Editor July 2018

Summer sun

Awards, parties and rock ’n’ roll art

In recent weeks, Tokyo has played host to a number of ceremonies marking the achievements of individuals in a variety of fields. Wishing to be among those feting the many accomplishments, BCCJ ACUMEN attended the 24th Japan Market Expansion Competition (JMEC) awards as well as the Recruitment International (RI) Awards, both held at the Tokyo American Club.

The JMEC awards recognise the achieve­ments of groups of professionals who had been tasked with devising business plans for firms in Japan. Participants gave up free time and much more to draw up cutting-edge plans. But the sense of satisfaction and achievement—to say nothing of the prizes awarded—made it all worthwhile. You can read our report on the event.

The RI Awards are designed to recognise the efforts and talent of people in Japan who work in the recruitment industry. The ceremony saw accolades handed out for 14 categories, with some firms winning more than one prize. Read more.

Say hello to summer
Readers in Tokyo can’t have failed to notice that summer has arrived. The air conditioning is on, short-sleeved shirts are donned and summer parties have begun. And what better summer gathering for BCCJ ACUMEN to feature than the annual Queen’s Birthday Party which is held at the British Embassy Tokyo. The event featured food, drinks, cars, music and a robot, all showcasing the very best of British.

Now that the lazy, hazy days of summer are here, some of us will be thinking about holidays, or even planning ahead for an autumn break. With that in mind, we bring you a look at cruise operators currently serving Japan, and what they are offering guests.

Rock ’n’ roll art
Japan is never short on events and exhibitions. One that caught this editor’s eye in recent weeks was an exhibition of ukiyo-e prints featuring British rock legend David Bowie.

Done in the style of traditional Japanese woodblock art, the prints have been created by the Ukiyo-e Project, which has produced similar works featuring Kiss and Iron Maiden. You can read our interview with the project founder.