Speakers and Participants Announced: JIHE 2026 – Japan International Hemp Expo Brings Together More Than 100 Companies, Organisations and Brands, with Hemp and CBD Experts from Japan and Abroad Discussing the Industry over Two Days | 13–14 November, Omotesando, Tokyo
Control Union, KISEKI Group and TrueImports named Official Sponsors. Speakers from the United States, Thailand, Ghana and other countries join to discuss everything from cultivation and quality control to product development and overseas markets. Free admission; advance registration now open.
For Immediate Release ・ 15 October 2026 ・ Asabis Inc. / GREEN ZONE JAPAN
TOKYO, 15 October 2026 — Asabis Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya, Tokyo; Representative Director: Roger Nakazawa), together with co-host GREEN ZONE JAPAN (Representative Director: Dr. Yuji Masataka), today announced the participating companies, speakers and programme of JIHE 2026 – Japan International Hemp Expo, Japan's largest* international exhibition dedicated to hemp and CBD, which takes place on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 November 2026 at House of OMOTESANDO in Omotesando, Tokyo.
Counting exhibitors and sponsors, supporting organisations, media and community partners and speakers' organisations, more than 100 companies, organisations and brands are taking part.† Control Union, KISEKI Group and TrueImports have been confirmed as Official Sponsors. The CannaCon conference will feature sessions on themes ranging from cultivation and regulation to medicines, quality control, overseas markets and product development, along with individual presentations on leading initiatives in Japan and abroad, and welcomes speakers from the United States, Canada, Thailand, Ghana, Portugal, Mongolia and other countries. Sessions, speakers and participating companies are still being finalised, and further additions will be announced as they are confirmed. Admission is free with advance registration.
* Japan's largest: as of October 2026, according to CANNABIS INSIGHT.
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Highlights
- More than 100 participating companies, organisations and brands: including 10 supporting organisations and 16 media partners.
- Three Official Sponsors: Control Union (testing and certification), KISEKI Group (plant factory technology) and TrueImports (quality management systems).
- CannaCon, a conference with experts from Japan and abroad: sessions and individual presentations covering cultivation and regulation, medicines, quality control, overseas markets and go-to-market strategies for products. Businesses, industry associations and media from the United States, Canada, Thailand, Ghana, Portugal, Mongolia and other countries also take the stage.
- A panel on the U.S. hemp industry: a delegation from the National Industrial Hemp Council of America (NIHC) and fellow speakers discuss government support, international trade and the potential for Japan–U.S. collaboration.
- More to come: some sessions, speakers and participating companies are still being arranged and will be announced on the official website as they are confirmed.
Three Official Sponsors for testing and certification, cultivation technology and quality management
- Control Union — A group providing inspection, testing and certification services around the world, supporting quality and sustainability across a wide range of sectors including agriculture and textiles.
- KISEKI Group — Builds on plant factory technology to work on cultivation and quality control.
- TrueImports — Works to build compliant supply chains through quality management systems and traceability.
Representatives of the three companies are scheduled to speak on Friday 13 November in “Quality control and traceability: connecting every step from cultivation to the consumer”, a session on how product quality can be verified, from cultivation and processing through to distribution, and delivered to consumers.
CannaCon: a conference connecting business-building in Japan with overseas markets
In March 2025, Japan introduced a new licensing system for the cultivation of cannabis plants. Developing the industry means working through several challenges together, from responding to the new system and controlling the quality of raw materials and products to designing products that reach consumers. At JIHE, businesses, researchers, medical professionals and industry associations from Japan and abroad come together to share knowledge and practice from their fields.
Friday 13 November — BUSINESS DAY sessions
What Japan's hemp industry needs to grow: cultivation, seeds, breeding and regulation
Drawing on experience in Japan and abroad, this session explores the conditions needed for new entrants to take up cultivation and for the industry to develop. Speakers are scheduled to include Anar Artur of the Mongolian Hemp Association, Elena Yaneva of Hempstatic, Stephan Moreels of Control Union (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Paul Benhaim, who leads The Hemp Plastic Company among other ventures, Aya Ammi of HEMP HUB, and Takeshi Harigaya of the Kanna Research Institute. MC: Naoko Miki (GREEN ZONE JAPAN).
Will cannabis-derived medicines ever be available in Japan?
Cannabis-derived medicines are already used in clinical practice overseas. This session discusses what it will take to deliver them to patients in Japan, together with moves to introduce them domestically and the challenges facing the development and approval systems. Speakers are scheduled to include Ichiro Takumi, Chair of the Japanese Clinical Association of Cannabinoids (JCAC), and Kohei Yamada of KISEKI Group. MC: Dr. Yuji Masataka (GREEN ZONE JAPAN).
Medical cannabis and cancer care
Bringing together experience in palliative care and cannabinoid therapy in the United States and the perspective of psycho-oncology in Japan, this session discusses how symptoms are addressed in cancer care and how the quality of life of patients and their families can be supported. Speakers are scheduled to include Mary Szomjassy Brown of TrueImports, Dr. Asao Ogawa, Chief, Department of Psycho-Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, and Kohei Yamada of KISEKI Group. MC: Naoko Miki.
