BCCJ Acumen August 2014

August 2014 | 짜900

The magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan

ACUMEN POLITICS ENVIRONMENT MEDIA ARTS BOOKS HEALTH INDUSTRY COMMUNITY EVENTS and much more

INDUSTRY & A-LIST PHARMA, LIFE SCIENCES AND HEALTHCARE

bccjacumen.com

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47

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Analysing Abenomics

British brand power

JET alumni: where are they now?

ACUMEN

Fifty at

Please enjoy our

50th issue 18

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August 2014

7 EDITOR Power of inspiration kathryn wortley 8 MEDIA UK-Japan news 11 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Your trophy awaits lori henderson mbe 12 MEDIA Japan news 15 PRESIDENT The benefits of collaboration david bickle 17 CELEBRATION Ambassador’s message 18 TOP STORY ACUMEN at fifty Please enjoy our 50th issue 32 ENVIRONMENT Saving Mount Fuji Celebrity cleans up sacred peak 34 BCCJ EVENT Analysing Abenomics A look at Japan’s economic policies 38 POLITICS The haggis vote Scots debate gathers pace 41 HEALTH Dental care for toddlers INDUSTRY Pharma, Life Sciences & Healthcare 42 A-LIST

45 HELP TELL: don’t suffer in silence 47 EXPORT TO JAPAN British brand power Heritage and quality crucial for successful market entry

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48 INDUSTRY Time for a cuppa Herbal tea firm enters market 51 EXCOM Building a successful team 53 GONG Charity leader in honours list Jane Best gets OBE 54 ARTS UK events in Japan • Film drama • Cottage garden occasion • Art exhibition • Piano recital • Rock collaboration • Opera special

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56 COMMUNITY Photos from UK-Japan events 58 JET Where are they now?

Second in our series on JET alumni 59 IF YOU ASK ME European Union: stay in or get out?

60 BOOK REVIEW Year Zero ian de stains obe 61 ADVERTISER LISTINGS Thank you to our supporters

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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 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Vice-president: Anna Pinsky Individual Member EXECUTIVE STAFF Executive Director: Lori Henderson MBE Operations Manager: Sanae Samata Membership and Marketing Assistant: Sarah Firth EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Jonty Brunner | British Airways Graham Davis | Individual Member James Dodds | KPMG Simon Farrell | Custom Media K.K. Iain Ferguson | Lloyd’s Japan Inc. Philip T Gibb OBE | Canning Professional K.K. Alison Jambert | Eat Creative K.K. Yoko Kosugi | The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Anna Pinsky | Individual Member Reiko Sakimura | Clifford Chance Law Office Richard Thornley CBE | Individual Member James Weeks | Kreab Gavin Anderson K.K. Haruno Yoshida | BT Japan Corporation EX OFFICIO Sue Kinoshita | British Embassy Tokyo Jeff Streeter | British Council Japan BCCJ ACUMEN Editor in Chief: Simon Farrell British Chamber of Commerce in Japan 12F Ark Mori Bldg.

1-12-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6012 Tel: (03) 4360-8361 | Fax: (03) 4360-8454 info@bccjapan.com | www.bccjapan.com BCCJ ACUMEN is the magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan

Printed on paper certified by the US Forest Stewardship Council with vegetable oil ink certified by The Japan Printing Ink Makers Association.

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CONTRIBUTORS

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

Ian de Stains OBE

Julian Ryall

Mark Schreiber

John Amari

A former BBC producer and presenter who has been based in Japan since 1976. From 1987 to 2011, he was BCCJ executive director. Ian now focuses on writing, consulting and coaching and is TELL executive director.

Japan correspondent for The Daily Telegraph.

An author and translator who has been based in Tokyo since 1966.

Mark was employed as a media analyst in market research before turning to freelance writing.

A writer and researcher from the UK who specialises in articles on intellectual property and business.

Dr Anthony Drennan Graduated from Tufts University, Massachusetts, in 1997 and has a practice at the Tokyo Clinic Dental Office. Anthony's patients are primarily expats and their children.

Geoff Rupp Chairman of Language Resources Ltd. Geoff studied Russian and German at the University of Nottingham and applied linguistics at the University of Reading. He has a strong interest in language and HR development, and started the firm in 1981.

Paul Leonard Studio manager at Custom Media and designer of BCCJ ACUMEN. Paul has 27 years of experience in publishing and design.

Kana Shimoyoshi A project coordinator at Custom Media. Kana compiles the events pages of BCCJ ACUMEN.

bccjacumen.com 5

Custom Media BCCJ 2013 Company of the Year

Publishers of BCCJ ACUMEN for the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan.

Specialists in bilingual brand strategy/visual communications, corporate bespoke solutions.

Producers of Business in Japan TV. Daiwa Azabudai Bldg. 6F 2-3-3 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0041 (03) 4540-7730 www.custom-media.com

PUBLISHER Simon Farrell

SALES MANAGER Leon van Houwelingen

PRESIDENT Robert Heldt STUDIO MANAGER Paul Leonard

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Jody Pang Hiroshi Torobu Rick Ahern Genevieve Seah

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Michael Pfeffer

CLIENT SERVICES EXCECUTIVE Joseph Gummer

DEPUTY EDITOR Kathryn Wortley

VIDEO PRODUCER Gamma Siregar

CLIENT SERVICES DIRECTOR Sam Bird

MEDIA COORDINATOR Kana Shimoyoshi

MARKETING MANAGER Megumi Okazaki

PROJECT COORDINATOR Reika Igarashi

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. Š 2014 Custom Media K.K.

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EDITOR

I

have to confess, I am a fan of inspirational stories. It was therefore much to my delight that, while producing this special issue, I came across some truly uplifting and thought-provoking anecdotes, none more so than those in “ACUMEN at fifty” (page 18).

Launched in a period of economic uncertainty from an apartment, when other publications were migrating to digital media, the magazine has survived—and thrived—against the odds. Now celebrating its 50th issue, ACUMEN punches well above its weight, as arguably one of the most authoritative voices in Japan’s business community. It is a testament to the possibilities available if we are

can have, and how, with support, displaced people can be empowered. Congratulations Jane!

