The magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan
Interview
October 2013
Pierre de Villeméjane
The exciting launch of Waterford crystal brings to the Japanese market some of the firm's most iconic crystal stemware, barware and giftware collections.
Interview
September 2013
Basil le roux
We have to learn about the local culture, as well as challenge the status quo where appropriate. We are an international business with offices in 34 countries. Localising what we do while maintaining our values and culture is particularly important.
Interview
September 2013
Philippe Fauchet
Throughout our long history, GlaxoSmithKline K.K. (GSK Japan) has contributed to the health and quality of life of the Japanese people with an extensive list of products and services.
Interview
September 2013
Vishal Sinha
British Airways [BA] has a long-standing history in Japan; in fact, 2013 marks our 65th anniversary of flights to Tokyo.
Interview
August 2013
Jonathan Sampson
Hays Japan provides recruitment-related services covering permanent placement, temporary staffing, IT consulting and recruitment process outsourcing.
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.
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.
Interview
June 2013
Jeff Streeter
I am from Devon in the UK, and grew up on a farm. I studied English Language and Literature at university and have worked for the British Council—mostly outside the UK—for many years. I really enjoy living in Tokyo.
Interview
May 2013
David Swan
In 2000, we expanded our specialist recruitment business to Tokyo. At that time, not many foreign recruitment firms were operating in Japan.
Interview
May 2013
Yuzo Yagi
President, chairman and CEO of Yagi Tsusho Limited
Interview
February 2013
Corporate Governance: The Western Way
Simon Chelton is co-founder of Engress Intercultural Senior Leadership (ISL), a UK-based consultancy that provides offsite workshops for Japanese business leaders to enable them to develop Western approaches to working with customers, clients, partners, employees, shareholders and regulators.
Interview
January 2013
Ernfred Olsen
Founded in Edinburgh in 1727, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has over 140,000 employees and serves about 30mn customers in 38 countries. In the third quarter of 2012, RBS reported a core operating profit of £1.633bn, up from £980mn the previous year.
Interview
November 2012
Access to Success
The ninth annual Access to Success—Doing Business in Kobe promotional seminar introduced the superior working and living environment of the Hyogo-Kobe area.
Interview
November 2012
Takahisa Kashiyama
As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Orient Overseas (International) Limited (OOIL), OOCL Logistics Limited is one of the world’s largest integrated international container transport, logistics and terminal firms.
Interview
July 2012
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.
Interview
May 2012
Robert Walters
The specialist recruitment firm that Robert Walters set up in 1985 today has 48 offices in 23 countries and plans to start operations in Munich and Rio de Janeiro in the near future.
Interview
April 2012
Donald Keene
An exclusive interview with Japanese literature expert, Donald Keene, since becoming citizen of Japan at age 89.
Interview
March 2012
Crawford Gillies
Appointed chairman of Scottish Enterprise/Scottish Development International (SDI) in 2009, Crawford Gillies is also chairman of Control Risks Group Holdings Ltd and a non-executive director of Standard Life plc.
Interview
November 2011
LORD GREEN Minister of State for Trade and Investment
Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint, appointed minister of state for trade and investment in January, has been a frequent visitor to Japan for many years. He was last here in late October for a series of meetings, including ones with Yukio Edano, his new counterpart at the Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry.
Interview
October 2011
Innocent Passion for English Cabbages & Roses
Founded in 1988, Innocent Inc. initially focused on importing and selling European antiques, clothes and lifestyle items. With 60 NIMES outlets across Japan and 250 staff, that business has been performing well—but founder and owner Hisa Tsuchida and director Nori Sakaue have long held a particular passion for British style, design and taste.
Interview
August 2011
Yuzo Yagi - Honorary OBE President, chairman and Ceo Yagi Tsusho Limited
In June, Yuzo Yagi was awarded an Honorary OBE (Honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for his support of the British fashion industry through his firm, Yagi Tsusho Limited, which has its headquarters in Osaka.
Interview
June 2011
Social Entrepreneurship
In the Setagaya suburbs, a small team of social entrepreneurs at the Board Director Training Institute of Japan (BDTI) is tirelessly working to improve corporate governance at Japanese firms. BCCJ ACUMEN interviewed Nicholas E. Benes, BDTI’s founder and representative director.
Interview
April 2011
Willie Walsh
We initially provided support to a number of parties who were helping with search and rescue operations, immediately mobilised our teams to get whatever help we could from the UK to Tokyo, and provided assistance to anybody who urgently needed to travel.
Interview
March 2011
Keiichi Hayashi
Appointed Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom on 11 January 2011.
Feature Article
February 2011
Hans Dietmar Schweisgut
The first EU ambassador under the European External Action Service (EEAS) framework and head of the Delegation of the European Union to Japan talks on trade, politics, the death penalty, child abductions and his goals.
Interview
June / July 2010
Lord Peter Levene KBE Chairman, Lloyd’s of London
Lord Levene of Portsoken visited Tokyo in March to open the new Lloyd’s of London office. After he addressed a BCCJ luncheon on “Fresh Challenges for the City of London” covering a wide range of issues affecting the world’s economies, he was interviewed by BCCJ ACUMEN writer Julian Ryall.
Interview
February / March 2010
Minoru Mori, KBE: CEO & President of Mori Building Co., Ltd.
In December 2009, in recognition of his distinguished contribution to relations between the UK and Japan, and his significant contribution to collaboration between the two countries in the arts, Her Majesty The Queen appointed Minoru Mori to be an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