CBN today and the inconvenient truth
CBN has been regulated in Japan as a designated substance since June 2026. Looking at how the system was designed and how eligibility is assessed in practice, the challenges faced by doctors who issue medical certificates, and the voices of patients, this session examines the current state of regulation from several angles. Speakers are scheduled to include Ichiro Takumi, Kosuke Hikita of Medical Green Clinic, Yuuka Osada of Den-en-chofu Osada Orthopedic Clinic, and nurse Seira Kikuchi. MC: Dr. Yuji Masataka.
Quality control and traceability: connecting every step from cultivation to the consumer
Speakers are scheduled to include Mary Szomjassy Brown of TrueImports, Stephan Moreels of Control Union (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Michael Hadjisavas of p-Chip Corporation, Kaito Amano of KCA Labs Japan, and Kohei Yamada of KISEKI Group. The session looks at quality control and information tracking across the entire chain, from cultivation to the consumer. MC: Naoko Miki.
Saturday 14 November — COMMUNITY DAY sessions
Latest trends in the CBD and cannabis industry overseas and their impact on the Japanese market
This session presents regulatory and market changes in countries and regions around the world, along with their impact on the Japanese market. Speakers are scheduled to include Sharon Deidre Leyson (Dydy), Secretary General of the Asia International Hemp Federation (AIHF), Laura Ramos of CannaReporter, Morris Beegle of Industrial Hemp International, Dr. Mark G. Darko of the Chamber of Cannabis Industry-Ghana, and Bonita Money, Founder & CEO of the National Diversity & Inclusion Cannabis Alliance (NDICA). MC: Naoko Miki.
Go-to-market strategies for Japan's hemp industry: what should we make to reach consumers?
Speakers are scheduled to include Eisuke Muroga of Yawataya Isogoro Co., Ltd., Takamasa Kitamura of ASAFUKU Co., Ltd., Shohei Okuda of GUE TRADING / Yashu Asazumi Lab, and Takehiro Daitoh of weavearth Linen and Hemp. Practitioners from food, traditional industries, and textiles and materials share the ideas and challenges involved in bringing hemp to consumers as products. MC: Dr. Yuji Masataka.
The Future of the U.S. Hemp Industry: Government Support, Global Trade & Opportunities for Japan–U.S. Collaboration
A delegation from the National Industrial Hemp Council of America (NIHC) and fellow speakers discuss where the U.S. hemp industry is heading, government support for the sector and trends in international trade, and explore opportunities for businesses and organisations in Japan and the United States to work together. Speakers are scheduled to include Doug Farquhar, Board Member of NIHC, Veronica Frantz-Eggleston, NIHC Chief of Staff, Corby Miteff, President & CEO of KonopiUS, and Paul Benhaim. Moderator: Morris Beegle. (In English)
Cannabis in integrative medicine: cannabis as a medicinal herb and the potential of terpenes
This session takes a fresh look at the cannabis plant, used as a medicinal herb around the world since ancient times, with a focus on plant compounds other than cannabinoids, terpenes in particular. Speakers are scheduled to include Shinichiro Hayashi, Representative of Green Flask Co., Ltd., and Kazushige Matsumoto of HempTODAY JAPAN. MC: Naoko Miki.
14 November afternoon — “Cutting-edge initiatives and case studies in CBD and hemp”
On the afternoon of Saturday 14 November, speakers from Japan and abroad will give individual presentations.
Takayuki Matsuoka, President & CEO of Plant Life Systems Co., Ltd., will speak on “Unlocking the potential of CBD ingredients produced entirely in Japan through production technology — Controlling cannabis growth and composition, and prospects for commercialization”, and Dr. Patrick Chin, Founder & CEO of Clairvoyant Lab, on “AI-Powered Hemp & CBD Operations: From GACP Compliance to Smart Retail and Telemedicine in Japan”. Imran Rashid of Senti Solutions, Rehan Mehta of Thai Stick Co., Ltd. and Tyler Mosher of Canplant Solutions Inc. are also scheduled to present.
Start and end times for the second-day afternoon programme, as well as the order and length of individual presentations, are still being arranged. The latest titles, programme and speaker profiles will be posted on the official website as they are confirmed.
Programme: https://jihe.asabis.co.jp/en/program · Speakers: https://jihe.asabis.co.jp/en/speakers
More than 100 companies, organisations and brands: from exhibits and dialogue to the next deal
The exhibition presents hemp and CBD products alongside products, technologies and services in raw materials, testing and analysis, cultivation technology, food, textiles and more. Through business discussions at the exhibition booths, the conference and networking, JIHE creates points of contact between overseas companies considering entry into the Japanese market and Japanese companies looking for new business partners at home and abroad.
JIHE 2026 is supported by 10 organisations: the Japanese Clinical Association of Cannabinoids (JCAC), the National Hemp Industry Council (NHIC), the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA), HEMP HUB, the National Industrial Hemp Council of America (NIHC), the Chamber of Cannabis Industry, Ghana (CCI), the Asia International Hemp Federation (AIHF), the Hokkaido Industrial Hemp Association (HIHA), the Japan Hemp Industrial Development Organization (HIDO) and the Association for Japan Cannabinoid (AJC). Sixteen media partners, including Business of Cannabis, CannaReporter, HEMP TODAY JAPAN, Trade Fair Times, StratCann and SHIRAFU, are also on board.