Power of inspiration

From little acorns do oak trees grow

open to them. kathryn wortley Setting goals Opportunities are certainly something that Ken Noguchi is always keen to grasp. I had the privilege of interviewing the celebrity alpinist and environmentalist for this issue (page 32). A real inspiration to young people, as a teenager he had refused to let suspension from school set him back on his dreams; instead, he used the time wisely, to travel.

kathryn@custom-media.com

It was during this time—after he found motivation from reading a book by a fellow adventurer— that he discovered a love of mountain climbing. He isn’t one to be intimidated by a challenge, either. At the age of 25, he became the youngest person to scale the seven highest peaks in the world, and he now plays a leading role in the campaign to clean up Mt Fuji.

RIJ: leading the way Another inspirational person is Jane Best OBE, who was recognised in the Queen’s New Year Honours list for her exemplary work with Refugees International Japan in Asia and Africa. Best received the OBE from British Ambassador to Japan Tim Hitchens in June (page 53). Through her positivity she has shown the impact individuals

Love your work This month, it was also my pleasure to meet Koichi Obi, a Japanese designer of British-style homes, who is so passionate about his job that no obstacles seem to dismay him (page 46).

On one occasion, following a request from a client to design a building based on the style of some original doors from the Royal Albert Hall, London, he learned that there were no original bricks available. Unwilling to give up, Obi found that a firm was firing authentic bricks to repair the building, and asked if they wouldn’t mind adding some to the kiln for him. His enthusiasm and determination in the face of such challenging situations is no doubt a factor in his success.

The best of British Finally, the upcoming BCCJ British Business Awards will not only celebrate the excellence of individuals and firms, but also showcase UK–Japan achievements (page 11). Attendees can expect an uplifting evening as there have been many reasons to celebrate the bilateral ties over the past year.

UK-JAPAN NEWS

MEDIA Wind project gets support from north-east England A Northumberland-based engineering firm is set to supply a key piece of safety equipment to build Japan’s first offshore wind farm, bdaily.co.uk reported on 6 July.

Osbit Power Limited’s revolutionary access system will support Fukushima Forward, a project that aims to promote the economic recovery of the region following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in 2011 by making it the centre of the country’s emerging alternative power industry.

The MaXccess-T18 system, which can be operated safely and efficiently even in extremely difficult wave conditions, has been

Bilateral missile study takes off Tokyo and London will team up to develop missile technology for fighter jets, Japan Today reported on 17 July.

The initial emphasis will be on how current Japanese technology could enhance missiles developed in the UK. A Japanese defence official said that bringing together the finest technologies from both countries could lead to the creation of more sophisticated products.

The research is linked to a project called Meteor, which is developing missiles for Eurofighter planes. It is being led by Franco–British missile maker Matra BAe Dynamics, and involves other European firms.

Operator set to build theme park The MaXccess-T18 access system photo courtesy of osbit power ltd.

installed on the first dedicated offshore wind crew boat in the country. It will allow engineers to access the floating turbine and sub-station 20km off the coast.

Merlin Entertainment’s decision to open a Legoland in Nagoya will make Japan the second country in Asia to host the popular theme park, the Financial Times reported on 30 June.

The UK-based operator, which is the world’s biggest after Disney, will invest about ¥9.2bn in the project—to cost ¥32bn in total—over the next three years.

Merlin Entertainment said Legoland was a good fit with the market, given the success of other similar attractions and familiarity with the Lego brand. Local authorities have agreed to improve roads to access the park.

Dolls show spirit of post-quake resilience

Interactive toy calms mental health patients

A series of tumble dolls—some of which were crafted by celebrity designers—traditional to Fukushima Prefecture have been on display at the Houses of Parliament, The Japan Times reported on 8 July.

Fukushima expatriates living in Britain organised the display. They say the okiagarikoboshi dolls, which right themselves when tipped over, demonstrate the fortitude of the local people, and Japan’s efforts to rebuild following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

Among the famous creators who painted the dolls are Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Manchester United and Japan national football player Shinji Kagawa.

A new study on the effectiveness of a robotic seal—created by inventor Takanori Shibata— in a dementia care setting is being carried out in Sheffield, The Guardian reported on 15 July.

Paro, who has some artificial intelligence and can waddle when stroked, is being used in National Health Service units to help manage residents’ distressed and disturbed behaviour, while encouraging social interaction.

Of the 3,000 such seals worldwide, most are in Japan and are being used to befriend earthquake survivors, with around 10 currently in the UK. Initial results of the joint project, involving Sheffield’s Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Sheffield, are due out next month.

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe decorates his tumble doll.

After travelling to events in London, the dolls will be returned to Fukushima to be publicly displayed there.

AUGUST 2014

Business | Lifestyle | Arts | Events Products | Fashion | People | Sport Travel | Food | Drink | Technology Science | Culture | Health | Energy Music | Motors | Politics | Charity

London more expensive for expats Battery sold for first Five UK cities have shot up the rankings for the most expensive cities in the world for expats, while Tokyo fell from third place to seventh, The Daily Mail reported on 10 July.

London—previously ranked 25th in the poll—is now at number 12.

Birmingham, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Belfast have also become more costly than in previous years, thought to be the result of soaring house prices and the strength of the pound.

The survey, by Mercer LLC, compares the cost of housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment in 211 cities around the world, measuring currency movements against the US dollar.

Footwear firm takes first step into market

energy storage system

An installation example of Toshiba’s SCiBTM-based energy storage system.

A Wellington brand has signed a venture with Itochu Corporation in a bid to enter the Japanese market, The Daily Telegraph reported on 4 July.

Founded in 1856, customers of Scottish Hunter Boot Ltd. include members of the royal family. Now, the fashionable firm plans to hit shops in Japan with its 2015 spring/summer collection.

CEO James Seuss said the partnership reflects the firm’s commitment to the Japanese market and recognition of the potential growth for the brand here.

The battery for the UK’s first 2MW energy storage system will be supplied by Toshiba Corporation, the online pv-magazine reported on 27 June.

It will be installed in a primary substation and connected to an 11kW grid as part of Toshiba’s ongoing commitment to promoting such systems around the world.

The storage system project, to be located in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, will allow testing at what Toshiba describes as realistic levels, to ascertain its technical and economic potential within the grid.

