BCCJ Acumen November December 2021 by Custom Media KK

Nov / Dec 2021 | ¥900

The magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan

ACUMEN SINCE 2009

HEALTH ECONOMY DIVERSITY INNOVATION OPINION TECH SME CSR SPORT MEDIA COMMUNITY and much more

GREAT BRITISH PRODUCTS 10

bccjacumen.com

£1 = ¥153–157

Britons Gonged for Great Deeds

BCCJ Event: Black History Month

Books: Collision Course and Mind Over Sales

TRANSFORM THE NORM PAGE 14

Impact recruitment towards a green, sustainable future  Japan’s first bilingual agency dedicated to renewables, cleantech, and sustainability  Highly specialized team covering the talent-growth needs of Japanese and multinational companies  Support for Japanese market entry as well as global expansion for Japanese energy tech players  International network, local expertise

Leading the way in the healthcare industry  Award-winning healthcare and life science recruitment company specializing in the pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic, and basic research industries  Market entry experts  More than 120 years of experience among consultants in the Japan and APAC recruitment markets  International network, local expertise

High value-chain recruitment  Comprehensive, function-focused recruitment dedicated to digital, technology and data, management consulting, and marketing and sales  Industry experts in our core functions, allowing a deeply consultative approach  Cross-industry talent and client coverage, Japanese and multinational networks  International network, local expertise

Nov/Dec 2021 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 6

7 PUBLISHER Britons gonged for great deeds In business, culture, entertainment, charity and history simon farrell 8 MEDIA UK–Japan news 10 UK BRANDS Great British products Nyetimber, Arran Scotch Whisky, Molton Brown, Scottish Salmon and Morgan Cars 12 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR New horizons A return to in-person and B2B activities lori henderson

30 BCCJ EVENT Black History Month BCCJ collaborates with the University of Oxford on first Black History Month event megan casson

32 REVIEW Collision Course Carlos Ghosn and the Culture Wars That Upended an Auto Empire phil robertson 33 REVIEW Mind Over Sales Mindful leadership, limitless sales and invincible teamwork robert heldt

35 BCCJ MEMBER Sound asleep Tokyo-based Scot pens children’s book megan casson

13 PRESIDENT Night to remember david bickle obe 14 BBA 2021 British Business Awards Transform the norm julian ryall

39 COMMUNITY 40 CREATIVE On a mission for music megan casson

24 EVENT TALiNT International Annual Recruitment Awards megan casson

41 ARTS UK culture in Japan (free tickets)

27 TECH Virtual guardian Kyushu schools test Liverpudlian teacher’s child abuse app julian ryall

42 STATS UK vs Japan In digits, charts and graphs

41 32

INDUSTRY Recruitment 22 A-list

27 33

The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan BCCJ MISSION To strengthen business ties between Britain and Japan, promote and support the business interests of all our Members, and actively encourage new business entrants into the Japanese market as well as Japanese investment into the UK. LEADERS President: David Bickle OBE Deloitte Tomatsu Tax Co. EXECUTIVE STAFF Executive Director: Lori Henderson MBE Associate Director: Sarah Backley Operations Manager: Sanae Samata Marketing and Communications: Sam Maddicott Events Coordinator: Noriko Mita EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2020–21 Alison Beale | University of Oxford Japan Office David Bickle | Deloitte Tohmatsu Tax Co. (President) James Dodds | KPMG Iain Ferguson | Lloyd’s Japan Inc. Ken Katayama | Individual Member Tove Kinooka | Global Perspectives K.K. Kentaro Kiso | Barclays Junko Kubokawa | Croda Japan Richard Lyle | Intralink KK Heather McLeish | EY Japan Sven Palys | Yuzu Kyodai Edward Weeks | HSBC EX OFFICIO Chris Heffer | British Embassy Tokyo Matt Knowles | British Council Japan BCCJ ACUMEN Editor in Chief: Simon Farrell HONORARY INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS Hiroaki Fujii Sadayuki Hayashi GCVO Kazuko Kon MBE Robin J Maynard MBE Masaki Orita British Chamber of Commerce in Japan Ark Hills Front Tower RoP 2-23-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052 Tel: 03-6426-5739 | Fax: 03-6426-5749 info@bccjapan.com | www.bccjapan.com

Publishers of BCCJ ACUMEN for the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Custom Media is a digital content-creation and communications agency. Our focus is on print and digital publications, marketing solutions, social media, branding, websites, apps and videos in three areas: strategy, creation and digital. Toranomon Hills Business Tower 15F 1-17-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6415 03-4540-7730 www.custom-media.com

PUBLISHER

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

Simon Farrell

Garreth Stevens CEO Robert Heldt

ACCOUNT MANAGERS

ART DIRECTOR

Yuka Sekiwa

James Greer Ximena Criales SENIOR EDITOR Alec Jordan

STRATEGIC ACCOUNT DIRECTORS Jody Pang Megumi Okazaki

EDITOR Megan Casson

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Kotaro Toda

DESIGN DIRECTOR Michael Pfeffer

MEDIA COORDINATOR Misa Yashiro

WEB DEVELOPERS Brian Susantio Devin Surya Putra

PROJECT COORDINATOR Noriko Ogawa

BCCJ ACUMEN is the magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan To advertise or order BCCJ ACUMEN: inquiries@custom-media.com WARNING/DISCLAIMER Custom Media and the BCCJ will not accept liability for any damages caused by the contents of BCCJ ACUMEN, including, but not limited to, any omissions, errors, facts or false statements. Opinions or advice expressed in BCCJ ACUMEN are not necessarily those of the BCCJ or Custom Media. Printed on paper certified by the US Forest Stewardship Council with UV vegetable oil ink certified by The Japan Printing Ink Makers Association.

CONTRIBUTORS

Julia Longbottom CMG

Simon Farrell

David Bickle OBE

British Ambassador to Japan since March 2021

Publisher and editor-in-chief of BCCJ ACUMEN and co-founder of Custom Media (page 7)

A tax partner with Deloitte Tohmatsu Tax Co. and president of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (page 13)

Lori Henderson MBE

Megan Casson

Julian Ryall

Executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan since February 2011 (page 12)

Custom Media’s editor of BCCJ ACUMEN

The Daily Telegraph correspondent in Japan (pages 14 and 27)

Robert Heldt

Phil Robertson

Rachel Ferguson

CEO of Custom Media, publisher of BCCJ ACUMEN (page 33)

Co-founder of translation and interpreting firm Honyaku Plus (page 32)

Co-founder of Ryozan Park and author of Gugu and Penfin Sleep (page 35)

/BCCJapan

Chimidi Okpalauko

Garreth Stevens

James Greer

/BCCJ Company Page

Student at the University of Oxford (page 30)

Consulting and Sales Director at Custom Media

Creative consultant at Custom Media

Ximena Criales

Alec Jordan

Caroline Puzzar

Art director for BCCJ ACUMEN

Senior editor at Custom Media

Creator of the Guardian app (page 27)

(pages 24, 30, 35 and 40)

/BCCJapan

/photos/bccjapan

BCCJ members and writers are welcome to submit ideas for content, which will be reviewed by the publisher. simon@custom-media.com

Our Suit Connoisseur Vinod Bahrunani has regularly visited Tokyo since 1989. EURO MERICAN FASHIONS Limited

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PUBLISHER

Britons gonged for great deeds In business, culture, entertainment, charity and history simon farrell | simon@custom-media.com

ith eight pages in this issue featuring the 2021 British Business Awards (pages 12–19), I’ll leave it to others to comment on the annual celebration of UK commerce and cultural exchange with Japan, except to warmly congratulate the winners and thank the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan staff, board, sponsors, members, judges and the

Japan, meanwhile, conferred decorations in November on 124 foreign nationals, including 24 women—and both Britons are female. acknowledged”. In 2015, Maynard founded the William Adams Club, dedicated to the first Briton in Japan. Adams (1564–1620) arrived here in 1600, later becoming a samurai and jointly negotiating

And the 2021 TALiNT International Annual Recruitment Awards, also known as the TIARAs (page 24), streamed live on 17 November from London and in Tokyo with radio host and media

British Embassy Tokyo who helped make it another great event. Instead I will focus on other Britons gonged this year for their celebrated bilateral efforts: Robin Maynard MBE will receive a 2021 Japan-British Society (JBS) Award. The annual awards “recognise significant contributions in the field of Japanese–British relations by individuals and organisations who have otherwise not been

the first Japan–Britain diplomatic and trade agree ment in 1613. The JBS Award also marks Robin’s contributions to the relief and rebuilding efforts after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Princess Akiko of Mikasa will present the Award to Robin at the JBS Annual Dinner on 24 January 2022 at the Hotel Okura Tokyo. Japan, meanwhile, conferred decorations in November on 124 foreign nationals, including 24 women—and both Britons are female. The 2021 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals included the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays to Anne Malcolm of Aberdeenshire, Scotland for promoting friendship between Japan and the UK. She is founder and chair of the Thomas Blake Glover Foundation and a key figure behind the Friendship Agreement between Nagasaki and Aberdeen. Thomas Blake Glover (1838–1911) was a Scottish merchant whose home in Nagasaki is the oldest Western-style building in Japan. As a key industrialist, Glover helped found the predecessors to Mitsubishi Group and Kirin Brewery Company, Limited. Cambridge-born singer, songwriter, actress, entrepre neur and activist Dame Olivia Newton-John was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette for contributing to developing Japanese musical culture and promoting friendly relations. The former Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Environment Programme also has Australian citizen ship and lives in the US state of Florida.

personality Madoka Kato, who some of you may remember as a host of the BBA for several years. Congratulations to these British firms:

• • •

PHOTO: EVA RINALDI

From across the Severn Bridge St David's Society of Japan President Ursula BartlettImadegawa tells me they donated ¥60,000 to flood-hit Kitakyushu, which hosted Wales at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The cash will fund the annual Kitakyushu-Wales Rugby Cup for elementary school students, who had memorably greeted the Welsh national team by singing their national anthem, “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau” (Land of My Fathers). In October, Ursula also organised a zoom event on opportunities for Japanese to study in Wales, including at Aberystwyth University. And the St David's Society continued to honour its constitutional pledge to support and develop global links for Wales by sponsoring the annual Alliance for International Education Conference for global educators to share innovative ideas.

•

Best Healthcare and Life Sciences Recruitment Company: SThree K.K. Technical and Industrial Recruitment Company of the Year: Robert Walters Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Company of the Year: Robert Walters The Vincere Best Large Recruitment Company to Work for: SThree K.K.

Finally, if after seeing our Great British Products on pages 10 and 11 you are still looking for holiday season gift ideas, we review on pages 27 and 35, respectively, two intriguing and topical titles sure to appeal to business-minded readers in Japan or elsewhere: Collision Course—Carlos Ghosn and the Culture Wars That Upended an Auto Empire, by Hans Greimel and William Sposato, and Mind Over Matter—Mindful Leadership, Limitless Sales and Invincible Teamwork, by Darren McKellin. We are also giving away one signed copy of each book. Custom Media, publisher of BCCJ ACUMEN, wishes all our readers and friends a safe and enjoyable holiday season wherever you are and whatever you are doing!

bccjacumen.com 7

UK–JAPAN NEWS

MEDIA

These summaries of media reports are in the public domain and reproduced under the general principle of “fair dealing”.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that Tokyo will collaborate with London to achieve carbon neutrality. According to NHK on 3 November, this was discussed during Kishida’s visit to the UK to attend the 2021

United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26. Kishida also explained Japan’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by pledging up to £8bn over the next five years to help developing nations.

