Leaders

Greetings to Mark Schreiber. Mark and I had previously worked together at another publication and I am delighted that he has agreed to offer his exclusive translations to our media pages. Unless you are intimate with Japanese-language weekly and monthly publications, you probably have not read—or even heard—the news he will cover, be it business or lifestyle related.

I am sitting at my desk trying to think of a suitable title for this column. Behind me is one of those magical, blue Tokyo winter skies that makes you want to get out and walk in the cold, crisp air.

On 8 March 2012, the BCCJ will hold a special event to observe the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Supported by the British Embassy Tokyo, and held at the residence of Ambassador Sir David Warren, the event will celebrate UK–Japan solidarity on the road to recovery.

This year started in fine form with the news that Ambassador David Warren was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 2012 New Year Honours (see page 16). Sir David said he was “delighted that so many members and former members of the embassy team were also recognised in the list (and in honorary awards) for what they did in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami”.

Our presence has grown organically over the past months, and now includes active Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages. A new intern from Temple University Japan will join us at the end of January

Custom Media would like to wish BCCJ members, our readers, advertisers and friends a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012, and we hope
you enjoy the first issue of the year. With circulation, readership and
recognition greater than ever, the editors, writers, designers and other staff at Custom Media believe that our decision to go monthly has been vindicated. We hope you agree.

It’s either bravery or folly to survey your flagship product and publish the results. But here goes.

The year 2011 will go down in the annals of history for many things, including natural and financial disasters. It also saw, however, new beginnings such as the re-invigoration of the BCCJ under the stewardship of new Executive Director Lori Henderson, who came on board in February.

Upon becoming executive director on 1 February, I would have struggled to pinpoint Ishinomaki on a map; in the nine months since the 11 March disasters, the city—where more than 3,000 residents died and some 2,700 are still missing—has become an indelible part of the BCCJ landscape.

For the past five months, the BCCJ’s work in Tohoku has been driven by a simple mantra: we are supporting a recovery, not a disaster area. The time for donations—food, clothing, water, blankets—has long passed. Since June, all BCCJ cash donations have been spent on the provision of enabling resources to support local, stakeholder-led projects that have the potential for development, growth and sustainability.

The event marking the fourth British Business Awards was held in fine style at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo on 4 November. The much-anticipated annual occasion was a celebration of all that is great in the Japan–UK relationship for organisations operating here.

It’s refreshing to see success amid the gloom—and politicians getting it right. Cynics rolled their eyes when the government announced a major initiative last year to create a “Silicon Valley” in a gloomy part of London more traditionally known for poverty and a working-class soap opera than shiny offices and innovation.

It takes guts, drive and focus to open a business at the best of times, let alone with the present economic mood. So it’s a rare pleasure to encounter people with the necessary faith in a product or service, and to hear their inspiring story, but even more so when that product is British.

I am delighted to see so many nominations coming in for each of the five categories of the 4th annual British Business Awards. The winners will be announced on 4 November at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo. And, in the meantime, the judges are working hard to select the best entrant for each award. The deadline for nominations is 14 October, but reservations to book your seats or table are still open until 24 October (see page 8).

By the time this edition of BCCJ ACUMEN goes to print, we will have reached the nomination deadline for the 2011 British Business Awards (BBA), although tables and seats may be reserved by all guests until 24 October.

With summer coming to a close, what can you look forward to as we enter the final third of the year? Our events programme has some exciting speakers signed up until the end of the Chamber year in March, so please see our schedule on the BCCJ website.

The BCCJ continues to be active in communities affected by the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, and recognises that the expertise of those who have been directly affected by the disasters is key to the planning and delivery of a successful recovery.

Good places for foreigners to start gauging the state of a country they are considering living in are international schools and relocation services—and that’s the focus of our two “disaster aftermath” special features, on pages 14 and 28. Education and accommodation are key issues for many expatriates and the articles offer valuable insights to help them make the right choices.

The design industry, mercifully, has prospered since British Leyland and butterfly collars helped make the memorable 1970s a decade of poor taste, with a few exceptions such as the MGB and hot pants.

Flicking through this issue, however, you might agree that British form is back. UK clothes, autos and consumer items decorate pages 12, 22, 33 and 38.

So what is the value of winning recognition from the British Business Awards (BBA)? It is not just attending a glittering event and being presented with a unique piece of sculpture, but much more. It is acknowledgement that, among your peers, you are judged to be the best in class for the work your firm or organisation does in the Japan marketplace. Marketing is what we do to promote ourselves, our firms, products and services.

Despite tensions and barriers, some locals are back in business

Almost five months after the 11 March disaster, some Ishinomaki locals are taking reconstruction efforts into their own hands. During our most recent mission to the tsunami-ravaged city which suffered a heart-wrenching loss of almost 6,000 people, we met some small business owners we’d encountered in June. Sprouts of hope are emerging, but there is still a long way to go.

