July 2012
Win a One-night Stay at a Premier Tokyo Hotel!
Only 15 minutes from the Tokyo Sky Tree, the 14-floor Gate Hotel Kaminarimon by HULIC offers spectacular views of the world’s tallest tower. Located in the heart of Asakusa, hotel guests can also enjoy the Edo culture of old Tokyo.
Win a Three-night Stay at a Luxury Hotel!
Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) offers an intimate and personalised service to suit your specific needs. Whether you are looking for adventure, relaxation, culture or indulgence every SLH hotel offers an unforgettable experience.
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"R" You Ready for Mistakes?
Ah … mistakes. That is a very tricky area for managers to handle. Their reactions vary, from spontaneous combustion to a passive shoulder shrug.
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Sustainability Starts at Home
With 35 years’ experience between them, sustainability consultants Peo and Satoko Ekberg have guided large and small organisations to ecologically greener pastures. Spreading their message of sustainability, the couple has led eco tours to Peo’s native Sweden, written four books, delivered countless lectures, and held workshops around Japan and worldwide.
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The Fight for Global Talent
Firms are on a war footing, fighting to attract the best talent in Japan. In an effort to globalise, many Japanese and foreign firms are aggressively pursuing the skilled, particularly industry-experienced, bilingual professionals who have a mindset amenable to global business.
Arts Events
Arts events compiled by Shoko Nakamura
What You Missed in the Japanese Press
The "Other" London, Trend towards Bland Flavours, Pre-Consumption Tax Rise Sales Rush?, How to Spend My Summer Bonus, It's the Thought That Counts
Book Reviews
This month: Blossoms and Shadows, and Source: The Inner Path of Knowledge Creation
Business Continuity Planning: Expect the Unexpected
Recognised as among the best in the world for the services and skills they can provide, UK firms that specialise in business continuity planning (BCP) took the opportunity in March to demonstrate their abilities at the British Embassy Tokyo during a day-long symposium—the first of its kind in Japan.
The IP Telephone Revolution
When I first visited Japan more than 20 years ago, it was cheaper to call Osaka from New York than to do so from Tokyo. Thus there were a number of callback services that took advantage of this fact to provide lower cost, domestic long-distance telephone services in Japan.
New Partnership To Revolutionize Talent Management in Japan
Canning Professional KK recently announced it had launched a new brand, McLeish Wang, and had reached an agreement with UK-based Saville Consulting to bring the groundbreaking psychometric tool Saville Consulting Wave and the rest of the Saville suite of aptitude tests and psychometrics to Japan as the firm’s official partner.
Tomorrow's Leaders
There is an old Chinese proverb that says when planning for a year, sow corn, but when planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, so the saying goes, train and educate people.
JFTC Essay Competition 2012
Since 2005, the Japan Foreign Trade Council, Inc. (JFTC) has sponsored an annual essay competition to encourage students, young researchers and business people to express their opinions on matters of national and international importance.
Kasumi Ishikawa
The last time that Kasumi Ishikawa competed in London, a bee spiralled down from the ceiling and landed on the table tennis table. The bee’s unscheduled appearance—until it was removed by a referee—was a positive omen, however, as the bubbly 19-year-old went on to win the Under-21 Singles title.
To Be Gonged Is to Be Great
Great for recognition, motivation, careers and business, an award is something everyone loves. Personally, I haven’t had one since a campfire-cooking badge at Boy Scouts, but I do enjoy learning how people—especially the lesser known—richly deserve their gong.
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
We are now in the final stages of preparation for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is a very proud moment for Britain. We will be staging what we’re determined will be the best Games ever.
The Great British Brand Sale
NTT Invests in London Data Firm, Classic Food Labels Bought, Bank Sells EMI to Sony, Mitsui to Buy BP StakesNews in Brief
Your monthly digest of UK-Japan news.
Tesco Offers Soba and Sushi Basics
Tiger Tiger wanted to exploit the recent rise in popularity of oriental food and strengthen their presence in Tesco’s world food aisle.
New Soft Drink Goes on Sale
A British-themed beverage produced by Schweppes has been launched in Japan, according to a press release issued on 11 June.
Royal's Scotland Studies
Princess Mako will study at the University of Edinburgh from September, the Asahi Shimbun reported on 3 June.
British Spider-Man in World Premiere
The latest Spider-Man film premiered in Tokyo with British actor Andrew Garfield playing the lead role in 3D, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on 14 June.
Doreen Simmons
“I never intended to get this busy, it just seemed to happen. I’ve got four main jobs at the moment”, said Doreen Simmons, who turned 80 in May but shows no sign of slowing down after 38 years in Japan.
High-tech Meets History
Amid the age-old palaces, temples and gardens of Japan’s ancient capital, two firms founded by British software experts are busy creating state-of-the-art content for the latest game platforms.
Let the Games Begin
For the third time, London is counting down the days until it stages the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games and hosts the biggest event on the global sporting calendar. And while all eyes are likely to be on the competitors going for gold, the impact of the XXX Olympiad on business will go far beyond what happens on the field of play.
Hire, Train, Retain
Richard King is very aware of the wisdom of the old adage concerning eggs and baskets. In 2001, when specialist recruitment firm Michael Page International began its Japan operations, the initial rapid growth reflected the expanding banking and accounting sectors.
Easier Access to Vaccines
A new vaccines company that brings together two of the biggest and most innovative firms in the business was launched in Japan on 2 July. Its aim is to ensure that people in this country have access to innovative vaccines already available in other developed nations.
Myanmar: Investor Haven?
A history of political instability, ethnic violence, international sanctions and a lack of legal protection for foreign investors are the hallmarks of the economic climate in Myanmar. But have we turned a corner?
Two Wheels + Testosterone = TRIUMPH
Business is brisk for a firm that produces some of the most iconic works of two-wheeled engineering on the road. Nevertheless, Triumph Japan President David Blume OBE does wish that young Japanese would produce a little more testosterone.
Creating Space
In a city where apartments are notoriously small, badly lit and uninspiring in their design, Akira Koyama has devised an antidote. And so impressive is the Yotsuya Tenera complex that the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in late June awarded it one of the coveted RIBA International Awards.
Unilever Awarded Gender Diversity Prize
Unilever Japan has been recognised for its exceptional commitment to gender diversity by one of the most influential business publishers in Japan.
Queen's Birthday Awards for Britons in Japan
BCCJ ACUMEN and Custom Media would like to congratulate two members of the BCCJ Executive Committee and another British resident of Japan who were recognised in Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday Honours List in June. The three appointees told ACUMEN how they feel about their awards.
Genki Dean
Genki Dean is quickly discovering the minor drawbacks to being one of Japan’s most sought-after Olympic athletes. Two days after he trained in the pouring rain in front of 80 Japanese reporters, cameramen and photographers, the 20-year-old javelin thrower is nursing a fever and a rasping cough.
Uniting the UK and Japan
On 22 June, members of the BCCJ travelled to Aizumisato-machi, Fukushima Prefecture, to open a community centre in one of the area’s temporary housing complexes, accommodating 250 households who fled Naraha-machi due to the threat of radiation following the 3/11 disasters.