SOLAR CELL ADVANCE

LONDON AND TOKYO HOLD GREEN FINANCE SEMINAR

Scientists from the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, the Diamond Light Source synchrotron facility in Didcot, Oxfordshire, and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan have conducted breakthrough collaborative work. According to an article posted in Saur Energy International on 23 November, the research— published on the online news source Nature Nanotechnology—offers explanations for why perovskite materials are tolerant of defects in their structure. It is said that these findings will allow the project’s scientists to further refine how perovskite solar cells are made.

8 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

The British Embassy Tokyo and Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) will hold an online event called “UK–Japan Collaboration on Green Finance: Post COP26 Perspective” on 10 December, according to a press release from TMG. Ambassador Julia Longbottom CMG will make opening remarks and the Lord Mayor of the City of London Vincent Keaveny will deliver a keynote speech, before bilateral experts hold a roundtable discussion with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike.

PHOTO: BRITISH EMBASSY TOKYO

PMs IN TALKS TO CUT CARBON

NOV / DEC 2021

NEWS BRIEFS

WELSH CREAM SOON IN STORES FOR TEA FANS

DAIJO PICKS PENZANCE Japanese abstract artist, Daijo, displayed her work at the PZ Gallery in Penzance, Cornwall. The first time she exhibited in the UK, the 40-year-old artist also did live performances on two of the nights. (InYourArea, 22 November)

According to a 2 November Business News Wales article, Daffodil Foods Ltd have entered the Japanese market thanks to an export deal with a Japanese importer. As the interest in British afternoon tea increases in Japan, clotted cream demand has risen. In the New Year, Japanese consumers will have access to Welsh clotted cream in various supermarkets across the nation. “Japanese consumers have a particular interest in our British afternoon tea and we have been able to secure a lucrative deal and unlock this market”, said Lynne Rowlands, director of Daffodil Foods. “We first began our exporting journey after a visit to the BlasCymru/TasteWales event in 2019 and shipped some of our products to Hong Kong. This export deal with Japan will be a strategic market for us going forward. We are delighted and we will begin exporting to Japan in the New Year, as they already have a number of key supermarkets interested in our product”.

TRILATERAL STEEL TALKS The US is looking to begin talks with the UK and Japan to address the nation’s objections to steel and aluminium tariffs. Secretary Gina Raimondo stated that the UK and Japan are important allies, and it was important that they work through trade issues. (Bloomberg, 9 November)

JAPAN ART AT PALACE PHOTO: ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST

PHOTO: WILD ABOUT WELFARE

NPO MAKES ONLINE BILINGUAL SERVICE Sussex-based animal welfare charity Wild Welfare has launched a digital animal husbandry programme in Japanese to support wildlife caregivers in Japan. According to a 3 November press release, the openaccess online programme, called Wild About Welfare, has been available in English since early 2021. Acting UK director at Wild Welfare, Simon Marsh, said: “Ensuring animal welfare resources are available

in people’s native languages is vital in helping to make certain our charity’s work really has an impact on captive wildlife in all corners of the globe. “The Wild About Welfare programme has been designed to upskill staff working with wild animals in captivity and give them the knowledge to be able to deliver good care and welfare”.

Japanese artefacts that were acquired by the British royal family nearly four centuries ago are to be displayed for the first time in an exhibition at Buckingham Palace. The exhibition is set to open next year. (Guardian, 18 November)

TOKYO ZOMBIE MOVIE BAFTA-nominated British writer and director Morayo Akandé’s screenplay has been optioned by 108 Media. Set in Tokyo, the film tells the story of zombie salarymen tearing through Tokyo, with a group of workers protecting their convenience store at all costs. (Deadline, 1 November)

bccjacumen.com 9

UK BRANDS

GREAT

BRITISH PRODUCTS

With the new UK–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement set to strengthen bilateral trade, BCCJ ACUMEN Great British Products is showcasing the high-quality and diverse UK brands in Japan. If you would like to be featured, please contact acumen@custom-media.com

ARRAN SCOTCH WHISKY www.arranwhisky.com | instagram.com/whiske_jp Arran 10-Year-Old Single Malt is the flagship single malt from Arran Distillery, established in 1995 on the Isle of Arran. The whisky is a mix of first-fill Bourbon barrels, and first-fill and refill Sherry hogsheads. An aroma of luscious citrus fruits—which deepen the background flavour of sweet oak—and notes of vanilla and cinnamon add a spicy edge to the soft and sweet texture. The award-winning whisky was named one of the 20 defining whiskies of the past 20 years and is one of the best single malt whiskies Scotland has to offer. Enjoy it straight, on the rocks or with soda water. Arran Whisky is distributed by Whisk-E Limited: https://whisk-e.co.jp

NYETIMBER CLASSIC CUVÉE MULTI VINTAGE nyetimber.jp #Nyetimber #PerfectlyBritish Cultivated under the philosophy of 'Perfectly British', Nyetimber’s wines are produced by our expert winemakers using grapes from our own vineyards. A celebration of luxurious lifestyles around the world, Nyetimber’s sparkling wines have won numerous awards and accolades in the wine industry. For a limited time only, Nyetimber is offering a Winter Gift Box containing its flagship wine, Classic Cuvée Multi Vintage. The winter gift box is illustrated with a scene depicting the British holiday season’s festive streets, including famous London landmarks such as Big Ben and the London Eye. A perfect gift for family and loved ones to celebrate the holiday season and look forward to the year ahead.

10 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

Arran Single Malt is available at Amazon, Rakuten, department stores such as Isetan and local liquor shops.

UK BRANDS

THE SCOTTISH SALMON COMPANY scottishsalmon.com Dip your tastebuds in the shores of the rugged and remote islands of the Scottish Hebrides with The Scottish Salmon Company’s Great Taste 2021 3-star award-winning Harris and Lewis Smoked Scottish Salmon. It was described by the judges as "melt in the mouth", "sublime" and "beautifully cured with a perfect balance of salt and sugar". This taste of this quality smoked Scottish salmon will transport you to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, where artisan smokers hand-cure each fresh fillet with sea salt and demerara sugar, before smoking with Scotch whisky cask chippings, infusing them with a rich flavour evocative of these windswept isles. For more information, contact hiro.kawasaki@scottishsalmon.com

MOLTON BROWN JUBILANT PINE & PATCHOULI COLLECTION moltonbrown.co.jp Molton Brown is making the most of their 50-year celebrations by releasing a limited edition collection. Jubilant Pine & Patchouli is a rich scent that honours decades of festive joy, which began at the original South Molton Street salon in London, 1971. Jubilant Pine & Patchouli was created by Master Perfumer Jacques Chabert. The fragrance opens with fresh, traditional pine, spicy cinnamon and crisp accents of juniper berry. Sweet red fruits emerge, complemented by refined suede notes and a creamy vanilla and musk base.

MORGAN CARS morgan-cars.jp Soichiro Honda, founder of the motor company that bears his name, famously predicted: "In the future there will only be six car companies in the world ... Oh, and Morgan!" As automobile giants such as Peugeot, Citroën, Vauxhall and Opel consolidate, the great man's vision appears to be coming true. Morgan Motor Company is still thriving and the traditional car maker—based in the rolling hills of Great Malvern, England—still makes its cars by hand, uniquely wrapping an aluminium body over a frame of ash wood. Japan has long been a key market for the brand, with owners often going full-English, dressing up in flat caps and tweed for a weekend jaunt out of the city.

bccjacumen.com 11

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

New horizons A return to in-person and B2B activities lori henderson mbe

lthough we are approaching the year end— a time for wrapping up and reflection— we’ve recently entered a new and energising phase at the BCCJ. Over the past few weeks, under the judicious guidance of the Executive Committee (Excom) we’ve been stepping back into the world of in-person activities and events. On 13 October we held our first hybrid Excom meeting, with around 50 percent of our board mem bers attending from Barclays offices in Roppongi Hills. Although some of the people in the room had been on Excom since the beginning of the 2020–2021 financial year, they were meeting in real life for the first time.

After a 20 month hiatus, 20 BCCJ members enjoyed exclusive access to the Conrad Tokyo’s China Blue restaurant, on the 28th floor, for breakfast with festive touches, including a delicious mince pie! Each of our three bonenkai (year-end party) breakfasts is to be loosely themed around one of our BCCJ pillars: Digi-Tech Innovation, Responsible Business and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. BCCJ President David Bickle, Excom members, and leaders from the British Embassy Tokyo will join us. We invite members to attend the last of the specially arranged year-end breakfast gatherings on 7 December at the ANA InterContintental Tokyo. The focus will be on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Canada, Germany, France, Italy and the European Business Council in Japan all agree that allowing business travellers and students to once again enter Japan is a critical step towards Japan’s post-Covid-19 economic recovery. The joint statement invites the Government of Japan to:

On 5 November we delivered another first—a hybrid black tie gala, the BBA2021, streamed live from the Ambassador’s Residence at the British Embassy Tokyo. Thank you to everyone involved in making it such a memorable evening, including our 250 attendees and 38 nominees. A hearty congratulations to our winners.

To book, please visit the BCCJ website. The BCCJ continues to closely follow government guidance around Covid-19 precautions. Our team is working diligently with BCCJ members’ venues to follow the necessary health and safety protocols.

•

Business travel Welcoming the change to the Government of Japan’s inbound travel policy that took effect on 8 November, the BCCJ and other international Chambers of Commerce in Japan issued a joint statement, on 12 November, concerning the country’s entry restrictions. The BCCJ and the chambers of commerce in Japan of America,

The full statement can be read in English and Japanese on www.bccjapan.com

Breakfast Club Earlier this month we were very pleased to launch a new in-person networking series, the BCCJ Breakfast Club. The first event, held on 17 November, was the chamber’s first in-person one since February 2020.

•

Simplify and provide greater transparency for the decision-making process of obtaining visas for business travellers Move as rapidly as possible to eliminate quarantines and to simplify and eventually eliminate sponsorship procedures for vaccinated travellers Consider increasing the limits placed on the number of business people entering the country in the near future Take immediate steps to simplify, expedite and lower costs for the entry of students into Japan

Festive wishes In the final issue of BCCJ ACUMEN for 2021, on behalf of the BCCJ team, allow me to wish you a wonderful festive season ahead. After almost two years in hibernation, we are ready for the Year of the Tiger!

PRESIDENT

Night to remember david bickle obe | @BCCJ_President

n comparison with what one finds in the UK, in Japan it is relatively rare that workers take an extended summer or year-end vacation. This is due to a combination of personal preferences, societal expectations, and structural impediments. When it comes to public holidays, however, the population of Japan does quite well. Twice as well, in fact, as residents of the UK. Whilst the UK has eight public holidays a year, Japan currently has 16, and it was on one of these that I recently ventured back to the cinema to watch No Time to Die. Inspired For fans of the James Bond franchise, there are many memorable scenes in the 25th instalment of the series. In one such scene, the head of the Secret Intelligence Service—played by British actor Ralph Fiennes—shares an inspiring quote from a volume he has taken from his bookshelf. Having piqued my interest, a quick internet search revealed that the quote is attributed to the auspiciously named American author, Jack London. The quote is from a newspaper interview published in December 1916 on the subject of purposeful endeavour, where (in print) it is immediately preceded by the glorious sentence, “I would rather be a superb meteor, every

For those who were able to the watch the BBA unfold, either virtually or in person, I sincerely hope that you could enjoy the opportunity to celebrate the myriad achievements of the nominees. atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet”. Those words came to mind again a couple of weeks later, at the 14th annual British Business Awards (BBA). The theme of the BBA (page 14) was Transform the Norm, inspired by the response of resilient companies and individuals to the shifting challenges and emerging opportunities of the

though, is belief. A tremendous belief in the way they do business, and their commitment and contribu tion to society. Belief in their purpose, their business model and their destiny. Each is a “superb meteor” in terms of their beacon-like brilliance. But that is as far as the analogy goes. Resilient and pulsing with energy, there is nothing ephemeral about the brilliance of a BBA nominee!

uncertain and complex world in which we are living. A world for which “no normal”, rather than “new normal”, is perhaps a better description of the volatility that we face. Transform the Norm is an invitation to explore whether to do things differently, do different things or even conclude, with renewed confidence and conviction, that existing business models are best.