Full steam ahead for lovable character

The Thomas Locomotive will run in parts of Shizuoka Prefecture. • ©2014 GULLANE (THOMAS) LIMITED

A steam locomotive decorated as the popular British cartoon creation Thomas the Tank Engine is to debut in Shizuoka Prefecture, The Japan News reported on 2 July.

Operated by Oigawa Railway and manufactured in 1942, the c11-227 model was decorated by placing a mask of the character’s

face on its front and painting the main body blue. It began operating on 12 July, and will run for three months.

One of the Thomas Locomotive’s outings carried about 70 children from a local nursery school in the prefecture for a distance of about 40km.

Visitors travel to see behind-the-scenes life The popularity of British TV dramas has caused a surge in Japanese visitors to the UK, The Daily Mail reported on 24 July.

Travel experts say viewers have a desire to see the settings of, and lifestyle portrayed in, programmes like Sherlock—now airing its third series—and Downton Abbey, which began in May. According to a travel industry seminar in London, a film about Paddington Bear set to be released later this year, could be the biggest draw of all. Meanwhile, the scheduled September launch of the soap opera Massan, about the life of a Japanese whisky founder and his Scottish wife, is also expected to have an impact on tourism figures.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

F

or seven years, the BCCJ’s British Business Awards (BBA) have been celebrating and rewarding the best of UK– Japan business.

This year’s BBA, to be held on 14 November at the Hilton Tokyo, you will have the opportunity to nominate your favourite firms and individuals to win a trophy.

Supported by the BCCJ’s key partners—UK Trade & Investment Japan, VisitBritain and the British Council—the 2014 BBA provides a fantastic platform to highlight and honour special achievements.

2014 categories The BBA recognise excellence, promote success across all industries, and acclaim commitment to community and ethical behaviour.

This year, we have unveiled a new category, New Market Entrant, to honour the achievements of firms that entered the Japan market after 1 January 2013, helping to create a bridge for UK–Japan relations.

This year’s categories in full are: • Company of the Year • Entrepreneur of the Year • UK–Japan Partnership • Community Contribution • New Market Entrant • Person of the Year

and ethics. We employ welldefined methods to ensure the judging process is fair.

Whether to honour your valued employees or to strengthen your brand, why not put yourself in the running to win a BBA trophy— the ultimate seal of approval for your business!

Your trophy awaits Six awards up for grabs, including new category: New Market Entrant lori henderson mbe

Why nominate?

Winning a BBA trophy is a prestigious endorsement of an organisation’s projects, initiatives, results and achievements.

Winners are acknowledged as industry leaders and named the best in their respective categories—a valuable measure of success that can be used in a variety of communications,

creating positive organisational profiling and heightened credibility. Nominees enjoy preevent and on-the-night publicity as well as a free ad in BCCJ ACUMEN, exposure on BCCJ-owned social media channels, and mentions in industry media.

Nominations are judged against specific criteria, founded on the BBA values of success, innovation

How to nominate The process is simple and free.

1. Select the category in which you wish to nominate yourself, your firm or your chosen nominee 2. Complete and submit a nomination form Eligibility Nominees must be one or more of the following: • BCCJ member • UK-owned and Japanbased firm • Japan-based firm or individual with significant UK links Nominations should: • Cover all criteria for the category concerned • Be sent in an email as a PDF document, along with a high-resolution logo of the nominated firm, to: info@bccjapan.com by 5pm on 30 October

JAPAN NEWS

BY MARK SCHREIBER

MEDIA hanako magazine brings london to japan “Actor Benedict Cumberbatch has triggered a boom in British males. One of the spots he likes is Waterloo Bridge. The song “Waterloo Sunset”, performed many years ago by The Kinks, evokes feelings of nostalgia on the part of any Londoner … ” Thus begins the introductory article in the 12 June issue of Hanako magazine, which

The Connaught, Quo Vadis, Fernandez & Wells and The Delaunay.

While focusing on the sort of topics that are arguably most likely to appeal to visiting female tourists from Japan, other sections seek to provide a broad view of British society from a variety of perspectives. A short essay titled “England and Community” focuses

devotes most of its content—about 90 colour pages—to introducing London. Among the wide-ranging topics featured are areas of the city and places to go—including four pages on museums—as well as products to buy, such as brand names, tinned sweets, eco-bags and organic food.

The subject that dominated coverage, however, was one near and dear to the Japanese traveller’s heart: food. Asserting that London is a worthy rival to Paris in terms of gourmet dining, city resident Mayu Ekuni compiled a 16-page centre section that introduces 32 restaurants. Her list includes establishments offering British cuisine, as well as particular eateries for deli, international and breakfast fare.

Establishments that do not require reservations were included.

on the Dalstone Eastern Curve Garden; another provides a brief explanation of the public’s attitudes toward the Royal family. A spread featuring the UK’s home appliance industry carries interviews with two female engineers working in the design and R&D sections of Dyson Ltd., the vacuum cleaners and fans of which are well known to Japanese consumers.

The magazine also devotes space to Sherlock, the British TV series—which has been broadcast in Japan—starring the aforementioned Cumberbatch. Along with shots of the actors who portray Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s super sleuth and his companion, Doctor Watson, is information for visitors interested in The Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221b Baker Street, The Landmark Hotel and St. James’s Park.

The magazine introduced many aspects of London.

Tim d’Offay, owner of Postcard Teas in Mayfair, contributed to the feature Tea Time, which is chock-full of close-up shots of mouthwatering pastries, at such establishments as

ageing lorry drivers fuel fear of labour pinch In an expansive study of the changing face of distribution, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is forecasting a shortfall of 140,000 lorry drivers by 2015, business magazine Shukan Diamond reported on 5 July. It is believed the principal cause is a change in the system for issuing the requisite driving licences.

Until 2007, all that was required to drive a 5–11t lorry, the so-called chuugata (mid-size) truck, was a standard driver’s licence. However, revisions of the law mean a special licence is required to drive a mid-size lorry, while the examination criteria for oogata (large) lorries is more stringent than before.

As a result, fewer people have shown interest in working as lorry drivers after finishing their secondary education.

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Another factor attributed to the current driver shortfall is the introduction of the requirement that lorry drivers be accorded daily rest time of at least eight consecutive hours. This statute was enacted following frequent accidents involving overworked drivers.

