tokyo Pack 2026, taking place from 14–16 October at Tokyo Big Sight.
Organised by the Japan Packaging Institute (JPI), the biennial exhibition spans the packaging value chain, from packaging development and production through to distribution, retail, consumption and recycling.
PKN’s coverage will explore innovations on the exhibition floor and their relevance to Australian packaging businesses, with a focus on developments in materials, packaging design, technology and circularity.
Japanese innovation on display
Among the features will be the Japan Good Packaging Pavilion, showcasing more than 100 winning packs from this year’s Japan Good Packaging Contest and Japan Star 2026 Awards. The display will offer visitors a close look at Japanese approaches to packaging performance, functionality and design.
A separate exhibit will feature Kinoshita Prize-winning packaging, recognising achievements in research and development, improvements in packaging operations, and new areas of packaging development. The Package Design Pavilion will focus on graphic and structural design and its role in product marketing.
Sustainability will also feature through the Japan Clean Ocean Material Alliance (CLOMA) Pavilion. The alliance brings together businesses and other organisations to address marine plastic litter through material innovation, waste management, and initiatives supporting reduction, reuse and recycling.
Packaging Academia 2026 will connect research with industry under the theme ‘Seeds of Innovation’. Participating institutions include Japanese universities alongside Clemson University, Michigan State University and Rochester Institute of Technology in the US.
The international seminar programme will cover topics including China’s packaging industry, consumer trends, ASEAN’s sustainability transition, and Swedish developments in recyclable materials and smart packaging design.
Global trends and circular outcomes
Lindy Hughson will participate in the Global Packaging Symposium on 15 October in her capacity as president of the International Packaging Press Organisation (IPPO).
Hughson's presentation, Global insights: trends and innovation shaping circular outcomes, will examine how packaging innovation is responding to changing sustainability expectations and regulatory requirements, drawing on examples from international markets.
She will speak alongside IPPO vice president and Packaging Europe brand director Tim Sykes, whose presentation will address what the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) means for business.
AIP executive director Nerida Kelton, also an IPPO member and who serves as World Packaging Organisation vice president, Sustainability & Save Food, will explore the paradox between packaging and food waste. The three speakers will then join a panel discussion moderated by JPI technical adviser Chihiro Sakamaki. Kelton will also participate in the symposium’s packaging foresight panel on 14 October.
Tokyo Pack will occupy East Halls 1–3, 7 and 8, with exhibition hours from 10am to 5pm daily. Admission is free for overseas visitors. Visitor pre-registration is required before booking seminar sessions, which have limited capacity.
Visit the Tokyo Pack website for registration and programme details.