For those who were able to watch the BBA unfold, either virtually or in person, I sincerely hope that you could enjoy the opportunity to celebrate the myriad achievements of the nominees. For that is the purpose of the BBA—to recognise the excellence of endeavour in the Japan–UK business ecosystem, and to encourage ever expanding partnership and collab oration between the companies and entrepreneurs connected with the two great countries. Six-time Paralympian and BBA judge Noel Thatcher put it best on the night: “Extraordinary times require extraordinary people to do extra ordinary things”.

Belief and success The 38 nominees, across six award categories, represent a huge diversity in terms of size, history and business sector. What they all have in common,

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hether in-person, online or a hybrid, the British Business Awards (BBA) is always the highlight on the calendar of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ). And so it was—a year after 2020’s socially distanced awards ceremony—that more than 100 people could once again be present to witness the coveted awards being announced, with hundreds more taking part online on both sides of the planet. The ceremony took place at the residence of Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbottom CMG on 6 November and, in a year in which the challenges to business have arguably been more testing than ever, the 38 nominees across six award categories under lined just how much the British business community in Japan has shone in the face of adversity. UK attributes British firms are innovative and inclusive. They are cutting-edge and driven by a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. UK firms are entrepreneurial, reliable and hard-working partners, who are diverse, creative and resilient. All those attributes were on display during the 14th annual BBA, along with a good slice of yet another admirable British attribute: humour. In an action-packed yet still tongue-in-cheek video clip to get the evening under way, Ambassador Longbottom boarded a Range Rover behind a mystery wheel man. To a rising crescendo of the unmistakable music from James Bond films, our daring driver took the ambassador on a hair-raising journey aboard a vehicle emblematic of British engineering and automotive excellence.

TRANSFORM THE NORM

PHOTO: CUSTOM MEDIA

BY JULIAN RYALL

14 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

BBA

MC Guy Perryman MBE and BCCJ Executive Director Lori Henderson MBE

More than 100 people could once again be present to witness the coveted awards being announced, with hundreds more taking part online on both sides of the planet. Pursued by black-clad assassins on motorcycles, through swerves and skids, the debonair driver even managing to roll the sturdy Range Rover— while the Ambassador sat nonplussed in the back seat, sipping a cup of tea. Finally managing to shake off their pursuers, the driver safely delivered the Ambassador to the embassy in time for the awards ceremony. The driver was revealed to have been none other than David Bickle OBE, president of the BCCJ

and appointed Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s New Year honours list. The opening sequence was a tip of the hat to the Queen’s headline-grabbing entrance at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games—and equally visually impressive and amusing. The smooth running of the evening was once more entrusted to MC Guy Perryman MBE, with

“Transform the Norm” the theme of the awards ceremony. The motif was appropriate, given that many British firms have been on the leading edge of reinventing how business operates as a result of the restrictions imposed during the pandemic. Bickle said companies nominated for awards have, in the past year, demonstrated “belief in purpose, belief in their business models, belief in their contributions to society and belief in their success here in Japan. “That belief has been forged through an incre dible amount of hard work and dedication, an incredible work ethic that has got them to where they are today, and I hope you find their stories inspirational”. Bickle then led members in the traditional toast with a glass of Nyetimber British sparkling wine. UK–Japan ties Executive Director Lori Henderson MBE was subsequently invited to talk members through the highlights of the past 12 months at the chamber, which has moved almost entirely into the digital realm as a result of the pandemic. In recent months, London and Tokyo have signed an important free trade agreement, she pointed out. The chamber was on hand to support the roll-out of coronavirus vaccines to almost 3,000 BCCJ members, their families and friends through the vaccine centre set up by TKP Corporation, one of the firms nominated for the chamber’s Company of the Year award.

Ambassador Julia Longbottom CMG

BCCJ President David Bickle OBE

bccjacumen.com 15

BBA

Winners COMPANY OF THE YEAR Klein Dytham architecture UK-JAPAN PARTNERSHIP Ocado Group and AEON Group ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR Fei Fei Hu and Ayahi Suda

(Clarence Education Asia) DIGI-TECH INNOVATION Exscientia DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Unilever RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS AstraZeneca KK

Other notable events included the successful— albeit delayed—staging of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer, and the British community in Japan marking British Black History Month in October. The awards evening coincided with Glasgow hosting the critical UN Climate Change Conference. Women in leadership roles in business remains a key campaign focus for the chamber, with Hollie Pearne-Webb MBE addressing the members via video link from the UK about the importance and positive impact of the Women Athletes Business Network (WABN), set up by accounting giant Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY).

Company of the Year: From left: Klein Dytham architecture co-founders Astrid Klein, Yukinari Hisayama, Mark Dytham

Digi-Tech Innovation: Daisuke Tanaka of Exscientia

Pearce-Webb—who captained the British women’s hockey team to win a bronze medal in Tokyo, to add to the gold she won at the Rio Games in 2016—had high praise for the organisers of Tokyo 2020. “I don’t think anyone else could have pulled off the Games in those circumstances”, she said, “and the welcome we received was second to none, making the experience so special, something I for one will never forget”. Becoming a part of the WABN sisterhood has taken Pearce-Webb’s career in a different direction, she said, but it has allowed her to demonstrate “the transferrable skills in elite sports and the impact that they can have on the business world”.

And the winners are … The duty of whittling the 38 nominees down to the six winners fell to the panel of judges comprising Noel Thatcher MBE, a Paralympian who competed in Tokyo for Team GB; Carolyn Davidson, British consul-general in Osaka; Miwa Seki, Kathy Matsui and Yumiko Murakami, all general partners with MPower Partners; Hideo Tomita, managing director of Refinitiv Japan KK; Liza Aono, a presenter with Cool Japan TV; and Adrian Gillespie, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise. The seven eye-catching trophies were once again crafted by Kate Thompson, of the Ukishima Sculpture Studio, in Iwate Prefecture. In a video

Entrepreneur of the Year: Fei Fei Hu and Ayahi Suda (centre) of Clarence Education Asia

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Diversity, Equity And Inclusion: Unilver Japan’s Seiki Itoh and Sanjay Sachdeva

BBA

The seven eye-catching awards were once again crafted by Kate Thompson, of the Ukishima Sculpture Studio, in Iwate Prefecture. message, she said the void in the centre of each stone award had been made larger on purpose this year, to communicate that the “window of opportunity” brought about by the pandemic is larger today than in the past. The task of announcing the winners in each of the six award categories fell to Ambassador Longbottom, who took up the post in February, becoming the first female British ambassador to Japan, but one of 18 female ambassadors in the 25 capital cities that are considered Britain’s top overseas diplomatic missions.

on behalf of the company’s staff there, in Dundee and Osaka. No fewer than seven firms were in the running for the hotly contested Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Unilever was the winning nominee, thanks to a range of initiatives that have included gender and nationality balance in management, inclusion and support for LGBTQ+ people in the workplace, and the combatting of stereotypes and social norms. All the gambits have been introduced with the aim of creating a more inclusive society in Japan.

With anticipation building, the first award was for Digi-Tech Innovation and was open to any eligible company that has driven transformation through the delivery of effective digital or technolo gical innovation, services or solutions in Japan over the preceding 12 months. Exscientia emerged from the four-strong field to win the award, recognised for its successful application of artificial intelligence to the design of two of the world’s first three AI-designed drug molecules to go into clinical trials, in collaboration with Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd and the successful 2021 series D fund-raiser led by Softbank Vision 2 that preceded Exscientia’s IPO. Speaking from the company’s laboratories in Oxford, Chief Experience Officer Mark Swindells said it was “truly an honour” to receive the award

Unilever Japan General Manager Sanjay Sachdeva was on hand at the Embassy to accept the award. He said that the lack of diversity and inclusion is “entrenched in our society, and companies need to come together to solve this problem”. Seven businesses were shortlisted for Responsible Business award, with pharmac euticals giant AstraZeneca—a serial winner at the BBA—lifting the trophy. The biopharmaceutical enterprise has declared that it will achieve zero carbon emissions from its operations and ensure that its entire value chain is carbon negative by 2030, bringing forward decarbonisation plans by more than a decade. AstraZenaca’s non-profit coronavirus vaccine, jointly developed with the University of Oxford and produced in Japan, is contributing to local and

international communities. Accepting the award remotely, AstraZeneca Japan President Stefan Woxstrom said he was “proud of the team and what they have done with the vaccine in Japan”. Six organisations contested Entrepreneur of the Year, which went to Fei-Fei Hu and Ayahi Suda, the husband-and-wife co-founders of the education management company Clarence Education Asia. The organisation has launched a series of new British international schools, with the opening of Phoenix House International School in September. Expressing his gratitude to the chamber for its recognition, Hu said he hoped that, as indivi duals from a multicultural background, they will “become a platform for cultural exchanges” in the years to come. The award for Japan–UK Partnership was a fiercely contested race among seven firms, with the Ocado Group and Japan’s AEON Group recognised for advances that are set to transform the nature of online grocery retailing in Japan. David Hardiman-Evans, senior vice president for Ocado, said in a video link that he was “delighted” to accept the award for a “vital service” that is based on “the best of British technology and engineering and the heritage of Asia’s largest retailer”. The remit for the final and most prestigious award of the evening, Company of the Year, spelled out that nominees needed to show resilience, excellence and innovation across all aspects of their organisa tion in Japan, focusing on outstanding achievements over the past eighteen months.

Responsible Business: AstraZeneca Japan President Stefan Woxstrom and BCCJ Executive Director Lori Henderson

bccjacumen.com 17

BBA

Sponsors headline

gold

silver

bronze

The BCCJ was keen to express its thanks to headline sponsor and recruitment experts Robert Walters Seven enterprises from across the professional spectrum were put forward for the title. They are involved in a variety of areas, ranging from educa tion to energy, travel, recruitment and healthcare. The judges concluded that the 2021 winner would be Klyne Dytham architecture, for a year that has been nothing short of trailblazing. The company was in 2021 nominated for both the World’s Best Hospitality Building and the World’s Best Short Stay Hotel, as well as having been recognised around the world for its PechaKucha

thing of a surprise to get this award because there are a lot of other very deserving companies”.

show-and-tell format, which has pivoted online during the pandemic and seen more than 500 hybrid events held globally. As a result, PechaKucha was invited to take part in the COP26 meetings in Glasgow as a partner of the global #GetOnWithIt workshop initiative for children. Joint-founder Mark Dytham accepted the award online from Glasgow, expressing his gratitude to the judges and the chamber, and congratulating the other nominees. “It is a real honour to receive this award,” he said. “It has been a tough few years for all of us and it is just great to know that there is an organisation like the chamber that has your back. It is also some

stunning hotel packages by Andaz Tokyo, the Conrad, the Hilton, IHG properties, the Palace Hotel Tokyo, the Park Hyatt, the Shangri-La, the Edition in Toranomon, as well as Zentis Tokyo. Other prizes were given by The Kyoto Distillery, the Swan and Lion delicatessen and Titanic Whiskey. The tradition of the after party returned to the event this year, with guests meeting up at the Lobby Bar at The Tokyo EDITION hotel in Toranomon after departing the Embassy—and expressing high hopes that the 2022 edition of the most eagerly anticipated night of the British business community’s year will next be held in-person and without restrictions. All being well, it already promises to be quite a night to remember.