All else being equal, the rest time requirement is said to be having a considerable impact on cost structures, and is resulting in a monthly cut of around ¥20,000 in a driver’s pay.

Studies by the government have found that, compared with those employed in other industries, the annual working time of lorry drivers is an average of approximately 450 hours longer. This statistic places such work in the category of undesirable so-called “3k” jobs—described as kiken (dangerous), kitsui (difficult) and kaerenai (can’t go home).

AUGUST 2014

Retail | Trends | Consumer Surveys | Marketing | Jobs Forecast | Society | Studies

staff shortages spawn “monster workers” For the past year or so, several firms have been hit with the stigma of being called burakku kigyo (black firms). The term typically refers to firms that pay low wages, demand long working hours without overtime compensation, and tolerate or encourage “power harassment” among their workers.

Given the current state of the economy, with

If they are given warnings about, for example, spending too much time in the toilet cubicle or sending private emails via their mobile phones, they show an attitude of defiance.

Monster workers’ self-centred attitude is evident from such typical requests as: “The days set by the firm for training conflict with my summer holiday plans. Please alter the training

One female employee refused to show contrition when criticised by her boss.

Unfortunately, the man lost his temper and loudly exclaimed, “I’ve heard the same thing from other staff! You need to change your attitude!” The woman had hidden an IC recorder on her person and was able to use the recording of the boss’s outburst in court, where

part-time workers in increasingly short supply, the stigma is one that firms are desperate to avoid. Workers who know this, reports the Nikkan Gendai (18 July), often threaten to wreak havoc as they metamorphose into “monster workers”.

An organisation called Ashita no Chiimu (tomorrow’s team), which assists firms in conducting employee assessments, says that, since the start of the year, it has been inundated with consultation requests from clients.

According to a personnel manager at Ashita no Chiimu, workers are most likely to behave like monsters when assigned to departments other than those they want or expect to join, and no amount of explanation or caution can convince them to act otherwise.

dates”, and “As I don’t need a company physical examination, please give me the amount that would be paid”. Such workers may also say, the article reports, “I come to work on an expensive road-racing bicycle, so I’d like to have my own designated parking space”.

she demanded compensation for his power harassment.

As the problem threatens to grow out of control, a number of consultants have begun holding seminars on the theme of “The right way to get a troublesome worker to resign”.

As the problem threatens to grow out of control, a number of consultants have begun holding seminars on the theme of “The right way to get a troublesome worker to resign”.

The various legal changes are discouraging young people from taking up the job of lorry driving. Moreover, while 35% of all drivers are aged 50 or over, only 4% are under 30 years of age.

In a survey of the trucking industry carried out from January to March, 592 respondents said that the driver shortage was already severe; another 38% replied that there was some shortage. When asked to comment on the outlook for the industry, 61% of respondents said it would become more severe or somewhat more severe.

Up to now, increases in transport costs have not reflected drivers’ wages. Thus, unless more effort is made to improve conditions for drivers, the article predicts that soon Japan’s entire distribution system may face disaster.

Fewer people becoming lorry drivers is causing concern. • ©2014 japan trucking association

bccjacumen.com 13

PRESIDENT

T

hree months have passed since the BCCJ’s Annual General Meeting in April, and we were proud to round off our Q1 events programme with a celebration of the 450th birthday of William Shakespeare.

Co-hosted with our partners from the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) and the Japan British Society, the event attracted 200 guests from a wide cross-section of Japanese and UK business. Attendees were treated to a magnificent Elizabethan-themed buffet that provided an ideal networking opportunity.

Now firmly established on the BCCJ calendar, this was the third summer social that we have hosted with the TCCI. Following on from our successful warm-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 and our celebration of 400 years of Japan–UK relations in 2013, the popularity of the format demonstrates the benefits of collaboration. Leveraging the BCCJ’s relationships with other organisations that support commerce and promote the Japan–UK relationship is one of the ways we hope to provide enhanced opportunities for business interaction.

I am delighted to acknowledge the support from VisitBritain,

The benefits of collaboration Shakespeare night was third annual summer fete david bickle @BCCJ_President

which does so much to promote the UK brand, and also the Japan Fellows’ Network of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). Formed in London over 250 years ago, the RSA has a rich history of promoting creativity and innovation, and the BCCJ was honoured to receive a welcome message from RSA

Helping grow businesses Whether you are seeking support as an individual or a firm of any size, and based in Japan or abroad, trust Chiyoda Partners & Associates to help you achieve your business goals.

Chairwoman Vikki Heywood CBE in support of the event.

This message can be read in full on the BCCJ website.

Staying with the theme of anniversaries, we celebrate this month the 50th issue of BCCJ ACUMEN. In this modern digital world, where smartphones and tablets are ubiquitous and we enjoy the benefits—and tolerate

the distraction—of round-theclock connectivity, I am pleased to note that there are many people, myself included, who look forward to their paper copy each month. Always informative, and most important entertaining, the magazine is a key communications channel for the BCCJ. Its success is due in large part to the editorial skill and professionalism of its publishers, Custom Media K.K., and I sincerely hope this golden anniversary is just one of many more milestones for our chamber’s magazine.

For BCCJ members who are away over the summer months, I wish you safe travels and look forward to welcoming you back to a packed events programme in September. The BCCJ secretariat will take a well-deserved break in August, but our executive committee task forces remain active on your behalf.

Preparations for the annual British Business Awards on 14 November will go into overdrive in the coming months. I urge you to showcase your success and achievements by submitting an award nomination, and hope that you are planning to join us in person at what again promises to be the highlight of the BCCJ year.

Our professional network of local and international lawyers, certified accountants and other specialists offers services in: • Accounting and bookkeeping (in English and Japanese) • Tax returns in Japan • Judicial administration procedures • Payroll and social security insurance • Tax audits • Tax Agent (Representative) • Tax Advice • Other areas upon request

Chiyoda Partners & Associates NK Uchi-kanda building, 3F, 1-14-5 Uchi-kanda Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0047 Tel: 03-3233-2911 contact@cpaa.co.jp

www.cpaa.co.jp

These companies would like to join BCCJ ACUMEN in the special celebration of the publication of its 50th issue.

