Japan and the Netherlands: natural partners in photonics and semiconductors
From Tokyo to Eindhoven, collaboration between Japan and the Netherlands in photonics and semiconductors is accelerating. As demand for computing power grows and energy constraints tighten, trust‑based partnerships and complementary ecosystems are becoming important advantages. At the heart of this lies a distinctive collaboration model found in the Dutch province of North Brabant. Here, industry, research institutions and government come together to move innovation from lab to market. Drawing on the region’s long‑standing connection with Japan, Edo de Ronde (Executive Director for Japan, at the *Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency in Tokyo) and Eelko Brinkhoff (CEO at **PhotonDelta) reflect on why this partnership works, and what it takes to turn deep-tech ambition into scalable, real‑world impact.
Why are Japan and the Netherlands such a natural fit in photonics and semiconductors?
Eelko: There’s a long historical line to this partnership. Collaboration around technologies based on light predates today’s photonic chips by decades. Fundamentally, Japan and the Netherlands share a preference for long‑term cooperation over short‑term gains. It’s less about extracting a quick win than about stepping into a shared trajectory, built on mutual respect and a clear understanding of what each side contributes and wants to achieve together.
Edo: Both countries are highly industrialised and invest structurally in research and development. Where the Netherlands stands out is in integrated photonics, where it occupies a genuine leadership position globally. Japanese companies are well aware of this. With technological change accelerating, there’s a growing recognition in Japan that developing everything in‑house is no longer realistic. That creates urgency – and openness – to collaborate with partners that are already ahead in strategically important areas.
Japan and the Netherlands share a preference for long‑term cooperation over short‑term gains.
Eelko Brinkhoff, CEO at PhotonDelta
Where do you see the strongest complementarities between the two ecosystems?
Edo: Scale is an important factor. The Netherlands is a small country; for Dutch innovations to succeed globally, they need partners that can industrialise and scale reliably. Japan excels at that. Many Dutch technologies benefit enormously from Japanese strengths in manufacturing, process optimisation and quality at scale, turning promising innovations into globally deployable solutions.
Eelko: Japan holds particularly strong positions in materials and in the breadth of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. A significant share of the materials needed for chip production still originates in Japan. At the same time, Japanese industry depends on Dutch technologies, most visibly advanced lithography systems. This mutual reliance makes the relationship genuinely complementary rather than competitive: each side brings capabilities the other cannot easily replicate.
Trust is an important part of this collaboration. Why is it so critical in the deeptech context?
Edo: Trust is foundational in Japan’s business culture. Companies only open up once relationships are firmly established, and that takes time. This is where Brabant’s sustained engagement really matters. The region does not appear once only to disappear again; it invests year after year through repeated visits and innovation events. That visible continuity builds credibility, particularly at board and legal level, where decisions about collaboration are ultimately made.
Eelko: Deeptech innovation almost always involves long timelines – 10-15 years from research to meaningful market impact is not unusual. That requires patience, capital and confidence in your partners. In today’s geopolitical environment, with increasing supply‑chain pressure, no region can realistically do everything alone. Trust is what allows partners to invest together over long horizons without continuously renegotiating the relationship.
In the context of the future of compute, what is holding back large‑scale adoption of integrated photonics and advanced semiconductor technologies?
Eelko: The challenge has shifted from invention to execution. Integrated photonics and advanced semiconductor technologies are technically ready but scaling them to support the future of compute needs a complete and connected value chain. A single world‑class facility, such as a foundry, is not enough. You need design capabilities, manufacturing, packaging, testing, system integration and, crucially, real market demand working together. In the Netherlands, this ecosystem has been built deliberately over time, growing from a small number of specialised companies into a broad network that spans the full lifecycle of photonic chips and supports next‑generation computing systems at scale.
Edo: From the application side, energy is the main constraint shaping the future of compute. Data centres already consume enormous amounts of electricity, and that demand is rising rapidly due to AI and high‑performance computing. Integrated photonics offers a clear pathway forward by replacing electrical interconnects with light, significantly reducing energy consumption while increasing speed and bandwidth. Without that shift, further scaling of computing power, particularly for AI‑driven applications, will simply not be sustainable.
Integrated photonics and advanced semiconductor technologies are technically ready but scaling them to support the future of compute needs a complete and connected value chain.
Edo de Ronde, Executive Director for Japan, at the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency in Tokyo
What role do ecosystems and events like Brabant Innovation Days play in this context?
Edo: Brabant Innovation Days is not just another conference; it reflects long‑term commitment in action. What matters is consistency. Brabant has invested in the relationship with Japan over many years, through repeated visits and events that bring the same ecosystem story back to the market. Over time, that has built trust, and this has led to concrete outcomes. In recent years, Japanese companies are increasingly establishing R&D activities in the Netherlands, and those announcements have created momentum, with peers following to explore the ecosystem for themselves. Brabant Innovation Days plays a role in that process by bringing the right decision‑makers together, allowing Japanese partners to hear directly from other Japanese companies about their experiences, and turning long‑standing engagement into practical collaboration.
Eelko: Ecosystems thrive on proximity and connection because they deliver tangible results. In the Dutch photonics ecosystem, this approach has led to the creation of a full value chain, shared infrastructure and pilot manufacturing capability – moving from a small group of early companies to a mature ecosystem spanning design, production, packaging and applications. Japan is an integral part of these outcomes through its strengths in materials and equipment that are essential for scaling photonic chips reliably. Platforms like Brabant Innovation Days support this process by reinforcing long‑term collaboration across the ecosystem and sustaining the partnerships that make these industrial results possible.
Looking ahead, how do you see Japanese-Dutch collaboration evolving over the next decade?
Edo: Momentum is clearly building. Japanese companies are establishing R&D activities abroad more readily, and the Netherlands is increasingly seen as a trusted gateway into European innovation ecosystems. As energy efficiency and computing performance become even more critical, integrated photonics will remain a focal point for cooperation.
Eelko: Over time, this partnership will become even more interdependent. Advances in materials, equipment, packaging and applications will increasingly require joint development. As photonic technologies move from data centres into healthcare, mobility and industrial sensing, the value of combining Dutch system‑level innovation with Japanese manufacturing excellence will only grow.
*The NFIA helps and advises foreign companies on the establishment, innovation ecosystems and business expansion of their international activities in the Netherlands.
**As a leading hub for the integrated photonics industry, the PhotonDelta ecosystem designs, develops and manufactures smart solutions.