Until next time The BCCJ was keen to express its thanks to headline sponsor and recruitment experts Robert Walters, as well as gold sponsor IHG Hotels & Resorts, silver sponsors Jaguar-Land Rover and Nyetimber, and bronze sponsor Argentum Wealth. A dozen world-renowned firms also kindly donated prizes to the evening’s raffle, including

media partners

A number of firms also donated a selection of prizes for the raffle. Taiko drum performance on the lawn of the Ambassador's Residence at the British Embassy Tokyo

18 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

BBA

Judges NOEL THATCHER MBE British Paralympian Noel has represented Team GB at six consecutive Paralympic Games and won five gold medals, as well as breaking the 5,000 metres world record at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics. He was made an MBE in the 1997 New Year’s Honours for ‘Services to Athletics for Disabled People’ and was inducted into the England Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.

Noel first visited Japan when he was invited to the marathon tourna ment held in Miyazaki Prefecture in 1992. This event ignited his curiosity for Japanese culture and led him to study the language at The School of Oriental & African Studies. Ever since, for nearly 30 years he has been tremendously active and energetic in connecting the UK and Japan through numerous events related to sport and Japanese culture.

CAROLYN DAVIDSON British Consul-General, Osaka Carolyn joined the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in 1986 and has worked as Ambassador to Guatemala and Honduras (a job-share with her husband Tom Carter). She and Tom also shared the role of British High Commissioner to Zambia (a world first) from 2008 to 2012. She has also worked in Brussels, Bonn,

Bangkok and Bratislava. Carolyn previously served at the British Embassy Tokyo between 1988 and 1992, working as the Economic Attaché, and then as Private Secretary to the Ambassador. In August 2021, she took up her newest role as Consul-General in Osaka.

MIWA SEKI MPower Partners Miwa has 20 years of experience in

KATHY MATSUI MPower Partners Kathy is a former vice-chair of Goldman Sachs

YUMIKO MURAKAMI MPower Partners Yumiko is former head of the Organisation for

the financial industry, working in investment banking and equity capital markets. She is a prolific translator, having translated more than 50 busi ness publications and is an associate professor at Kyorin University.

Japan and Chief Japan Equity Strategist. She was ranked No. 1 in Japan Strategy by global B2B publisher Institutional Investor multiple times, and her ground-breaking “Womenomics” research spurred former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to promote gender diversity as part of the nation’s growth strategy.

Economic Co-operation and Development Tokyo Center, where she led discussions on economic policy issues with government and business leaders in Japan and the rest of Asia. Yumiko’s focus areas include corporate governance, ageing society, gender diversity, international trade and innovation.

HIDEO TOMITA Managing Director, Refinitiv Japan K.K. Hideo was appointed as Representative Director of Thomson Reuters Japan in 2012 and has kept the position. The entity’s name was changed to Refinitiv Japan in March 2019. Refinitiv became a part of the London Stock Exchange Group business in February 2021. Prior to that, he held senior positions in leading financial information and software companies. He is a

member of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives and the Japan Society of Monetary Economics. Hideo was appointed as Director of the Japan Investment Advisers Association in June 2019. He serves as a board member at The Organization of Global Financial City Tokyo and has a Bachelor of Law from Keio University.

LIZA AONO Presenter, Cool Japan TV Liza is a TV presenter and panellist for Japan’s long-running and popular NHK Cool Japan television show, on which she represents the UK. Her early career took her to the European Union and London as a researcher for a prominent MEP and this work led her to be featured in publications such as The Guardian, Financial Times and others. A football lover, she also worked for Arsenal FC hosting VIPs. After winning a prestigious scholarship she studied in China. In keeping with a long term tradition as a

former Miss Jamaica UK finalist, she has always promised to work towards world peace—with actual action. This interest led her to Rotary, and she became the President of the Rotaract Club of Shanghai, China. Liza studied consumer science in Liverpool then marketing at a business school in Oxford. She now lives in Japan with her husband (who is a Tokyo lad) and their mixed heritage twins who are young models for famous Japanese and international brands.

ADRIAN GILLESPIE Chief Executive, Scottish Enterprise Adrian took up post as chief executive in September 2021. Prior to this, Adrian was The University of Strathclyde’s first Chief Commercial Officer and member of its Executive Team. He oversaw the growth of extensive industry facing activities, centres and relationships as well as the development of innovative, place-based economic development projects including the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland and the Glasgow City Innovation District. Before joining Strathclyde, Adrian spent 16 years at Scottish Enterprise where he was a

member of the Executive Leadership Team and Managing director of Operations. While there, he led the organisation’s business support through account management of high growth companies, entrepreneurship development and high growth startup support, R&D and innovation support, as well as the Business Infrastructure division. He also held various roles in areas such as the creative industries, digital media, enabling technologies and energy and low carbon technologies.

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PUBLICITY

EARLY START BY ELEANOR LORAN HEAD OF PRIMARY SCHOOL

We pride ourselves on our child-directed, Reggio Emiliainspired environments.

he Early Years section of The British School in Tokyo (BST) offers an outstanding educa tional experience and the opportunity to be part of a school community that ends only when your child leaves for university. As a school, we value early childhood development and understand the importance that needs to be placed on the early years of schooling. Since learning begins at birth, high-quality early education and care have the potential to make an important and positive impact on the learning, development and wellbeing of young children and their daily lives. High-quality early education and childcare also have a positive long-term impact on children’s later learning and achievements. The key to that positive impact is quality. Staff with the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding are a crucial element of that quality. Talented staff In the Early Years section of BST, all the staff are early years trained, experienced and forward-thinking practitioners. They know the significance that needs to be placed in keeping up to date with recent and innovative pedagogies to provide the best personal ised learning opportunities for our youngest students. In addition, excellent pedagogical leadership is vital in providing the highest quality education. Our Primary Leadership Team comprises a Head of Years (Nursery and Reception), a Deputy Head of Primary (Nursery–Year 3) and the Head of Primary, all of whom have extensive experience in early child hood development. This ensures all members of staff

approach is based on the belief that the environment in which a child explores is the “third teacher”. The materials and resources we use in our indoor and are led by accomplished, committed leaders with a deep-rooted knowledge of a child’s early years. Our children enjoy a safe, happy and secure environment. They are supported in taking risks, thinking critically, and exploring through play. We follow the National Curriculum for England, Early Years Foundation Stage, with the children working towards achieving the Early Learning Goals by the time they leave Reception. The Early Years children at BST learn through a carefully planned blend of teacher-led and independent play-based activities, set up across our indoor and outdoor learning environments. We pride ourselves on our child-directed, Reggio Emilia-inspired environments that support oppor tunities for student-led enquiries. Image of the child At BST we value the knowledge and opinions of each child. A child is always viewed as a competent and capable learner with more than “100 communication languages” to choose from to display their learning.

outdoor environments inspire children to think critically and creatively. Documentation Each moment of your child’s day is filled with mean ingful learning experiences and carefully considered interactions. To understand how each child learns, all BST Early Years staff work diligently to document all aspects of the learning process. This can be done through a range of mediums: online learning journals, child-specific observations and children’s actual creations. They all help to share the learning process with parents and carers. Our vision for early childhood education is one where every child is able to experience high-quality care and education in a setting with early years trained, experienced and talented professionals. Once children leave our Early Years section of the school, they seamlessly enter the Primary school and then go on to our Secondary school. BST provides families and their children with not just a schooling experience, but an exceptional educational journey that sets them up for success into early adulthood.

The role of the teacher All the adults in the Early Years section play a critical role in the learning process as facilitators, who aim to recognise and support the endless possibilities. To further the learning process, teachers at BST listen, observe, enquire, document and work together to plan future experiences. Environment as a third teacher The learning spaces of the school are planned to be inviting, thought provoking and meet the children’s developmental needs. The Reggio Emilia

bccjacumen.com 21

The A-List of Recruitment

Envision is the preeminent provider of recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) services in Japan. Our integrated approach to hiring enables our clients to reach unsurpassed levels of recruitment success—both in terms of candidate quality and cost-efficiency. TIARA AWARDS: Best Workforce Solutions Recruitment Company of 2021

Envision Co., Ltd. Kudan Minami Terrace 9F 2-4-12 Kudan Minami, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0074 Ryan Yasunari, president and CEO 03-3868-2578 info@envision-jpn.com www.envision-jpn.com

We provide you with an exclusive team of seasoned corporate talent acquisition professionals that embeds itself in your organisation and recruits solely on your behalf, keeping your best interests in mind and helping you consistently outperform your hiring objectives. FIRM SPECIALISATION Envision’s mission is to help our clients create substantial value through sustainable improvements in their hiring performance, including: • Developing robust, on-demand talent pipelines • Significantly reducing recruitment agency spend • Creating a comprehensive and optimised candidate experience • Improving new-hire retention and workforce productivity • Enhancing employer brands

HirePlanner.com is a bilingual SaaS Recruiting Management System (Job Board Advertising, ATS and Agency Management System integrated) and Virtual Career Event Service provider designed to help companies recruit and attract top talent in Japan. Hireplanner was created to simplify and automate the hiring process and reduce the overall recruiting cost of businesses in Japan. HirePlanner's HR Tech solutions are available in both English and Japanese and include all essential features needed to recruit efficiently in Japan.

HirePlanner.com MAO Building 5F, 3-12-4 Kyobashi Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031 Fabien Brogard Cipriani, Founder & CEO 050-8012-8375 fabien@hireplanner.com http://hireplanner.com

FIRM SPECIALISATION • Job advertising and listing • Virtual career events • Employer branding content • Career website

• Application tracking • Agency management system • Automatic interview scheduling • Analytics

Headquartered in Tokyo, ReachExt is one of the leading recruitment and executive search firms, offering contingency recruitment services as well as RPO services in Japan and Asia–Pacific. We focus on helping our clients reach out to bilingual professionals, and help candidates meet their career aspirations. We work across all industry sectors, and our client spectrum includes established multinational firms, start-ups and those looking to enter the Japanese market. FIRM SPECIALISATION Contingency recruitment and RPO services in the following areas: ReachExt K.K. 5-12-11-903, Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004 Naoko Takahashi, managing partner 03-6453-0361 info@reachext.co.jp www.reachext.co.jp

22 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

Functions • Information technology • Sales and marketing • Finance • General management • Back office and human resources

Domains • Insurance • Banking • Finance and securities • Supply-chain and manufacturing

The A-List of Recruitment RGF Executive Search Japan is a leader in bilingual executive search and recruiting services. Since 1998, we have built an unparalleled track record of sourcing, attracting and securing the best talent for our clients, from start-ups to multinational corporations. As part of the Recruit Group, we have been a trusted partner on search assignments for C-suite and senior to mid-level management roles for more than 20 years. Our experienced consultants, based in Tokyo and Osaka, execute assignments with a proactive and targeted approach that presents our clients’ businesses and overall objectives effectively to qualified professionals. We are proud to have been recognised as Japan’s Executive Search Company of the Year on four occasions since 2014. RGF Executive Search Japan Toranomon Towers Office 22F 4-1-28 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001 Struan McKay, representative director and CEO 03-4563-1700 struan.mckay@rgf-executive.com www.rgf-executive.jp

FIRM SPECIALISATION • Technology • Digital media and services • Consumer goods and retail • Healthcare and life science • Real estate and property service • Industrial and manufacturing

• Financial services • Professional services • Finance and accounting • HR and GA • SCM • Legal and compliance

