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CP+ cancelled due to coronavirus

The volatile Coronavirus outbreak has forced the cancellation of this year’s CP+ trade show, scheduled to run from February 27- March 1 in Yokohama, Japan.

CP+ is a major platform for brands to release new products, and attracts around 70,000 visitors every year. Just a handful of major product releases coinciding with the trade show include the Nikon D6 and new lenses, Olympus E-M1 Mk III, Fujifilm X100V and X-T200 along with GF lenses.

The trade show attracts 120 exhibitors, with photo imaging brands around the world participating. Now thanks to that good-for-nothing virus, those 70,000 camera enthusiasts visitors will have no trade show in Yokohama to try out the new and existing gear.

An announcement says:
‘Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA; President: Masaya Maeda) here announces the cancellation ofCP+2020. Given there is no effective treatment or containment measures to deal with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we have chosen to cancel CP+2020 because we put top priority on the health and safety of visitors and exhibitors.

‘The event attracts around 70,000 unspecified visitors and therefore we cannot completely eliminate the risk of infection. The CIPA believes it is important to avoid such risk at all cost. While it is truly regrettable, we have decided to cancel this year’s show. We ask for your cooperation and understanding concerning this matter.’

Click here for the full announcement.

Travel between China and Japan has not been suspended. The CP+ organisers are playing it safe by not bringing together a large number of international visitors, which would include residents of mainland China.

Last week Inside Imaging interviewed local distributors regarding the impact of the coronavirus on supply chains. The response was that of cautious optimism – the impact will be modest, but it’s a volatile situation and it’s too early to determine the outcome. At the time of reporting, the coronavirus had no direct impact on the photo industry, with the only speculation regarding shipping delays. Hours after publishing the article, CP+ was cancelled.

The announcement didn’t indicate any plans to reschedule the 2020 show, so it’s likely the next CP+ will be in 2021. Maybe it will be just in time for Canon to release the R5, and all those other products currently ‘in development’.

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