I am delighted to report that nominations are now being accepted for the 2011 BCCJ British Business Awards (BBA). The annually awarded prizes recognise excellence, promote success and innovation across all industry sectors, and acknowledge the important social contributions made by organisations through their commitment to the community, ethical behaviour and environmental sustainability.

The main point of our recent trip to Tohoku, led by disaster-recovery NPO Relief 2.0, was to meet key contacts in the Ishinomaki business community and learn what they need to re-open their firms, and identify measurable and sustainable ways that BCCJ members could support the recovery of the local economy.

One concern I had when launching ACUMEN was how to please natives of the entire United Kingdom, without the magazine being seen as “too English”. Born near the Severn Bridge, of Anglo-Irish parents, with a Highlands link by wedlock and a history of fractious clan gatherings, I shuddered at the thought.

Super Cool Biz—that is the latest government catch phrase to encourage office workers to dress down in the upcoming summer season. The wearing of sandals and aloha shirts will become the order of the day so that air-conditioning units can be set at 29C to lower power consumption.

If anyone doubts Britain’s commitment to Europe, they probably haven’t read BCCJ ACUMEN recently. The Brussels-based EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation—a joint venture between the EC and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry that strongly influences trade talks such as those featured in our cover story this issue—never fails to ask me each month if it can reproduce in their magazine any EU-related stories we feature.

The cherry blossom season has come and gone, leading to further seasonal change. Just as in nature, the renewal that has started in the chamber allows us to look forward to the challenges that lie ahead.

Throughout April, thanks to the generosity of members and the counsel of our NPO colleagues, the BCCJ was in a position to provide direct emergency aid to groups and individuals working in Tohoku. This aid came in many forms, including water, underwear, nappies, fresh fruit, batteries and tinned tuna.

The different marketing styles of Europe, Asia and North America were starkly illustrated to me recently. As we prepared this issue’s cover story on the multinational Eurofighter consortium’s bid to sell its Typhoon to Japan, Washington embarrassingly failed to make the shortlist to supply its combat aircraft to India because technology from two huge US jet manufacturers was judged inferior to that of Europe.

When the BCCJ launched its 3R CSR project in mid February, no one had an inkling of the dramatic events that would unfold almost one month later. The 3R initiative now takes on a whole new meaning—the rebirth, renewal and regeneration of Japan.

Since the tragic events of 11 March the BCCJ, like many organisations in Japan, has been presented with an extraordinary situation. One of the key challenges centres on the dissemination of information.

Due to the difficulty of sourcing paper since the earthquake and tsunami in March, ACUMEN is a few pages short this month.
We’ve also brought forward our CSR features, originally scheduled for the May INDUSTRY special [...]

The white paper demonstrates that trade and investment are critical for the UK to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth in the future.

March is traditionally the month of renewal and awakening from the depths of winter, and nowhere is this more evident than at the BCCJ. It seems like no time at all since I took over as president last April.

People occasionally ask me what the benefits are of BCCJ membership and receiving ACUMEN. Well, apart from the obvious merits of networking, events, information and influence, let me give you a prime example of a modest start-up that partnered with an established global giant, all thanks to the Chamber and its monthly magazine.

EGM approves changes; reveals CSR project, BCCJ names new executive director
I am very grateful to all those who supported the Extraordinary General Meeting on 19 January. Through your attendance (and by proxy vote), you gave us the green light to forge ahead with what we believe are beneficial changes to the membership structure. Between now [...]

My gratitude to the Members for trusting, challenging and inspiring me
A good deal of my working life has been spent interviewing others, either for broadcast or print media—an avocation I’ve managed to follow even while serving as BCCJ executive director—so it was with some trepidation that I agreed to the shoe being on the other [...]

It will soon be a better time than ever to be a BCCJ Member. In the new categories and benefits effective from April, detailed on page 17, the ACUMEN contribution is reduced advertising rates and priority consideration for editorial content.
The regional head of a major UK manufacturer recently told me that he considers ACUMEN to [...]

By approving revisions to the BCCJ’s venerable Constitution, the Extraordinary General Meeting held at the British Embassy Tokyo on 19 January authorised plans to revitalise and expand the Chamber’s operations. So what exactly are these plans designed to achieve? The goals and the logic are very clear:
1) More Members: By broadening membership criteria and increasing [...]

With advocacy, advice, events, contacts and communications
It’s a pleasure to be back in Japan after an absence of seven years. Some things have changed: there are more joggers and signs in Chinese and Korean; and you now have to buy your salad dressing separately at Family Mart (yes, I’m writing this just after lunch). Some [...]

Extra benefits and opportunities that won’t cost Members more
It was with great pleasure that I sent letters recently to all Members announcing exciting plans to increase the value of BCCJ membership and to expand the scope of the Chamber’s operations.
Although the BCCJ is one of Japan’s most active chambers of commerce — serving a network [...]

