British Chamber of Commerce in Japan
Acumen
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The magazine of the
British Chamber of Commerce in Japan
This issue
Arts
UK events in Japan
News
UK & Japan Media
Community
Photos from UK-Japan events
Contributors
Writers and photographers
Embassy
H.E. Julia Longbottom CMG
Publisher
Put your passion into action
Executive Director
The difference one year makes
President
Taking inspiration from Tohoku
UK Brands
Great British Products
MONEY
Tokyo-London financial seminar
Interview
BBC picks sake expert
Food & drink
Eat your heart out
BCCJ Event
International Women's Day: Women in Trade
Science
Biotech buy-in
BCCJ Event
Business and economic conditions
after Covid-19
Event
Brexit: One month on
Charity
How KIWL helped beat my demons
History
What’s past is prologue
Creative
Sony World Photography Awards 2021
Archives
Mar / Apr 2021
Jan / Feb 2021
Exit Edition
Nov / Dec 2020
Sept / Oct 2020
July / Aug 2020
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The magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan
July 2013
E-bulletin
E-BULLETIN EXCLUSIVE
July 2013
IT Offshoring: Another Look
Wikipedia describes offshoring as a process in which an organisation shifts its business process from one country—usually the parent firm’s country—to another. The online encyclopaedia also refers to a term Bangalored, a euphemism for one losing their IT job as a result of offshoring.
E-bulletin
E-BULLETIN EXCLUSIVE
July 2013
Warning: Final Salary Schemes’ Deficit Grows
In March this year I wrote an article in
BCCJ ACUMEN
(“UK Firm Pensions: Is the End Nigh?”) in which I spoke about the problems facing UK corporate pension schemes and what individuals could do to protect their pension.
E-bulletin
E-BULLETIN EXCLUSIVE
July 2013
Essentials for Motivating Salespeople
“Hey, it’s a jungle out there”. A brilliant meeting followed by a woeful meeting; the emotional roller-coaster world of sales.
Media
July 2013
News in Brief
Your monthly digest of UK–Japan news
Simon Farrell
Publisher
July 2013
Helping the Other Half
Partner has become a popular word, with many couples, sponsors, firms, friends, colleagues, countries and ideologues preferring this warm and fuzzy term to “the missus”, “comrade” or “collaborate”.
Lori Henderson MBE
Executive Director
July 2013
From Dundee to MBE
Accompanied by my parents and brother, I collected my MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) at Buckingham Palace on 7 June.
Cover Story
July 2013
Driving the New Dragon Economy
Japanese corporations hold Welsh engineering and technological prowess in high esteem, while consumers in Japan are keen on the high-end, niche products that are increasingly emerging from Welsh firms.
Interview
July 2013
Getting the Word Out:
Some of the biggest names in Japan’s corporate world—from Sony Corporation, Fujitsu and Olympus Corporation, to Panasonic Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation and Hoya Corporation—already have a firm foothold in Wales. But Edwina Hart says there is plenty of room for more.
Music
July 2013
Brighton Rocks Chiba Beach
Under a clear blue sky on a long stretch of beach at Makuhari Seaside Park in Chiba Prefecture, the Big Beach Festival ’13 brought thousands of music lovers together to indulge in the music of some of the world’s best DJs.
Visa
July 2013
Exiled from Home
British nationals living outside the European Union are up in arms over new immigration rules for foreign spouses that, they say, make it difficult—and, in some cases, impossible—to return to the UK to live.
Interview
July 2013
EU–Japan FTA: Update
A 30-strong delegation from the European Commission held a second round of discussions on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Japan over 10 days in Tokyo in late May and early June.
Technology
July 2013
The Power of Word of Mouth
Advertising is helpful and promotions have their uses, but entrepreneurs Christian Schmitz and Loren Fykes are firm believers in the overwhelming power of word of mouth.
Publicity
July 2013
Future Workplace: a New Model for the User Desktop
Traditional PCs—with the exception, possibly, of those used in computing-intensive areas such as R&D and development—are more than less a phased-out model.
