FM in the world: Japan as a unique facility market

Japan is a unique country in all aspects. Its economic model, due to which the state is rightfully considered one of the most developed in the world, has not taken root anywhere else. Not surprisingly, Facility management here has its own culture, organization and strategy. In this article we will talk about the market, features of real estate management and causal relationships in the development of the industry.

The Japanese FM market is characterized by relative closeness in comparison with other developed countries. The presence of international corporate facili- ties is small here, but national companies are actively developing. To date, the market is estimated at 50 billion dollars, with an annual increase of 2-4%.

The share of internal Facility Management prevails over outsourcing, in contrast to other developed countries, where the situation is radically opposite. This is due primarily to the culture of doing business in this country. Japanese management implies an extreme degree of responsibility for everything that happens in the company, so even non-core activities of the company are tried to be closed on their own.

The Japanese islands are in the zone of seismic activity, so earthquakes and tsunamis are not uncommon here. That is why the maintenance of buildings, the prevention of emergency systems and the support services for FM companies during seismic activity play a crucial role in the outsourcing business.

Integrated Facility Management is less developed in this country. Business prefers to attract individual services. However, if a company purchases a range of related services, then the contract is usually long-term and is signed for 3-5 years.

And of course, Japan is a high-tech country, with an expensive workforce, and this is largely reflected in the principles of the work of a company. The use of autonomous machines and robots here is extremely beneficial. Expensive automated equipment pays off faster than in other countries, since the salary of maintenance personnel can be $ 2,000. The focus is on the development of robotic cleaners, guards, assistants, automated lawn mowers, etc.

It is also worth noting that outsourcing FM is most actively developing in the social sphere, where the need to optimize resources is particularly acute. But the largest consumer of services still remains the commercial sector.

In general, the Japanese FM market is, on the one hand, one of the most innovative in terms of the use of robotics and intelligent technologies, and on the other hand, it is very conservative, where new approaches to work organization and service provision do not take root. That is why national companies have an advantage over international ones, since they understand the culture and peculiarities of doing business much better.