IN COOPERATION WITH SUPPLIERS OF BRITISH MATERIALS BRITISH HOUSING DESIGN OFFICE COTSWORLD LIMITED

CELEBRATION

Message from British Ambassador Tim Hitchens CMG LVO

O

n behalf of the British diplomatic network in Japan, both in Tokyo and Osaka, many congratulations to BCCJ ACUMEN for reaching your special 50th edition.

The heart of our work in Japan is commercial, supporting

artists, sportspeople, students or simply people travelling through.

ACUMEN has always been great at capturing, in easily digestible articles, that range of connection that exists between the UK and Japan, and celebrating the way we work together. Your articles

British firms operating here or wanting to come into the market; and supporting Japanese firms who invest in British jobs. So our relationship with the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan is close, and getting ever closer.

But, we are all also part of the wider UK community in Japan, interested in what British people are up to in this great country, be they businesspeople, teachers,

can be serious, light-hearted and, sometimes, provocative, enriching the lives of those of us who have made Japan home.

So my best personal wishes to ACUMEN, all its writers and staff, on the contribution you make to the broader British community in Japan. You have become an invaluable friend and guide. And best wishes for at least another 50.

TOP STORY

ACUMEN

Fifty at

Please enjoy our 50th issue

by julian ryall

F

ifty issues is quite a landmark for any monthly magazine to achieve; even more so when the production of those issues coincides with a time of great economic uncertainty, the aftermath of the nation’s worst natural disaster in living memory, increased competition and the broader trend towards an entirely online world of information.

But, ever since its inaugural edition, which came out in December 2009, BCCJ ACUMEN has done more than any other publication to provide insight into all aspects of AngloJapanese business, culture and lifestyle, as well as to inform, entertain, provoke and amuse.

“It had been a few years since we had stopped producing a BCCJ magazine; the feeling was that we should simply be online”, said Ian de Stains OBE, former executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) and part of the committee set up to choose the best contender to start a magazine again.

“But I missed having a printed publication as did many members—and I was thrilled that [ACUMEN] was clearly a fine product”, enthused de Stains, now executive director of TELL, a not-for-profit organisation that provides counselling services to Japan’s international community (see page 45).

The magazine is so impressive that other chambers have cast admiring glances in ACUMEN’s direction, according to Phil Gibb OBE of Canning Professional K.K.

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“In my time as BCCJ president, I received many favourable comments about BCCJ ACUMEN”, he said. “These were from members but, more interestingly, from colleagues in other chambers of commerce in Japan.

“Quality and relevance were two of the most often heard comments”, added Gibb, who was also part of the team that entrusted Custom Media with meeting the chamber’s commitment to quality and professionalism. “In addition, look, feel and content made it stand out from comparable magazines”.

Given that Custom Media was a relative unknown back in 2009, the chamber’s decision was a brave one, but one that has paid off.

“My first time reading ACUMEN, I remember being taken aback at finding a chamber publication that actually contained articles I was genuinely interested in reading—articles I would pick out from any news source and choose to read”, said Nick Walters, a former president of the chamber and executive officer and vicepresident controller Japan for MetLife, Inc. “This revelation struck on my first read and I was regularly reminded of the feeling whenever reading subsequent issues”, he added. “[It] was down to the range of articles, as well as the quality of the writers”.

For many regular readers, certain front covers stand out in the memory. For some, it was the magazine’s coverage of the chamber’s efforts to assist the people affected by the

TOP STORY

TOP COVERS

June 2014

The May 2014 ACUMEN features the market potential for British food and drink firms, and their success at Foodex 2014.

Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011; others pointed to the impressive sight of high-performance British cars, the Eurofighter Typhoon or HMS Daring moored in Tokyo Bay. One cover shot appeared to polarise opinions, although the vast majority of readers applauded the decision to put Maya Nakanishi front and centre—artistically—as she sought to raise enough cash to enable her to compete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

“This [cover] sticks out for a couple of reasons: because it was the first— and probably only—cover on which we grey-scaled the BCCJ logo”, said Executive Director Lori Henderson.

“It stood out because we added pink accents and because there was a naked person on the cover—a female person with disabilities at that.

“We subsequently received lots of comments from people, members and non-members alike, who praised the boldness of the piece”, she added. “I think that cover was rather ahead of its time for Japan, and chamber publications everywhere”.

David Bickle, president of the chamber, echoed support for that bravery—on the part of both Nakanishi and ACUMEN—saying it shows the struggles of disabled athletes, and demonstrates “an editorial boldness to present content that is not only informative, but also thought-provoking”.

“The chamber is proud to have a magazine that strives to stimulate discussion, debate and

exchange, both within and beyond its pages, and that has the confidence and maturity to openly share criticism, along with praise, of its content with readers”, he said. ACUMEN provides the chamber with “a powerful channel through which we can engage and share information with members, and assist in the promotion of British business and commercial interests to a wider audience”, he added.

The publisher is very aware, however, that the title cannot afford to rest on its laurels and is constantly seeking ways in which to enhance the magazine. In March 2014 the magazine underwent a redesign that Henderson believes gives it “the look and feel that could rival any international publication”.

De Stains agrees: “The recent design makeover was very subtle, but refined even further what was already a sophisticated publication.

“Editorially, there is a sense of more confidence and a clearer focus”, he said. “I know from personal experience that the standards expected of contributors are very high and the editors are meticulous in their work”.

Alison Jambert, former president of the chamber and communications director of Eat Creative K.K., describes the magazine as “refreshing” and a positive reflection of the chamber’s activities. It serves as “a strong communications vehicle for reinforcing [the BCCJ’s] vision and mission, and therefore is a showcase for potential new members”.

Even looking at the cover showing the charity Executive Fight Night event is enough to make the more squeamish among us wince.

Five participants in the most recent Fight Night were Brits, with Elizabeth “Hot Hands” Taylor emerging as the overall winner of the May event. It was held in the ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, and raised more than ¥6mn for the Shine On! Kids charity.

All the fighters went through a gruelling 12-week training programme, before being allowed in the ring. Speaking to ACUMEN after her victory, Taylor said, “Boxing was totally new for me. Training was the highlight—in a way, being in the ring was like a performance, to see how much you learned in training”. Taylor, a former in-flight service manager with Virgin Atlantic and a black belt in karate, added, “the experience brought back the fighting skills inside me”.

bccjacumen.com 19

Welcome to Japan Three ways of Living Eight lives in Tokyo

Come home to the ease of Oakwood living in Asia.