RGF Professional Recruitment Japan is part of the bilingual recruitment arm of Recruit Group, Asia’s largest recruiting and information services company. By combining the power and infrastructure of the Recruit brand with our wide-ranging international recruiting expertise, we are able to cover all business sectors from a functional perspective, attract the best bilingual Japanese candidates on the market and forge long-lasting relationships with market-leading clients. Through our wide-ranging resources and dedicated consultants, we want our clients to feel a tangible difference in the level of quality we can deliver compared to our competitors. RGF Professional Recruitment 6th Floor ThinkPark Tower 2-1-1 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-6006 Benjamin Cordier, managing director 03-6422-4400 benjamin.cordier@rgf-professional.com www.rgf-professional.jp

FIRM SPECIALISATION • Enterprise technology • Consumer technology • Consulting and professional services • Financial services • Healthcare and lifescience • B2C • Sales and marketing

• Industrial and manufacturing • Energy and infrastructure • Robotics • F&A • HR and GA • Legal, compliance and risk • Supply chain and procurement

Specialized Group provide recruitment solutions that include Retained and Executive Search for the international business community in Tokyo. We are committed to becoming the recruiter of choice for consultants, clients, and candidates. We aim to place people in positions they will succeed in. Our values of understanding people, working together, sharing success and delivering results encourage a focus on facilitating beneficial career moves. FIRM SPECIALISATION Specialized Group KDX Ebisu Building 7F 4-3-8 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0013 Professional Recruitment Services in Japan 03-4520-6800 contact_us@specialized-group.com www.specialized-group.com/en

• Alternative investment management • Asset management • Banking • Finance & accounting • Sales & marketing • Human resource • Healthcare

• Legal & compliance • Retail & consumer goods • Software engineering • Data science & AI • Technology • Fintech

bccjacumen.com 23

EVENT

TALINT INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL RECRUITMENT AWARDS BY MEGAN CASSON

o celebrate the best of the best within the Japanese recruitment industry, digital marketing agency Custom Media and talent

by sponsors. After they had been announced, the winners each received a bottle of Champagne Monopole Heidsieck. And for the runners up?

recruiter TALiNT Partners teamed up to host the annual TALiNT International Annual Recruitment Awards (TIARAs) ceremony. The awards programme, formerly known as the Recruitment International (RI) Awards, was relaunched under the new name after the 2019 merger of TALiNT Partners and Recruitment International. Global recognition On 17 November, nominated recruitment firms and a large audience of interested parties all turned on their computers and joined the virtual ceremony, hosted from Tokyo by radio DJ Madoka Kato and from London by David Head, director at TALiNT International. The ceremony was kick-started with a welcome speech from the two hosts. “We’re delighted”, said Head, “to see you all here tonight to celebrate the best of the best from the world of recruiting. The past 18 months have been truly tumultuous for us in recruitment. The market now has never been hotter, and everybody is working harder than ever. So, when we rebooted the Recruitment International Awards as the TALiNT

A bottle of Gordonne Vérité Rose.

International Annual Recruitment Awards back in 2019, we wanted to set a new industry standard”. Kato elaborated on this. “The TIARAs”, she said, “are now the largest global programme to recognise excellence across the four key audiences of the talent ecosystem: talent solutions, talent tech, in-house talent acquisition and, of course, recruitment. It is a pleasure to recognise those championing recruitment as a professional service and demonstrating true excellence, game-changing innovation and pandemic-defying growth”. Sponsors and goodies While the event was fully virtual, the firms nomi nated did not miss out on an in-person celebration. Gathered in their respective offices, TIARAs nominees enjoyed boxes of nibbles, and products from Chateau la Gordonne, Vranken Pommery, Champagne Monopole Heidsieck Co., Fever-Tree, Whisk-e Ltd, as well as Irish whiskeys from The Busker, which had been delivered by the awards organisers. Firms shortlisted for an award all received boxes containing bottles of alcoholic beverages provided

24 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

Take home the crown The Media and Digital Recruitment Company of the Year award went to renowned recruitment firm RGF Professional. Accepting the award was Hidetaro Kono. He noted: “We are very honoured. This means a lot to me. I joined RGF five years ago and I attended this event in 2018 and 2019. I was dreaming about winning one of them in the future. I’m thankful to all the clients and the candidates that support RGF”. The award for the Best Healthcare and Life Sciences Recruitment Company was won by SThree K.K. Managing Director Chris Reilly said: “This is the second time we have picked up this award in the last three years. So, it’s a real privilege. Our life sciences business has been our fastestgrowing area of business since 2019. It’s really nice to be recognised for that again”. Both the Technical and Industrial Recruitment Company of the Year, as well as the Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Company of the Year awards went to British recruitment firm Robert Walters. As Jorge Eiki Nakajima, director of the firm’s Industry Division noted: “Obviously, this is thanks to the efforts of our consultants and managers that work very hard every day”. Rachna Ratra, a director at the firm, commented on the diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts of the company: “Even though we’ve made some really good progress over the years, D&I for us is a never ending work in progress. We will continue to evolve and champion this cause for our industry”. Boyd & Moore Executive Search took home the award for the Best IT and Technology Recruitment

EVENT

TIARAs Winners Media and Digital Recruitment Company of the Year:

RGF Professional

Best Healthcare and Life Sciences Recruitment Company:

SThree K.K

Technical and Industrial Recruitment Company of the Year:

Robert Walters

Best IT and Technology Recruitment Company:

Boyd & Moore Executive Search Best Workforce Solutions Recruitment Company of the Year:

Envision Co., Ltd.

Executive Search Company of the Year:

Apex K.K. From top left: Hidetaro Kono, Simon Elsom, Jorge Eiki Nakajima, Eloise Sutton-Kirkby, Chris Reilly, Alex Zoboli, Matt Nicholls, Victor Nakwanma, Hayato Sato, Rachna Ratra, Eric But, Willam Kawabata Hall, Arlo Brown, Steven Gouldbourn, Keith Dickson

Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Company of the Year:

Robert Walters Leader of the Year:

Firms nominated did not miss out on an in-person celebration. Company, which was one of the most hotly contested categories, celebrating the successful work of those in the massive space that is technology recruitment. The award for the Best Workforce Solutions Recruitment Company of the Year went to Envision Co., Ltd. The gong is in recognition of recruiters who offer multifaceted talent solutions—otherwise known as recruitment process outsourcing. Ryan Yasunari, president and chief executive officer of Envision, had a few words to say. “I’d like to thank all of our amazing employees here. None of this would have been possible without their relentless commitment and the exceptional results we deliver for clients. Also, I’d like to thank our trusted clients and business partners and, of course, the recruitment award judges. The Executive Search Company of the Year went to Apex K.K. Keith Dickson, director at Apex K.K., said: “This is a great honour for everyone here at Apex. First of all, thank you very much to the whole team. We’ve been working really hard with all of our clients and candidates. So, thank you, everyone”. The Growth Company of the Year award went to Cornerstone Recruitment Japan. The recognition marks an impressive year of operations during the pandemic. Alex Zobol, co-founder and managing director of Cornerstone made a few comments.

“We started in an office with two people in the middle of a pandemic not too long ago. Now we’re pushing 50 people, so I think that qualifies as pretty good growth. Watch this space. There is more to come but we’re delighted to win the award. Thanks so much, everyone. See you next year in a bigger category”. Vincere Eloise Sutton-Kirkby, developer of growth and cofounder of the Robot Operating System platform Vincere, announced the winners for the highly anticipated awards named after the platform. The Vincere Best Small Recruitment Company to Work for award went to Evander Group K.K. “I want to thank the TIARAs team”, said Will Hall, co-founder and managing director, “as well as our team, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in person next year”. The Vincere Best Large Recruitment Company to Work for award went to SThree K.K., with Reilly appearing on screen to accept this highly regarded award. “We’re really grateful for even being considered for this one. Thanks to all of the team, of course”. Leader awards A special mention and awards were also given to two outstanding individuals who have contributed greatly to their firms and the Japanese recruitment industry as a whole.

Hayato Sato

senior director at i6TG The Vincere Best Small Recruitment Company to Work for:

Evander Group K.K.

The Vincere Best Large Recruitment Company to Work for:

SThree K.K.

Outstanding Recruiter of the Year:

Simon Elsom

director at RGF Professional Growth Company of the Year:

Cornerstone Recruitment Japan

Leader of the Year went to Hayato Sato, senior director at i6TG. “Thank you so much”, he said, “for this great honour. I would like to thank the judges, and I want to share my current happiness with our clients”. Outstanding Recruiter of the Year was awarded to Simon Elsom, director at RGF Professional. “I’d like to start with Ben Cordier, the team, and everyone here at RGF Professional Recruitment for the nomination and an amazing 10 years. To be—to have been—a part of RGF’s growth and everything we’ve achieved over the past 10 years has been truly amazing. Thank you to the Recruit Group, all of the team, and all of my team who work so hard every day and are so dedicated to what they do. It’s a real honour to receive this award”.

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PUBLICITY

THE FUTURE OF RECRUITING RPO firm provides expert insight into Japanese hiring market

he recruitment industry in Japan is an interesting one. Cultural norms, an anti quated system of lifetime employment, strict language proficiency requirements and stringent labour laws, among other factors, have made Japan one of the hardest markets in which to attract and hire talent. Thus, when it comes to finding talent, Japan is one of the nations that most heavily depends on recruitment agencies. The plethora of challenges means there is a need for multifaceted services, and recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) firms provide just that. Talent acquisition RPO is a business model that has a client firm transfer all or part of its recruitment process to a consulting firm. This helps to reduce recruitment costs, while improving speed and quality of hire. The service has proved successful in North Amer ica and Europe, but it has taken time to be accepted and adopted in Japan, although many firms now have recognised the model’s value. BCCJ ACUMEN spoke with RPO firm Envision Co., Ltd.’s president and chief executive officer Ryan Yasunari about the increase in demand for RPO services, and how this is impacting hiring in Japan. “Companies in Japan have one of the highest— if not the highest—dependence on third-party recruitment agencies as their source of candidates. Local talent acquisition teams are often told by Asia– Pacific or HQ leadership that the amount spent on agency placements is too high and that they should be able to find their own people through alternative methods, such as direct sourcing and job boards, among other alternatives”. Yasunari gave some insight into pain points about which clients lament when it comes to tradi tional recruitment methods. Many clients, he noted, say that agencies either provide too many or too few candidates. “Talent acquisition is not something that can be taken lightly or delegated to anybody or any firm that is not 100 percent aligned with the goals and needs of the organisation. “RPO partners create a robust candidate pipeline for clients by crafting a customised talent acquisition

26 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

RPO partners create a robust candidate pipeline for clients. strategy comprising diverse sources of hire in order to reduce agency usage and strike a healthier balance”, Yasunari explained. Envision’s vision When asked specifically about Envision, Yasunari said that the firm has taken the traditional global RPO business model and tailored it to suit the Japanese context. “Recruitment methods from outside Japan do not work well if not properly adjusted and localised to the Japanese market. We have been able to not only localise best hiring practices from around the world, but also lead the charge in the adoption of true RPO here in Japan. “We work very closely with senior leadership at our client companies to make sure they understand a recruitment landscape that is constantly changing and evolving, thereby helping them to identify the most appropriate solutions for their situations. Envision’s goal is to make sure that the companies with which we work not only hit but exceed their hiring objectives”. When asked about the success of RPO as a practice, Yasunari explained that the flexibility and scalability of the approach appeals to firms of all sizes. “It is tailored very precisely to their recruit ment needs and hiring volume”.

