After the Great Hanshin Earthquake, the late Shunsaku Tasaki, Chairman of Japan Pearl Promotion Society, asked Ishizumi, President of Reed Exhibitions Japan, to lend a helping hand to Kobe. Hence, IJK was launched in 1997 with the aim of restoring Kobe.
IJK continued to contribute to the recovery of Kobe for 15 years by drawing over 1 billion JPY of positive economic effects for the restaurant, hotel, and transportation business, as well as 3,000 jobs.
In the beginning, the visitors were mainly from western Japan, but the present IJK has fully established itself as a true international jewellery trade show, welcoming professional buyers from all over Japan and also countries such as China, Korea, India, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Previous opening ceremony. Tadao Ishizumi, President of Reed Exhibitions Japan, and Tatsuo Yada, Mayor of Kobe, participate in the ribbon-cut.
A large number of Overseas Premium Buyers participated in IJK from the very first day at the previous show. All persons pictured here are major jewellery buyers from all over Asia.