Thanks to Ms Samata, the President and Excom
It has often been said that impending execution concent-rates the mind. From recent experience I’d venture to suggest that any brush with our own mortality has a similarly astringent effect.
At the time of writing I am slowly recovering from life-saving surgery that has left me with a [...]

Big thanks to organizers, sponsors, judges, entrants, nominators
Annual awards are an end-of-year tradition and 2010 was no exception. So congratulations not only to the winners of the third annual British Business Awards (BBA), but also those of the latest Michelin stars.
Much hard work over many months goes on behind the scenes at the BBA, [...]

Making the UK Europe’s leading high-tech exporter
When Prime Minister David Cameron invited me to help the Conservative Party reawaken Britain’s innate inventiveness and creativity, I did not hesitate. Here was an opportunity to put forward my own views and those of some of Britain’s leading industrialists, scientists, engineers and academics in a coherent form — a way [...]

Thanks to generous sponsors, nominations, judges, the VP, attendees
I sometimes think that running the Chamber is a task not unlike painting the Forth Bridge — just when you think you’ve accom-plished what you’ve set out to do, you realise that it’s time to start all over again.
It seems hard to believe that the 3rd annual BCCJ [...]

Members get security, convenience and information
A few people have recently asked me about the BCCJ website, so I thought it might be worthwhile to share a few thoughts on it. The site was originally built and is managed by a Hong Kong-based firm, Yes Limited, a specialist in secure on-line payment systems. The servers and [...]

Having a strong CSR programme has become de riguer for any firm serious about business today. But there are so many good causes out there that it’s hard to decide which one to support.

London is gateway to Europe and a global centre
As Lord Mayor of the City of London, I am responsible for promoting the UK’s financial-services industry across international markets, and Japan is a major partner in this regard.
London has long been a gateway to Europe and beyond for top Japanese firms. The City of London is [...]

Members, events, awards — and ACUMEN
One of the great privileges of serving in this capacity is the opportunity it presents to meet so many Members across the broadest range of sectors. At event after event I find myself impressed by the number of success stories involving not just our larger corporate Members, but also the smaller entrepreneurs. [...]

I am delighted that we have had such a tremendously positive response to BCCJ ACUMEN. I constantly run into people who say they feel it gets better every issue. And I must confess that is my impression, too. By which I do not mean to blow my own trumpet. My part in the overall scheme [...]

Help us promote your business
Got a new product to review? Global CEO visiting Japan? Want to write about your job? Is your firm a Great British Brand? Have an advocacy gripe to vent? Or, maybe, you have some images of a recent do? Then tell us. These are all opportunities BCCJ ACUMEN offers Members and [...]

I am thrilled to greet you in my first message as President of the Chamber. As I mentioned to those attending the AGM at the time of my election, it is a great honour and privilege for me…

With the UK elections behind us and a new government in place, our thoughts must turn to what importance the incoming administration will attach to the Anglo-Japanese relationship.

By the time you read this, the World Cup in South Africa will have kicked off and thousands of Scottish, Welsh and Irish fans will be cheering England’s opposition. Regional rivalry is no less intense in the UK’s boardrooms, offices and factories…

On the occasion of the celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday, it is a great pleasure to be invited to write a message to the readers of BCCJ ACUMEN magazine…

At the April annual general meeting, I stepped down as president of the Chamber and chairman of its Executive Committee. After three years in that capacity, I did so with mixed feelings…

April is always a time of change in the Chamber. With 31 March marking the end of one fiscal year and 1 April the start of the next, there are fiscal matters requiring attention…

From aerospace to toiletries and asset management to organic products, many industries with a foreign presence here would like to level the playing field when it comes to market access and regulations…

British business in Japan needs no reminding, of course, that the UK — the world’s 5th-largest economy, 6th-largest manufacturer and home to the world’s most international financial centre — has been hugely affected by the economic crisis of 2008–2009, as has Japan

Is it the fact that we’ve entered a new decade or is it just my imagination? I sense a renewed optimism in the business community about the prospects for 2010.

Holding the first issue of ACUMEN in my hands was a thrilling experience, if for no other reason than that it reminded me of how far the BCCJ has come.

When I was recruited to this post in 1987, it was in no small part due to the fact that I had a media and communications background.

I am occasionally asked what makes BCCJ ACUMEN special.

Well, apart from being the sole magazine delivered to all members of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, BCCJ ACUMEN features only exclusive text: you won’t read our content elsewhere — unlike articles in certain competing publications.

It’s a great pleasure to be asked to write a foreword [...]

When I first stood for election as President of the Chamber, I told my colleagues on the Executive Committee that I wanted to hear from [...]

I am thrilled to introduce BCCJ ACUMEN, the magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan. It has been many years since the Chamber had a regular publication and many Members have wanted to see us produce one again.

I sincerely hope you have enjoyed the first issue of BCCJ ACUMEN. It took us two solid months of hard work to put it together, and many weeks of planning before that. What surprised me most in this process was discovering the large number of successful British firms and individuals operating in Japan.