Oakwood offers three brands of serviced apartment solutions in seven locations in Asia’s most cosmopolitan city, Tokyo – Aoyama, Akasaka, Ariake, Azabujyuban, Tokyo Midtown, two in Roppongi and Shirokane.

For details and reservations, please visit our website at oakwoodasia.com BANGALORE BANGKOK BEIJING CHENGDU GUANGZHOU HANGZHOU HONG KONG JAKARTA MANILA MUMBAI PUNE SEOUL SHANGHAI TOKYO

TOP STORY

June 2012

Showcasing the best of British car manufacturers, the August 2011 BCCJ magazine explains their luxury, prestige and pedigree.

Jambert would, however, like to see more in-depth features addressing the wider issues of doing business in Japan, while Henderson wants “even more photos” and behind-thescenes features about executives and Japanese corporate leaders.

Walters summed up perhaps one of the key assets that ACUMEN provides for the chamber. “A final thought is the pride I always feel whenever I am settling down in the Sakura Lounge at Narita airport and see the multiple copies of ACUMEN standing on the magazine rack, alongside The Economist and The Times, and note ‘our’ publication does not just look at home among these distinguished titles, but actually looks rather grand”.

“Its quality is not just in the content, but in the physical feel and visual impact—but then again, maybe I’m a bit biased”.

Brands From cars to fashion, banking, cuisine, medicine and countless other sectors, Britain has some of the biggest and best-known brand names in the world. Many of them have a solid foot in the door of the Japanese market.

Jaguar Land Rover Japan Ltd., for example, has built a reputation for quality and British workmanship, and has high hopes for its latest launch here, the F-TYPE coupé.

“One of the expectations or ‘must-have’ attributes of a luxury brand in Japan is that sense of a rich heritage”, the firm told ACUMEN in 2011 as part of a feature on the carmaker.

“The Japanese audience really looks for a brand that builds on that sense of heritage and which Japanese car brands just don’t have.

“Japanese carmakers are good at the practical elements that go into a car, but anyone intending to buy a luxury car expects

Maya Nakanishi is one brave athlete.

Not only did she fail to let an industrial accident—that resulted in the amputation of her right leg below the knee—get in the way of her sporting endeavours, but when the funding for her to compete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games came up short, she shed all her clothes for an artistically photographed calendar that raised funds for her to compete.

However, ACUMEN’s cover photo was not to all our readers’ taste—there was one letter of complaint—but the firm does not regret promoting Nakanishi baring all, including her prosthetic limb, in her bid to compete in what has been labelled the greatest Olympics of all time.

“I particularly like the media and community sections because the news there reflects the broad variety and significant scale of UK–Japan partnership activities taking place throughout the year. The new, exciting and creative partnerships across industry, the arts and community activities continually remind me that there is no limit to the benefits of international collaboration”.

Anna Pinsky, BCCJ vice president

bccjacumen.com 21

TOP STORY

May 2011

UK–Japan links and collaborations are of great interest to readers, like this rock star’s British-inspired fashion brand, featured in the June 2013 issue.

more than just the practical. They want the unique, the addition to their lifestyle, a fashion statement”.

Business has been brisk for another motor firm, which produces some of the most iconic works of two-wheeled engineering on the road: Triumph Motorcycles.

“This is a 110-year-old brand that has been devoted to making motorcycles”, said Triumph Motorcycles Japan.

“It starts there, with the history, the legend, the nostalgia, the fame, the glory”, the maker said. “It’s the emotional fuel. An association with events, success and people; and it evolves into a range of high-tech, modern machines that evoke the heritage”.

In an interview in 2012, the firm bemoaned the fact that there are fewer motorbikes on Japan’s roads than in years gone by, but said Triumph has a range of vehicles to meet all tastes as soon as interest is revived.

“People want alternatives and they want to be different and Triumph offers them a real choice”.

Another firm that is going places is British Airways, which opened a new service between London Heathrow Airport and Tokyo Haneda International Airport in February 2011.

British Airways became the first European carrier to operate out of the Haneda airport, offering five flights a week aboard a Boeing 777-200.

“We are constantly working to improve our performance and offer better services to our customers”, the firm told ACUMEN. “We take pride in anticipating our customers’ needs and introducing products before customers realise there is a need for them”.

Innovation is also the cornerstone of GlaxoSmithKline plc’s operations in Japan, nearly 300 years after its forerunner opened in London.

Sleek, swift and packing a punch, the Eurofighter Typhoon was put forward by a European consortium as the answer to the needs of Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force in a new generation of fighter jets. Andy Latham, vice-president of Typhoon Exports, based at the BAE Systems offices in Warton, Lancashire, described the aircraft as “the most capable air-defence fighter that is available today in the export world”.

Headed by the British contingent, the Eurofighter consortium pitched the aircraft on performance, participation and price— although the Japanese government eventually decided to go with the rival Lockheed Martin F-35 Raptor, primarily as the US has traditionally been the largest supplier of defence equipment to the military here.

“I particularly enjoy the stories about British companies doing well in Japan, be it through sales or partnership—the essence of what the BCCJ stands for. The editor’s and BCCJ executive director’s columns are usually quite amusing. ACUMEN is, IMHO, the leading chamber magazine.

Congratulations on reaching half a century!”

Richard Thornley, managing director of Bell Helicopter Co., Ltd.

bccjacumen.com 23

Share your Story, enhance your brand

E

nglish novelist and travel writer Bruce Chatwin (1940–89) can be credited with giving the Moleskine brand its seemingly obscure name in the late 20th century.

The handy, pocket-sized notebooks, called carnets moleskines in their native France, were his accessory of choice when recording the details of a scene while travelling, accounts that would later be fodder for his prizewinning novels.

“To lose a passport was the least of one’s worries: to lose a notebook was a catastrophe,” Chatwin mused.

A small French bookbinder ceased production of the notebooks in the mid-1980s, and the present-day Moleskine brand was born in Milan in 1997, bringing back to life the legacy of great artists and thinkers, who used the brand’s predecessor notebooks to capture their words, images and ideas.

Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway figure among the creative icons who wouldn’t be caught in a café or crosswalk without their little black books.