Recent win As the demand for RPO has been rising in Japan, Envision has been finding success in the market. The firm recently won Best Workforce Solutions Recruitment Company of the Year at the TALiNT International Annual Recruitment Awards (TIARAs)—previously known as the Recruitment International Awards, but more commonly referred to as the RI Awards. When asked why he thought the firm was successful, Yasunari emphasised the importance of building a foundation of trust with clients. “At the end of the day, delivering results and providing excellent customer service is our number one priority. Truly partnering with our clients and building trust allows us to work in an advisory capacity. We are a 100% RPO firm, and our dedication to doing the right thing for our clients shows. We are confident that we deliver support beyond what has traditionally been available”, said Yasunari. As recruiters navigate the industry post-pandemic, Envision will continue to lead the charge in RPO adoption in Japan, providing clients with support beyond what has typically been possible.

envision-jpn.com

TECH

VIRTUAL GUARDIAN Kyushu schools test Liverpudlian teacher’s child abuse app BY JULIAN RYALL

he short life and tragic death of 10-year old Mia Kurihara horrified the nation in 2019. While others wrung their hands at the killing of a child aged 10 by her own father and the failure of a system that is meant to protect the most vulnerable in society, Caitlin Puzzar set about trying to tackle the problem of abuse in Japan.

Kumamoto Prefecture for people who had an idea for a project that could help society, but lacked the knowledge and contacts to turn that idea into a product or service. Building on a concept put forward by Puzzar, her team developed an app that children could use to safely inform authorities that they were being abused. The app would also protect their identities

naires on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. At the most basic level, the app inquires how a child is feeling and whether he or she has eaten breakfast that morning, had a bath and seeks replies to some other questions about basic care. The more in-depth monthly questionnaire is designed to elicit responses that indicate whether a child is the victim of abuse. The app also uses a

App inspiration Originally from the Mossley Hill district of Liverpool, 26-year-old Puzzar is an assistant language teacher with the JET Programme. She has been based in Kumamoto City since arriving in Japan in July 2016. Very soon after entering the Japanese education system, she began to notice serious deficien cies in how data on problems that children are experiencing—from bullying to neglect—was being collected and stored, as well as the people who had access to the sensitive information. “I was in the staff room in one of the schools where I teach and I noticed that a stack of the written questionnaires that the children have to do now had just been left in a pile on a desk and were there for anyone to see”, she said. “Information like that is extremely sensitive and private and should not be so easily accessible”. Puzzar, who has a degree in criminology from Keele University, England, subsequently took part in a two-day course organised by the Japan Institute for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship and

from school officials who did not need to have access to the data and, critically, conceal answers from parents and other possible abusers.

colour-coded scale, with a yellow, orange or red alert displayed for any child that needs protection. The information is carefully protected, with only senior school officials and school healthcare workers able to access all the details. The system also incorporates an SOS button for a child to press for immediate assistance.

Grounds for action The death of Mia Kurihara served to crystalise the need for such a system. On repeated occasions, Mia had filled in ques tionnaires at school—that she believed were confi dential—in which she stated she was being abused by her father over an extended period of time. Child services in Chiba Prefecture took her into protective care, but handed her back to her parents one month later. Officials at her school also gave in to her father and provided him with a copy of Mia’s questionnaire. She died in January 2019 after being denied food and sleep and forced to take repeated cold showers at the family home. Her father, Yuichiro Kurihara, 43, was found guilty of causing her death and sentenced to a 16-year prison term in March 2020. An appeal against the sentence, on the grounds that it was too severe, was rejected in March. Nine months after Mia’s death, Puzzar travelled to Tokyo to explain her idea to an angel investor, who immediately saw the potential and snapped it up. She worked with software developers in the early part of last year before requesting permission from the Kumamoto City Board of Education to test the app, named Guardian, in the three schools where she works. At present, about 1,000 students in a junior high school and two elementary schools are putting the system through its paces. How it works Pupils are assigned randomly generated individual IDs and passwords to log in and complete question

Push back Puzzar admits that she has come up against a degree of resistance from fellow teachers on the grounds that the app suggests that they are not doing their job properly, but the city board of education has been supportive. Most importantly, she said, children appear to be using the app and it has already identified potential cases of previously unknown issues and abuse, enabling authorities to step in. The original idea has already undergone a number of modifications and updates, with Puzzar expressing hope that the local education authority will approve its deployment in about 40 junior high schools and 90 elementary schools across Kumamoto City from the start of the new year in April. Puzzar hopes to continue to refine the app and, potentially, take it to the rest of Japan and even other countries. When her JET placement comes to an end, she hopes to work for a childfocused organisation such as Save the Children. But ultimately Puzzar would like to be involved in child protection work in the UK for the National Crime Agency. “I’m really pleased with how it is working out, and if the app only helps a few children in difficult situations, then it will have been worth it”, she said.

bccjacumen.com 27

PUBLICITY

TRULY UNIQUE Harrow International School Appi Japan The first and only of its kind in Asia

he word unique is anything but. It’s every where. You’ll see it on billboards and banner ads; you’ll hear it blasted out on TV and radio: ‘Our unique product, our unique approach, our unique school’. In reality, few things are truly unique. Uniqueness is difficult to achieve and hard to maintain. One school that can claim to be unique, however, is Harrow International School Appi, Japan. Learning without limits in nature Set amongst the beautiful mountains of Iwate Prefecture, Harrow Appi combines outstanding academics and holistic education with full boarding and stunning Japanese nature. One of Japan’s premier ski resorts, a 36-hole golf course, mountain bike and running trails, 18 tennis courts and the school’s own indoor swimming pool are all available to the students. In this sublime natural environment, and with such great facilities on their doorstep, Harrow Appi

28 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

Harrow Appi will offer a British curriculum, preparing students for IGCSE and A Level examinations that leads to top universities students are inspired to do more and be more than they ever thought possible. Mirroring the approach of Harrow School in the UK, the setting provides for a carefully curated balance of academic challenge and physical endeavour. Harrow Appi provides its students with a commit ment to holistic education; dedicated and talented students and staff; a challenging outdoor programme that includes skiing, mountain biking, expeditioning and other winter and summer sports; and strong academic results and university placements. A school that offers all these things together—all while enjoy ing the winter season—is unique in Asia.

White season Winter is one of four beautiful seasons that Harrow Appi enjoys, but it’s a very special one. Whether the student is experiencing snow for the first time or is a keen snowboarder, a highly competitive ski racer, or simply wants to enjoy spectacular star-filled winter nights, Appi’s white season offers something for everyone. An alpine race academy caters for elite skiers and snowboarders; snowshoeing and winter moun taineering challenges the more adventurous. With lift access just a short distance from the campus, Harrow Appi transforms the school’s robust physical education curriculum into a comprehensive winter sports programme that can provide for the youngest to the oldest and from the most experienced to complete beginners. All are taught how to safely travel in the snow country, including avalanche awareness training. Harrow students will also be able to enjoy the beauty of the green season, which runs from April

PUBLICITY

to October. Surrounding woodland and hills will give students a chance to take part in hiking and mountain biking activities—not to forget fishing and regular visits to a local farm. The green season also allows for students to enjoy the fantastic facilities, such as a 36-hole golf course, mountain bike trails, an indoor swimming pool and 18 tennis courts.

Distinctively British Over the past three decades, Harrow School has exported its renowned educational approach beyond the shores of the UK, with Asia International School Limited (AISL) now operating nine Harrow International Schools in Thailand and across China, including Hong Kong. The school’s founding Head, Michael Farley, has previously led four international schools, including the British School in Tokyo and Harrow Bangkok. Naturally, and in keeping with its namesake, Harrow Appi will offer a British curriculum, preparing students for IGCSE and A Level examinations that leads to top universities. Catering for students aged 11 to 18 (Year 7 to 13) and, as a full boarding school, Harrow Appi closely mirrors the experience of studying at Harrow School in the UK. At capacity, the

and observe natural phenomenon firsthand— lakeside habitats for instance, or astronomical study, or the forces involved in skiing. Creative students, inspired by the environment, can produce extraordinary works of visual art, music, dance and drama. Personalised support for studies is also on offer at Harrow. The institution’s Close Personal Tutoring methods have proved to be highly beneficial, with relationships expected to form between students and their house master / mistress, house tutors and their teachers. These relationships will also aid the students’ personal and social development; the whole child is nurtured and developed. Whether studying physics or skiing atop fresh snow, academic excellence goes hand-in-hand with a profound connection to nature and adventurous

school will accommodate 912 boarders. Students from a wide range of countries will enjoy comfortable boarding houses—a home away from home. Taking advantage of the environment, learning at Harrow Appi takes place in classrooms and in nature. Science students, for example, have immediate access to the natural world; they can conduct experiments outdoors

sporting pursuits, preparing Harrow Appi students to become leaders of tomorrow. A truly unique educational experience.

If you would like to experience the one-ofa-kind Harrow Appi offering and the white season for yourself, the school will soon be holding a series of winter activities. For more details, please visit: https://bit.ly/3FCuiRz

Harrow Appi students will develop a lifelong affinity for the great outdoors

bccjacumen.com 29

BCCJ EVENT

BLACK HISTORY MONTH BCCJ collaborates with the University of Oxford on first Black History Month event BY MEGAN CASSON

“The task force aims to build a wider range of activities”.

his was the first year that the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) celebrated Black History Month. To mark the important occasion—and the BCCJ’s dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion—the BCCJ cohosted an event with the University of Oxford Japan

Malcolm X Nepaulsingh kicked off the event by asking Ntenda

office to discuss the significance of Black people’s contributions to society and business in the UK and Japan, and why inclusion is key for successful organisations in 2021 and beyond. The event took place on 27 October and was introduced by Alison Beal, director of the University of Oxford Japan Office and vice president of the Executive Committee at the BCCJ. The speakers consisted of University of Oxford PhD candidate in Japan Warren A. Stanislaus, former Oxford student Dr Louis Ntenda and Chimidi Okpalauko, a theology and religion student at Pembroke College and vice president of the Oxford African Caribbean Society (ACS). The event was moderated by a member of BCCJ’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Taskforce and Excom, James Nepaulsingh.

about how he managed to bring African American Muslim minister and human rights activist Malcolm X to talk at the Oxford Union in 1964. Ntenda began by explaining Malcolm X’s “frame of mind” when he visited. “Two events had happened in 1964: his visit to Mecca in April and September, and his travels through Africa from July to November. These events had a profound effect on his religion, his politics, his views on white people and race and his self-image”, explained Ntenda. “He had completed his conversion from being a Black Muslim to embracing Sunni Islam. His politics changed as he was no longer exposed to a separate homeland for blacks in North America— he no longer saw whites as incorrigible racists. He thought he could share the same space because white America was capable of change. He also

Alison Beal

30 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

Dr Louis Ntenda

believed that the white youth of America would be the engines of change”. This belief and hope he seemingly placed in the white youth encouraged him to engage with future leaders. “The president of the Oxford Union for Michaelmas (autumn) term in 1964 was Eric Abrams, a Jamaican Rhodes scholar. He was determined to get Malcolm X invited before he left office. So, that was why it was so rushed. I arrived in the first week of October and by November, every thing was ready and the BBC had agreed to finance the project”. Race equality Okpalauko spoke about the steps Oxford is taking to create a more inclusive environment. She discussed her role in the new Race Equality Task Force at the institution. “It's an accumulation of students, stakeholders and staff at the university from different backgrounds. The task force aims to build a wider range of activities because, as some of you guys may be aware, Oxford is a collegiate system. So, colleges do their own