Industry
July 2013
IT: the Future Is Bright
The technology sector in Japan has experienced significant growth over the past 18 months. Further, there has been an increased demand for information technology professionals across start-ups, as well as small and large multinational businesses.
If You Ask Me
July 2013
My Brother and I
Health
July 2013
When the Cure Is Worse than the Disease
Many medical tests can cause problems. These can be indirect, for example when unhelpful or misleading results cause confusion or delay in reaching a diagnosis.
Entertainment
July 2013
Journey to the Heart of Nature
BBC Worldwide is teaming up with Sega Corporation to create a new theme park that will use cutting-edge technology to enable visitors to experience the natural environment and interact with the wildlife that inhabits the planet.
Motors
July 2013
Wanted: Sponsors to Be Scared Silly
The driver turns his steering wheel sharply as a woman squeals with delight from the passenger seat. But her screams are barely audible—drowned out by the roar of the car’s engine as the vehicle bounces from side to side on the dirt road.
Arts & Culture
July 2013
Arts Events
Arts events compiled by Yoko Yanagimoto.
Food
July 2013
Reds in Bed
Red was the colour of Kagome Co., Ltd’s booth at the Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit 2013. Red is also the colour of tomatoes—known for being not just delicious but healthy—and are what the firm is about.
Charity
July 2013
Turning On the Tap
In October 1887, British engineer Henry Spencer Palmer completed work on the first modern waterworks system in Japan. It brought clean drinking water to the 87 households that made up Yokohama. In addition, it laid the groundwork for the coastal village to grow into the thriving modern city that it is today.
Books
July 2013
Book Reviews
Adolescence without End; Shutting out the Sun
July 2013
Unleashing Creativity
The UK and Japan share a rich creative heritage that includes architects, musicians, filmmakers, video game developers, fashion designers and technologists across a broad range of industries.
Japanese Media
July 2013
What You Missed in the Japanese Press
Bling and Home Loans Are Midyear Hits; “Moonlighting” Mini Cafes Perk up Coffee Sales; Putting the Alpha into Accommodation; Gearing Up for New Wardrobes
Media
July 2013
Crisp Maker to Supply 7-Eleven
Tyrrells Potato Crisps Ltd has secured its biggest-ever overseas listing with a deal to sell its products at 7-Eleven stores in Japan,
The Grocer
reported on 29 May.
Media
July 2013
Royal Visits Worcester Tool Factory
Prince Charles visited the Yamazaki Mazak Corporation factory in Worcester to learn about its highly regarded training programmes for young workers,
The Japan Times
reported on 6 June.
Media
July 2013
Record Exports for Scots Cloth Firms
Textile firms north of the border have secured record sales of £1.3mn in Japan over the past year, after adopting a new strategy to increase business in the Far East, the London Press Service reported on 2 April.
Anniversary
July 2013
Friends by Mistake
As Britain and Japan mark 400 years of close diplomatic and trade ties—an occasion celebrated in both countries with a series of events throughout the year—it is worth remembering that the relationship originally came about primarily as a result of misunderstanding and misconception on the part of the British.
Regular columns
Arts
UK events in Japan
News
UK & Japan media
Community
Photos from UK-Japan events
Contributors
Writers and photographers
Past issues
View all »
Mar / Apr 2021 issue
H.E. Julia Longbottom CMG
Put your passion into action
The difference one year makes
All articles »
Jan / Feb 2021 issue
Steve Crane OBE: Gentleman, now an officer
Post-Pandemic Retreats in Northern Okinawa
Parting thoughts
All articles »
Exit Edition issue
Changing of the Guard
All articles »
Nov / Dec 2020 issue
2020 British Business Awards
Ministerial visits resume, progress on climate change
ARK marks 30 years
All articles »
Sept / Oct 2020 issue
For healthy mindsets
An historic few weeks
Expats in action
All articles »
July / Aug 2020 issue
New English Online Banking for Japan’s International Community
Gradually getting back to a “new normal”
Don’t doubt our diversity
All articles »