Ten Japan IT and Telecom Market Predictions for 2021（2021年の国内IT／通信市場における10の予測）

2020 has been the most tumultuous year in living memory due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recession, and this has caused a massive shift in how companies will operate going forward. As such, priorities have shifted toward becoming safer and more automated, and more remote companies, which has in turn affected future IT strategies. Although Japan has weathered the pandemic fairly well compared to other countries, priorities have also shifted domestically, and hence, IT planning has been impacted. 2021 will see a rise in new IT initiatives in the country as industry prepares for a post-COVID-19 world, and the following are ten predictions for the coming year:

Top Trends to Expect in the Market in 2021

Remote Working Is Here to Stay – Clearly the biggest impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan has been the quick and relatively seamless manner in which many Japanese companies were able to transition to remote working. This transition will be semi-permanent for many domestic companies as, for example, Fujitsu has announced that they will permanently reduce 50% of their physical office space in Japan. Japan is now the third-largest market for Zoom after the US and the UK, and local enterprises will continue to search for improved remote working options in 2021.

Increased Outsourcing Openness – IT project outsourcing will have an improved outlook in 2021 as hiring freezes and more openness toward remote communications will facilitate doing business with external parties. Domestic companies should reconsider this option as many postponed projects resume next year.