James Nepaulsingh

BCCJ EVENT

thing, and the university oversees it. Essentially, the Race Equality Task Force aims to bring more colleges together under the university and push forward for change. Okpalauko explained how the last year has gone

things that we overlook—one thing that has been overlooked is staff diversity. Having that on the agenda is important”. Afro-Japanese studies

impressions of Black encounters and what comes to mind. He explained that many of the responses were, for example, the famous tennis player Naomi Osaka, and the Black Lives Matter protests because there were some in Tokyo. “They were quite consistently coming up with themes that were centred on the present-day— present-day individuals, events, or issues of racism and tension between Black people and Japan. “I think that is one of the reasons why I set up this course. To show that there's been a long

for the new organisation, and her role specifically. “We held open events, interviews and focus sessions to accumulate research that we could put forward to the council. I advise mainly on the student experience. We cover things such as undergraduate access, which is a big thing. Other divisions cover things such as staff diversity, which is an important thing which is often overlooked”, she explained. Nepaulsingh asked Okpalauko about how she feels the Race Equality Task Force has done in its first year in action. “I think it’s been great so far, and it’s a great step in the right direction. We are now acknowledging the fact that there are different experiences at Oxford and some experiences are harder than others. So, I think the Race Equality Taskforce has been great at pushing for that. It has also been highlighting

British academic and researcher, Warren A. Stanislaus, is an alumnus of the International Christian University in Tokyo, and currently a PhD candidate at the University of Oxford. He previously gained a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Japanese from the University of Oxford’s Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, before returning to Japan and working at the British Council’s Tokyo office for a year. Stanislaus was also a researcher at the Asia Pacific Institute of Research, a Tokyobased think tank Nepaulsingh asked Stanislaus about a course he set up at Rikkyo University’s Global Liberal Arts Program that examines the past, present and future of Afro-Japanese encounters. He began by explaining that, when he first started teaching at Rikkyo University, he asked his students their

history of Black and Japanese encounters, dating back to the 16th century with the African samurai, Yasuke. Throughout the 19th century, there was Commodore Matthew Perry and his black ships— he also had Black bodies that he brought on those ships as well. Going into the 20th century, famous African American intellectuals like W. E. B. Du Bois was talking about Japan, as a champion of the darker races. “I mean, the middle of the 20th century, when you have the Black GI soldiers, living in Japan, marrying Japanese women. There are so many instances of connections. “So, that is the main purpose of the course. To show all these things that have happened in the past, in the present, and to imagine what the future could look like”.

“There's been a long history of Black and Japanese encounters, dating back to the 16th century with the African samurai, Yasuke”.

Warren A. Stanislaus

Chimidi Okpalauko

bccjacumen.com 31

REVIEW

PHOTO: SEBASTIAN DERUNGS

COLLISION COURSE Carlos Ghosn and the Culture Wars That Upended an Auto Empire BY PHIL ROBERTSON

The work made the longlist of the 2021 Porchlight Business Book Awards in the Narrative & Biography category.

o-authored by journalists Hans Greimel and William Sposato, Collision Course presents the dramatic story of former Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn’s fall from grace, arrest, detention and dramatic escape from Japan. The book is an exhaustive study of the case, placing it in a wider context of the history of Japan’s economic and industrial relations with the West, the recent evolution of the automotive industry, the 150-year-old Franco–Japanese commercial relation ship, as well as the history of Japanese business scandals and cultural clashes between Japan and Western nations. Meticulously researched and packed with fascinating and detailed information, the book paints a vivid picture of a dour but relentlessly driven, dynamic executive who rescued the flag ship Japanese carmaker Nissan from the verge of insolvency in the early 2000s. It relates how Ghosn successfully crafted an alliance among Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, serving as chairman and CEO of each company, and as chairman and CEO of the alliance overall. Climbing the ladder Ghosn rose to cult hero status in Japan after spear heading Nissan’s remarkable recovery, which was underpinned by a cross-shareholding arrangement in which Renault acquired a controlling stake in the Japanese automaker. Ghosn’s vision was to utilise the economies of scale and synergies made possible by the three-way collaboration to increase combined global market share and to lead the way on the development of new types of automobiles, such as electrified and self-driving vehicles. On his arrival in Japan in 1999—complete with his own 30-strong handpicked executive team— Ghosn devised and implemented a Nissan Revival Plan that involved relentless cost-cutting through lay-offs and plant closures. He also took steps to unwind Nissan from the traditional keiretsu system of intertwined cross-shareholdings with affiliated and subsidiary companies. This had underpinned Japan’s post-war economic resurgence, but proved

32 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

Such was his success that, in 2006, he was knighted for services to economic ties between Japan and the UK. He had potentially saved thousands of jobs at Nissan’s UK production plant in Sunderland. a drag on profitability in times of recession. Instead, he instituted a system of merit-based promotion. While anathema to the prevailing Japanese business culture, these measures nevertheless undeniably achieved positive results. Such was his success that, in 2006, he was knighted for services to economic ties between Japan and the UK. He had potentially saved thousands of jobs at Nissan’s UK production plant in Sunderland. Downfall As the co-authors recount, however, there were two issues that ultimately brought Ghosn down. Firstly, factions within Nissan chafed at the possibility that the three companies might be merged into a single corporate entity, robbing Nissan of its identity and control over its own destiny. Secondly, Ghosn firmly believed that, as the architect and steward of Nissan’s turnaround, he was entitled to a level of compensation in line with the stratospheric amounts paid to US automotive CEOs—particularly as General Motors had tried to lure him away from Nissan in 2009. When Renault extended his CEO contract by four years in 2018, the French company charged him with the task of making the alliance “irreversible”, a mandate that stoked Japanese fears of a fullon takeover. Meanwhile, conscious of sensibilities in both Japan and France regarding excessive executive compensation, and following a 2010 change in

BCCJ ACUMEN has an autographed copy of this book to give away. To apply, please send an email by 15 December to: publisher@custom-media.com Winner will be picked at random.

Japanese business law that required increased public transparency, Ghosn and his team had sought ways to conceal or defer his actual remuneration. With his dramatic arrest and detention in 2018, Ghosn’s case became an international cause celèbre that shone a vivid spotlight on the harshness of the Japanese justice system and highlighted the precarious situation of anyone unlucky enough to be arrested and detained in Japan. After Ghosn’s daring escape to Beirut, Lebanon, from Osaka airport (concealed in a large music speaker case), Japanese Minister of Justice Masako Mori unintentionally underscored Japan’s unfortunate reputation for “hostage justice” and lack of due process when she stated that Ghosn must return to Tokyo to “prove his innocence”. Last words The authors are somewhat equivocal in their conclu sions regarding the true nature of events. Is Ghosn’s narrative accurate when he blames a Nissan cabal working with the Japanese government and prosecu tors to frame him? Or is Nissan’s claim correct when they say that Ghosn was a greedy CEO out to line his own pockets? The authors do emphasise the drastic contrast between the company’s fortunes with Ghosn at the helm and its parlous state both before and after. The book has its quirks—a few quotations have been rather literally and unnaturally translated, slang expressions occasionally intrude upon the otherwise formal writing style, and the authors occasionally veer off at a tangent, describing events of only marginal relevance. On balance, however, the book is a fascinating, detailed and well-presented account of the entire Ghosn–Nissan saga, which includes numerous quotations from key players, as well as extracts from an interview with Ghosn himself, from his safe haven in Beirut.

REVIEW

MIND OVER SALES Mindful leadership, limitless sales and invincible teamwork BY ROBERT HELDT

ales are integral to the success of any business. No matter how amazing products and services may be, they do not and can not sell them selves. Businesses the world over are filled with examples of leaders and founders who, with a strong sales background, achieve exceptional results as they apply their phenomenal sales skills.

five basic elements of nature: earth, fire, water, wind and air. He provides thought-provoking quotes from world leaders and anecdotes of his personal experiences in Japan, where he has been doing business for more than 30 years. From interviewing tips and the art of securing successful sales leader ship positions, to hiring, firing and building high-

However, the ones who can sustain such results are great leaders. They have mastered the art of knowing themselves better through the practice of mindfulness, and have leveraged this ability to get buy-in from others in all situations.

performing sales teams, he highlights what one must do to master the practice of mindfulness, which, when harnessed, brings true breakthrough in sales leadership.

Literary reference I have known Darren McKellin for more than 10 years. He introduced me to the world of feng shui, the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang and the importance of practicing balance in our daily lives, be it at home or at work. So, when he told me about his book Mind Over Sales, I was eager to read it and discover his secrets to success. In his book, McKellin masterfully outlines the concept of mindfulness, drawing on two wellknown classic works: The Art of War, by Chinese general, military strategist, writer and philosopher Sun Tzu (544 BC–496 BC) and The Book of Five Rings, by swordsman, philosopher, strategist

Available on Amazon (¥1,073) and Kindle (¥595). BCCJ ACUMEN has an autographed copy of this book to give away. To apply, please send an email by 15 December to: publisher@custom-media.com Winner will be picked at random.

and writer Miyamoto Musashi (1584–1645). Both books, known for the military strategies of their day, contain approaches that have since become management principles, guiding businesses and business leaders worldwide. Just as in The Book of Five Rings, McKellin skilfully balances each chapter of his book with the

McKellin masterfully outlines the concept of mindfulness.

Chapter by chapter Mind Over Sales is an easy read. In each chapter the author recommends specific activities that quickly could be put into practice and produce success. The earth chapter emphasizes the power of grounding oneself through self-awareness and building a strong, stable mindset. The fire chapter highlights the fact that passion, when mobilised, can not only motivate us and our teams to succeed, but can also help us handle conflicts and tactfully resolve problems. The need to quickly adapt in this rapidly changing world is navigated in the water chapter. It underlines the need to use clear communication and know when remaining silent is the best course of action. Wind, in its chapter, draws attention to the need for understanding people; the importance of practicing humility to guide decision-making when doing business, hiring or firing; and the power of quick action that can make or break a business. And finally, the air chapter concludes with tips on achieving your personal zen and devising a guiding philosophy on how to approach life. The way you look, communicate and act has a big impact on how you are perceived as a leader. By following McKellin’s suggested activities and mastering the techniques in this book, you can train yourself to be a successful sales and business leader. Good luck!

bccjacumen.com 33

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SOUND ASLEEP Tokyo-based Scot pens children’s book BY MEGAN CASSON

or parents—particularly new ones— children’s bedtime can be a source of stress. Younger children sometimes struggle, not wanting to be left alone in their room or simply unable to fall asleep. For Rachel Ferguson, this was the case with her daughter. As she refused to doze off, Ferguson looked for different ways to try and gently lull her to sleep at night. Then, an idea hit her, after she had exhausted many options. Gugu and Penfin Sleep Reading is a time-tested way to help a child fall asleep. However, reading a single book once some times isn’t enough. After trying several different books, Ferguson found a few stories that, when read in soothing tones many times in a row, would finally see her daughter off to a peaceful sleep.

The book is named after the two main characters and relates their adventures. “Every parent knows that children love repeti tion”, said Ferguson. “I had just finished putting my daughter to bed, and had been reading her a book. I thought to myself ‘I’m pretty sure I can write a more effective one myself’”. With that, the manuscript for Gugu and Penfin Sleep was born. The book is named after the two main characters and relates their imaginary adventures. It comes with an audio file—accessible via QR code on the back of the book—of Ferguson reading the story to soothing background sounds. “The idea is that you read the book to your child a couple of times, and they familiarise themselves with the story. Then you can try and exit the room by putting on the audio file and, because they’ve been reading the book with you, in a way, you’re leaving a part of yourself—your presence—in the room”, she explained.