For the latest full list of participants, including exhibitors and sponsors, partners and speakers' organisations, see the participating companies page on the official website: https://jihe.asabis.co.jp/en/exhibitors
Comment from the organiser
“It will soon be two years since the amended law came into force in December 2024. Japan's hemp and CBD market is already moving under its own regulatory framework, and major companies have begun to enter. The question now is how we build a foundation of trust through quality control, traceability and compliance. At JIHE 2026, businesses, researchers and industry associations from Japan and abroad will come together, and we want to turn discussions spanning cultivation, product development and overseas markets into concrete business.”
— Roger Nakazawa, Representative Director, Asabis Inc.
The eve of the expo plus two days
- Thursday 12 November (eve) — AIHF International Consultation: An international stakeholder consultation hosted by the Asia International Hemp Federation (AIHF) on hemp regulation, standards and commercialisation in Japan, with two roundtables, one on industrial hemp fibre and one on hemp-derived cannabinoids. Approx. 13:00–17:30, by invitation or application. Details: https://jihe.asabis.co.jp/en/aihf-stakeholder-consultation
- Friday 13 November — BUSINESS DAY: Centred on business discussions at the exhibition booths and the conference, with opportunities for businesses to meet and exchange information. A networking party (paid, advance booking required) is planned from approx. 18:30.
- Saturday 14 November — COMMUNITY DAY: Exhibits, product sales and the conference introduce hemp and CBD products and initiatives to a wide range of visitors.
Compliant business, and a forum for discussing industry and medicine
Exhibitors and sponsors are companies handling products that comply with Japanese law, together with businesses related to industrial hemp materials and products, testing and analysis, raw materials and distribution. Companies handling novel synthetic cannabinoids may not exhibit or distribute samples, and such substances may not be exhibited, sold, distributed or recommended in presentations.
The conference discusses industrial hemp and medical use, drawing on regulation, markets, research and quality control in Japan and abroad. JIHE is not a platform for advocating the legalisation of recreational cannabis.
Event details
| Name | JIHE 2026 – Japan International Hemp Expo |
|---|---|
| Theme | Break the Bias, Back to ORIGIN. |
| Dates | Friday 13 and Saturday 14 November 2026 |
| Hours | Doors open at 10:30 on both days. Closes at 22:00 on Friday 13 November (including the evening networking party) and at 18:00 on Saturday 14 November. Please check the official website for individual programme times. |
| Venue | House of OMOTESANDO, 5-34-8 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan |
| Access | Approx. 6 minutes' walk from Shibuya Station (Exit B1); approx. 10 minutes' walk from Omote-sando Station (Exit B2) |
| Admission | Free, with advance visitor registration. Some programmes, including the networking party, are paid. |
| Organised by | Asabis Inc. |
| Co-hosted by | GREEN ZONE JAPAN |
| Website | https://jihe.asabis.co.jp/en |
| Registration | English: https://luma.com/hpztknzq · Japanese: https://jihe2026.peatix.com/ |
For members of the press
In addition to coverage on the event days, we welcome requests for pre-event interviews with the organiser and introductions to exhibitors. During the event, journalists can interview the organiser directly at the venue. Interviews with speakers are arranged individually on request.
To request coverage, please email info@asabis.co.jp with the subject line “JIHE 2026 Media Request”, including your media outlet, your name and contact details, preferred date of coverage, number of attendees and any interview requests.
The key visual, logos, venue photos and other materials are available on the media page of the official website: https://jihe.asabis.co.jp/en/media. Speaker photos, a session list in table form and photos of the previous edition (2025) can be provided by the press office.
About JIHE (Japan International Hemp Expo)
JIHE is an international hemp and CBD exhibition and conference that grew out of CBD Journey and CannaCon, events held since 2021. Including its predecessors, it has welcomed more than 7,000 visitors and over 300 participating companies in total. It brings together businesses, researchers, industry associations and media from Japan and abroad to share where the industry stands today and where it is heading.
Organiser: Asabis Inc.
A company building the infrastructure of Japan's hemp and CBD industry. Asabis runs the industry media and community CBDBU and organises CBD Journey and JIHE. Representative Director: Roger Nakazawa.
Co-host: GREEN ZONE JAPAN
A general incorporated association that shares advances in medical cannabis research and the situation overseas with audiences in Japan, and organises CannaCon, a conference specialising in medical and industrial cannabis. Representative Director: Dr. Yuji Masataka.
▼ Download: this release as a PDF / media kit (logos, key visuals, photos) / Japanese version (日本語) / First press release (English)
† As of 14 October 2026: a total of 107 listings on the official website, covering exhibitors and sponsors, supporting organisations, media and community partners, speakers' organisations, and the organiser, co-host, operating and cooperating partners. Individual brands, services and media are each counted as one listing in addition to companies, and listings appearing in more than one role are counted only once.