Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit Japan 2026 in 60 seconds

The third edition of the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit concluded in Kobe, Japan last month with nearly 200 attendees and 34 speakers attending the two-day conference. 

Each year, the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit brings together industry leaders, yachting clients and key stakeholders with the shared goal of positioning the Asia-Pacific as a leading superyacht market and cruising destination.

This year, visitors were able to take part in 14 and a half hours of networking, alongside nearly nine hours of panels and talks, with topics ranging from developing Japan as a superyacht destination, to how superyacht purchasing patterns are evolving in the Asia-Pacific region.

Other topics and talks included Q&As about understanding Japanese superyacht clients and Japanese business culture, as well as how Kobe is becoming a regional gateway for superyacht operations.

In 2024, plans were announced for the construction of Kobe Marina, a purpose-built superyacht marina intended to support Kobe’s wider waterfront regeneration ambitions. The summit allowed key stakeholders to discuss the development of this project, assessing how it could strengthen the city’s role as a gateway for yachts operating in Japanese waters.

“When we found out about Kobe being an opportunity, we just jumped at it!” commented Nigel Beatty, Founder of Yachtzoo Japan. “It’s going to be one of the premier marinas, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, if not, marinas in the world.” 

The conference also included the return of the highly-successful Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit Dinner on the first evening. Held at the La Suite Le Pan Building, just five minutes from the venue, more than 146 guests arrived for welcome drinks at the Rooftop Bar before sitting down for a full-course dinner in La Terrace Hall.

“It is our third time participating in the summit,” explained Ewa Stachurska, Chief Marketing Officer at Sanlorenzo Asia-Pacific. “We consider it absolutely crucial for the growth and evolution of our industry here in the region.”

The Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit also unveiled the third edition of the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report, which was presented during the summit. Using SuperYacht iQ and proprietary yacht-tracking data, the report examines the region’s fleet, cruising patterns and key areas of activity. 

The report looks at how many superyachts are currently active in Asia-Pacific, where they are based, whether the regional fleet is growing, and which locations are emerging as important hotspots.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all our event sponsors, including patron FEMA Marine, event partners Benetti and Damen Yachting and destination partyer Kove, along with Hiroshi Sakamoto and his team at The Inland Sea, Setouchi Tourism Authority,” commented Merijn de Waard, CEO and Founder of SuperYacht Times. 

“We’re very grateful for all your support and thank you to all the attendees and panellists for getting behind this year’s event. The response from across the industry has been brilliant, and we’re already looking forward to the next one.”

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