Ryozan Park So, how did the project start? A few days after writing the manuscript, Ferguson got an email from talented Japanese illustrator–designer duo, Pompette. They asked if Ferguson required any branding for the preschool at Ryozan Park, the firm that she co-founded with her husband, Nori Takezawa. Ryozan Park is a British Chamber of Commerce in Japan member firm that owns and runs co-working spaces, private offices, a gallery, event spaces, and an English preschool—all of which are in the Tokyo neighbourhoods of Sugamo or Otsuka. The firm started in 2011 and has been growing and succeeding ever since. “I was brought up in a small village in Scotland, with a population of fewer than 2,000 people. I never imagined I would be raising kids in a city, especially one as big as Tokyo. Carving out a village-style existence for our family was really important to me”. Ferguson’s husband came back from living in the US shortly after the 2011 tsunami, which was when the initial need to start Ryozan Park began. “There was a real desire for human connection. And my husband’s family has been in the Sugamo neighbourhood and involved in the local commu nity for more than 100 years. So it was about reviving our community, which is now buzzing with entre preneurs, young professionals and small businesses”. Communal influence Ferguson emphasised the importance of helping the local communities and the role of family-style networks, adding that the traditional nuclear

Ferguson with her husband Nori Takezawa in Sugamo

bccjacumen.com 35

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Ryozan Park English Preschool

family—a married couple with children—is not working. “The nuclear family is one of the worst ideas in society. There was an article in The Atlantic a few months back that excellently articulated the myriad of reasons why the system is set up to fail. “That’s why having a small community, especially in one of the most populous cities in the world, can provide families with a sense of security. “As a parent, having a support network is essential. We need to be living near people who can help us take care of our children and vice versa. It is also important for children to have regular interactions with other adults besides their parents. Caring adults in a community can have a huge impact on kids, offering examples of different roles, values and perspectives, multiplying their feeling of security, especially when their parents may be busy or struggling.

Pandemic impact In 2019, Ryozan Park won a British Business Award (BBA) for Entrepreneur of the Year. Ferguson spoke on how much has changed in the firm since then, and how important the sense of community has become since the start of the pandemic. “Ryozan Park Preschool is expanding. We now have a growing kindergarten that, from next year, will be based on the Montessori method. Our after-school program is also expanding. “We also opened a new share office last year which features a fully equipped chef’s kitchen, which can be used as a test kitchen or for pop-up events. “There’s also a private dining area that doubles as a meeting room during the day”. Ryozan Park opened an art gallery last year, but it has yet to kick off in a big way due to the pandemic. “I am really looking forward to using the space to show up-and-coming artists from Japan and abroad”, Ferguson explained. Continual change Ryozan Park is not stopping there. The firm is plan ning a new multi-use building in Otsuka, which will house shared office space and apartments suitable for families interested in collaborative living. Ryozan Park 'Green'—set to start construction in Otsuka in 2022—has been designed by architect and Kyoto University professor Hirata Akihisa, and

Ryozan Park won Entrepreneur of the Year at the BBA 2019

will be Ryozan Park's first share house for families. It will feature a rooftop garden with composting facilities and will also be home to an incubation office for startups involved in urban agriculture and sustainability. A cafe will open on the ground floor. “People have been asking us to make a family share apartment for a long time. We hope the families living there will be able to ask their neighbour, ‘Can you look after the kids for half an hour tonight while I nip to the shops?’ It might sound trivial, but these are the details that make life easier when you are raising small kids”.

To buy Gugu and Penfin Sleep: guguandpenfin.com www.ryozanpark.com/en

Ryozan Park Core co-working space in Otsuka

bccjacumen.com 37

Inter n a n

ti o

lu nte e r G ro

EVENT ORGANISER:

Until 31 Dec For more information:

tokyo-yamathon.com

CHARITY PARTNER:

tokyoyamathon And share your stories: #yamathon

Your Yamathon is a safe way to enjoy the annual Yamathon charity challenge. Teams compete to walk around Tokyo's JR Yamanote Line (approx. 40km)* in less than 12 hours. Join Your Yamathon on any day until 31 December 2021. *Half-Yamathon (approx. 20km) also available.

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COMMUNITY

1 Ambassador Julia Longbottom CMG and the President of Hato Bus, Kiyohito Shiomi, at The British Embassy Tokyo celebrating the sight seeing firm’s partnership with Northern Irish bus maker Wrightbus. Hatobus has purchased five buses from Wrightbus to use in Tokyo. 2 To celebrate the BBA2021, held on 5 November, a taiko drum performance took place on the lawn of the Ambassador's Residence at the British Embassy Tokyo.

3 St David's Society of Japan President Ursula BartlettImadegawa and her husband Yukihiro, co-founder of the former Tokyo British Club, celebrated his birthday at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on 20 November.

4 September saw the return of outdoor trips for the Secondary School at BST. Students from Years Seven to 13 enjoyed canyoning, river and lake packrafting at Lake Okutama.

BCCJ ACUMEN readers are welcome to email recent UK–Japan event photos with captions and credits for the editor to consider: publisher@custom-media.com

bccjacumen.com 39

CREATIVE

ON A MISSION FOR MUSIC BY MEGAN CASSON

usic is one of the few things in the world that can touch people, regardless of language. It continues to bring together

in enjoyment people from different cultures and backgrounds. One man who is forming a musical bridge between the UK and Japan is Nick Luscombe, a man of many talents and projects, once described in the press as a “restless musical soul”. The London–Tokyo based broadcaster, radio producer, soundscape artist—as well as sound and music collector—is a fellow of the Londonbased Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), and serves on the board of the Japan organisation. In the past, Luscombe was employed as chief music editor at iTunes and as director of music at London’s Institute of Contemporary Art. BCCJ ACUMEN spoke with him about his career and his current projects. Showcasing Japan “I’ve been coming to Japan since the late 1990s to DJ and dig for music, as well as for various other activities related to a record label I had in the past that featured only Japanese artists. “This helped me make many friends here and develop various projects that connect the cultures of the UK and Japan. I’ve produced and presented numerous BBC radio documentaries, including subjects such as work by author Junichiro Tanizaki and farming in Kanagawa and Hokkaido prefectures, as well as a music series for BBC Radio 3 called Nick Luscombe’s Sounds of Japan. “It’s been a mission of mine to promote Japanese music in the UK. I’ve been working on this for many years by curating playlists, DJ sets and radio shows. I recently put together a variety of Japanese music mixes for Japan House London. The mixes range from ’60s pop to contemporary classical. I have also arranged and released several compilations of

40 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

Japanese music—most recently the Tokyo Dreaming LP, CD and digital release of ’80s-era Japanese music for the Nippon Columbia label. I have presented radio programmes here in Tokyo at Inter FM and Tokyo FM, and now broad cast weekly on the new station in Toranomon Hills, CIC Live, based at the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) Tokyo, which is fast becoming Japan’s innovation hub”. Power of music Another one of the many projects that Luscombe founded is MSCTY. As creative director, Luscombe has driven MSCTY to be the leading agency for music and architecture, working on projects across Asia and Europe. “We work with local governments, cultural institutions, urban planners, architects and music festivals around the world to enhance the quality and context of places and spaces via curated sound and produced and commissioned music. “Recently, we established MSCTY Studio here in Tokyo to focus on activities in Japan”. Luscombe spoke about the direction and growth MSCTY is undergoing as the project progresses.

“Recently, we established MSCTY Studio here in Tokyo to focus on activities in Japan”. “MSCTY is developing new partnerships with Japanese artists, property developers and local gov ernments here in Japan, and we have some exciting announcements coming soon”. OTOCARE Based on his experience and time in the industry, Luscombe has co-founded OTOCARE, a collabo rative project with The University of Tokyo. The purpose of the project is to explore the connections between sound and wellbeing. “The OTOCARE project initially came about after a conversation with Yu Morishita, project lecturer at The University of Tokyo, about the sounds of nature in Hokkaido, and ways to re-read the land, partly through its sonic landscape. This has developed into a multi-layered set of activities with the university that include research retreats with sound artists, performance and listening events at Fuji Iyashi no Mori near Lake Yamanaka, Yamanashi Prefecture, as well as more recent outputs such as digital music releases and sound mixes. The goal for OTOCARE is to create music and sounds for patients and staff in hospitals to improve their wellbeing. “Our research clearly demonstrates that sound and music possess the ability to enhance people’s sense of wellbeing. The more we study, the more we prove what we know instinctively—music is a universal source of nourishment for so many and impacts all of our lives in so many positive ways”. www.mscty.space

ARTS

UK CULTURE IN JAPAN COMPILED BY: MISA YASHIRO coordinator@custom-media.com

UNTIL 12 DECEMBER The Bee First shown in London in 2006, Hideki Noda and Colin Teevan adapted Yasutaka Tsutsui’s short story, The Bee, into an entertaining performance. The play features four actors who switch between the different roles and is now available for viewing in one of Tokyo’s famous theatres. Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre 1-8-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-0021 03-5391-2111 | www.nodamap.com/thebee ¥9,000

UNTIL 31 DECEMBER Prince Hotels & Resorts British Fair 2021 For the third time, Prince Hotels & Resorts are hosting the British Fair. Multiple different events are being held across the 12 Prince Hotels through out the metropolitan area, showcasing classically British food and drink products. The fair is sponsored by the British Embassy Tokyo, the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, the Japan-British Society and the Japan Tourism Agency. Various locations and prices www.princehotels.co.jp/tokyocityarea/british_fair2021

UNTIL 22 JANUARY Mummies of Ancient Egypt: Rediscovering Six Lives The National Museum of Nature and Science is holding a special exhibition, showing some of the fascinating ancient Egyptian artefacts that belong to the British Museum in London. Six mummies, research results and an introduction to the life and culture of that time will be on show. National Museum of Nature and Science 7–20 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110–8718 050-5541-8600 | https://daiei-miira.exhibit.jp ¥2,100

◉ FREE: We have three pairs of tickets to give away. UNTIL 13 FEBRUARY QUEEN 50th Anniversary Exhibition To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic British rock band Queen, an exhibition is being held in the Seibu Shibuya Modiva Hall. Unpublished photographs, valuable images, musical instruments and other valuable items will be on display, all while Queen’s music echoes around the hall. Seibu Shibuya Modiva Hall 21-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-8330 03-3462-0111 | https://queen-exhibition.jp ¥1,200–¥2,200

◉ FREE: We have two pairs of tickets to give away.

◉

To apply for giveaways, please send an email with your name, address and telephone number to: coordinator@custom-media.com Winners will be picked at random.

bccjacumen.com 41

STATS

UK vs JAPAN In digits, charts and graphs

MOST ATTRACTIVE CITIES GLOBALLY

VACANT HOMES

SOURCE: GLOBAL POWER CITY INDEX (GPCI) 2021

New research reveals that Japan ranks 1st for the highest proportion of empty homes around the world.

London

New York

Tokyo

Paris

Singapore Economy

R&D

SOURCE: OECD

1 JAPAN

13.6% Cultural Interaction

Livability

Environment

20 UK

0.9%

Accessibility

REAL ESTATE MARKET SOURCE: UBS GLOBAL REAL ESTATE BUBBLE INDEX 2021

London and Tokyo are overvalued cities Under-valued

TOKYO

Fair-valued

Overvalued

Bubble risk

LONDON

WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS SOURCE: THE WORLD’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS 2021

11 19 32 33 39

42 bccj acumen, nov/dec 2021

Den (Tokyo) Narisawa (Tokyo) The Clove Club (London) Lyle’s (London) Florilege (Tokyo)

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BCCJ Acumen November December 2021

Articles inside

BCCJ ACUMEN and co-founder of Custom Media (page

Co-founder of translation and interpreting firm Honyaku Plus page

CEO of Custom Media, publisher of BCCJ ACUMEN page

Executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan since February 2011 (page

page

Student at the University of Oxford (page