Today, Moleskine is a brand built on creativity and mobility, and now companies in Japan can become a part of that legacy.

custom for custom

contact Megumi okazaki: megumi@custom-media.com 03-4540-7730

Custom Media has been chosen as the B2B partner of customised Moleskine notebooks, which can be ordered and designed in Japan. Instead of the standard mix of edible omiyage this holiday season, why not give a gift that is more than a commodity—an object that finds its way into bags, desks, hearts and minds?

Classic, sleek and innovative, a customised notebook can enhance your brand identity and make events memorable. With a growing presence

in 92 countries and 24,000 points of sale, Moleskine is an aspirational global brand.

Large-size (13cm x 21cm) customised notebooks are available at nearly 40% off Japan retail prices, with a minimum order of 300. Have a notebook made for: • Special events, such as product launches • Training and development tools • Corporate and holiday gifts • Loyalty and incentive programmes

TOP STORY

February 2012

In sports news, ACUMEN interviewed retired Olympian and former diplomat Mara Yamauchi in April 2014.

“Our brand is extremely important to us because it represents who we are and what we do as a company”, said a GSK K.K. spokesperson. “In order to build trust with society, all employees are aligned with our company values of transparency, respect for people and integrity, and we are patient-focused in our internal and external engagement.

“New medicines and healthcare products are needed by people across the globe to address the many illnesses that are still not well-controlled or treated. At the same time, scientific research is continuously uncovering new understandings about disease processes and technologies.

“These two elements present us with the opportunity to investigate and develop new and improved treatments”, the global healthcare firm told ACUMEN in an interview in 2012.

“We create value by applying science and technology to discover, develop, produce and distribute medicines, vaccines and consumer healthcare products”.

Equally committed to exceeding the expectations of consumers in this very exacting market is Unilever, which was founded in 1884

by Lord William Hesketh Lever.

“The vision that Lord Lever had for the company was to produce high-quality products at affordable prices. It allowed people on limited incomes to have a level of hygiene that would prevent ill health”, said a spokesperson of Unilever. “And that attitude is still with us to this day; we offer a range of quality products at different price points, each offering different consumer benefits across the world.

“On any given day, 2bn people in 170 countries around the world use Unilever products”, he added. “Of that total, 12mn are in Japan. This gives us a unique opportunity to help improve their everyday lives and, through hygiene and nutrition, make a positive impact on the planet.

“Our ambition is to double the size of our business while reducing our overall environmental impact across the entire value

This sweet cover told the tale of a ScottishJapanese couple who had great success in bringing together such Japanese delicacies as wasabi, yuzu (citrus fruit), black vinegar, nettles and seaweed in their tasty concoctions. William and Suzue Curley’s London boutique outlets in Belgravia and Richmond, as well as a spot in Harrods, have earned them a firm following among aficionados. The Muscovado Caramel won the award for the best-filled chocolate in 2011 and Suzue is always on the look-out for new Japanese tastes to incorporate into their creations.

“I particularly enjoy the success stories about British companies in the Japanese market. Japan is not an easy market for many businesses but regularly seeing ACUMEN articles about British companies succeeding sends out a positive message about the benefits that can be achieved”.

James Dodds, partner with KPMG Tax Corporation.

bccjacumen.com 25

TOP STORY

April 2012

Charlie Harper, founder and front-man of English punk band the UK Subs, stomped noisily across this front cover on his way to give a concert in Sendai. This event was part of a Japan tour that included performances in Tokyo, Hakata, Hiroshima, Osaka and Nagoya—underlining the popularity of a group that has been on the road since 1976. The band’s guitarist, Jet, is from Sendai and was in the north-east of Japan when the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami struck.

Harper and the band said they wanted to add a date in Sendai to the tour, to try to give a sense of “normality” back to some of the people worst affected by the disasters.

chain. We believe that is best achieved through our brands, which have to say something meaningful to the consumers”.

The Royal Bank of Scotland is a relative newcomer to the Japanese market but, since 2001, has built on its core strengths in international debt financing, transaction services and risk management, which the firm said helps the bank to maintain its global market-leading position.

“Throughout our global network, we raise capital for companies; we manage risks; and we move money through our transaction services”, a spokesperson told ACUMEN. “If you’re a bank or a securities company, those are your three

and insightful title in the crowded Tokyo business publication market, as well as a whole lot more.

“Our original plan was simply to publish an authoritative, business-only publication for BCCJ members”, said Simon Farrell, one of the founders and current publisher of Custom Media K.K. “But as interest grew and ideas and support flooded in from writers, members and others, ACUMEN quietly evolved into a magazine for the entire British community in Japan, as our focus shifted to also showcase other elements of British lifestyle”.

That was in part fuelled by distribution widening from the original target of a narrow

key areas and we are typically in the top five in the global league tables in all three categories.

“That is important for what it says about the clients”, he pointed out. “They choose to bank with RBS, which is what has put us into these leading positions. The score card shows how well we are serving our clients’ needs”.

Another great UK brand that we must raise a toast to is Berry Bros & Rudd, the oldest wine and spirit merchant in Britain.

“We’re doing well in Japan now, even though it’s a complicated market for us”, the firm said.

“But little by little, we’re understanding it better and we have a great 17-strong team here so I’m very pleased with the way in which we are growing.

“There is still a long way to go in Japan and even though we have been here for 20 years, you must remember that we’re working from a history that goes back more than 300 years”.

initial membership base, to a far wider array of outlets. ACUMEN can now be picked up in several airport departure lounges in the UK, Hong Kong and Japan, and is delivered to selected central Tokyo subscribers of the Financial Times.

Today, the magazine has a readership of more than 60,000 for every issue. The firm regularly receives requests for extra copies and believes the publication is on the right track.

“One of the nicest comments I have had was from then-British Ambassador to Japan Sir David Warren KCMG, who told me he had been very pleasantly surprised to see ACUMEN at a Heathrow airport departure lounge and was so glad for some good reading on the way back to Tokyo”, Farrell said.

It was not always plain sailing, however.

“We launched at a time when the global economy was reeling from the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy and most marketing budgets were tight or non-existent”, said President Robert Heldt. “So, we took the pragmatic approach of publishing it every two months before building the brand and distribution, then going monthly the next year”.

How ACUMEN began A magazine that was initially put together in the apartment of one of the founding partners in Kawasaki-shi has—in the space of 50 issues—evolved into the most authoritative

“I’m always fascinated by the success stories of British entrepreneurs on the Export To Japan page, which demonstrate how individuals and organisations of all sizes can develop and thrive in Japan”.

Jonty Brunner, regional commercial manager for Japan & Korea with British Airways

26 bccj acumen, august 2014

TOP STORY

TOP STORIES

Interview with Michael Woodford September 2012, January 2014

The December 2013 issue featured London and Tokyo’s trade of military assets for peace and relief.

Custom Media also had to convince BCCJ members and potential advertisers that it was here for the long run, and that the quality of the magazine would not decline. There were also a couple of run-ins with firms who thought they could take advantage of a start-up, but that is no longer an issue.

The key now, the firm says, is to continue to build on the title’s reputation.

“We take the time to listen to our readership, interact and engage with them on a regular basis to understand what they would like to read and constantly improve the quality of the content and product”, said Heldt. “Unlike similar publications in the market that have not freshened their look and feel since launching, in the four years that ACUMEN has been around, we have completely redesigned twice and are constantly tweaking the magazine”.

One of the greatest compliments Heldt said he has ever received was when a design expert and academic said he loved the most recent redesign.

“You ask the questions I wish more organisations would ask: How can this product look, feel and read better?” the reader said.

“It’s kaizen and ‘if it isn’t broke, break it’ at its best. You had a very good publication; your willingness to examine and redo the design is making it a great one”.

The company is now in the process of redesigning ACUMEN’s web presence and upgrading the digital version to make it available on the Apple iTunes store.

“We believe the print version will remain as an important medium, but our digital version will help us reach a far wider audience beyond Japan”, Heldt said.

The mission remains the same, however: to make the next edition better than the previous one, and to provide members and other readers with insightful business features, mixed with engaging and entertaining stories about the UK’s place in the artistic, situational, cultural and sporting life of Japan.

Over the years, there have been some memorable tales.

“My favourite section of the magazine is the top story of the edition, as it always has the most striking feature stories, but I also find useful information in the events section”.

Not many people have made the lead story in two editions of BCCJ ACUMEN, but if anyone deserves such recognition, it is Michael Woodford MBE. The straight-talking Scouser rose swiftly through the ranks of Olympus Corporation in the UK and Europe, before being appointed president and CEO of the entire firm in April 2011. Six months later he was fired, after having asked questions about the equivalent of £1.45bn in payments for “Mickey Mouse” firms that the Olympus board could not answer. After the full story of the fraud came to light, Woodford won plaudits from the international business media for blowing the whistle on wrong-doing.

Woodford’s book promoted in London.

Haruno Yoshida, president of BT Japan Corporation

bccjacumen.com 27

TOP STORY

Exclusive Interview with EU chief February 2011

ACUMEN, incredibly, again scooped the magazine of the European Business Council in Japan by interviewing the first European Union ambassador under the European External Action Service framework and head of the EU delegation to Japan. Schweisgut provided ACUMEN with an exclusive insight into Europe’s attitudes on trade with Japan, as well as politics, the death penalty, child abductions and his goals during his four-year term in Tokyo.

One of Schweisgut’s key aims was to push ahead with the planned Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Japan and Europe, an ambition that is today nearing fruition, while the Austria-born ambassador set out plans for broader cooperation and collaboration in both the political and economic arenas. Three months after the interview, the EU and Japan agreed in Brussels to discussions on an FTA that could be worth a staggering ¥12.69trn to the two economies.

The exclusive interview with Michael Woodford MBE in September 2011 came out just days before Olympus Corporation sacked him as president, with media around the world picking out the “juicy bits” from the story, Farrell said.

“My personal favourites are the 2012 cover stories on round-the-world solo rower Sarah Outen, in May (as well as our coverage of her progress), and paralympic athlete Maya Nakanishi, in June”, he added. “It was great fun tracking Sarah as she left Tower Bridge and reached Japan, stayed a while, then rowed off again.

“And dear Maya, who has a prosthetic leg, bravely stripped to her birthday suit for

Similarly, ACUMEN has evolved and developed dramatically since December 2009.

The inaugural edition squeezed in events spanning two months and the magazine became a monthly publication just one year later. It is hoped it has become an important partner for the chamber and the British business community here.

In his opening foreword for the first edition, former British Ambassador Sir David Warren KCMG said that, while the “Lehman shock” had made 2008 and 2009 “a difficult year”, he was immensely positive about the future.

“As ambassador, I am privileged to see just how broad the UK–Japan relationship is,

a saucy calendar—and our front page—to fund her dream trip of competing at the London Olympics”.

Farrell says that he is fortunate to be surrounded by a talented team, but admits to fears in the early days of the publication.

“I did worry that one day we would run out of ideas and people to feature”, he said. “But the opposite has been true: we have a long list of UK-related articles not yet published and new ideas coming in regularly from writers, BCCJ members and others.

“Publishing ACUMEN has unexpectedly opened my eyes to the vast amount of great work—paid and volunteer—that British people are doing in Japan”.

and how many opportunities there are to use those links to further our corporate objectives”, he said.

Farrell set out his vision for the title: to help British businesses establish a foothold here or increase an existing presence.

But the magazine does not concerm itself solely with business, he explained.

“The CEO of the Japan branch of a midsized British manufacturer told me recently that he wants to promote the British lifestyle here—because he likes it and it makes good business sense”.

That is the reason ACUMEN has covered everything from fighter aircraft to chocolatiers, from cricket to the property industry, from top-notch British cars to a cat café. And that is hardly scratching the surface of the topics that have been tackled over the past 50 issues.

The magazine appears to be getting it right.

At the 2013 British Business Awards, Custom Media emerged as the winner of the coveted Company of the Year Award.

The winner was selected from among some of the biggest and most successful names

First edition and British Business Awards Fittingly, the very first issue of BCCJ ACUMEN featured the 2009 British Business Awards as its cover story. In the intervening years, the awards have grown in prestige and the presentation ceremony has expanded into a major event on the calendar for firms and organisations here.

“I always enjoy the stories of people from the UK living in Japan and doing really interesting things, often outside the main cities and business fields, and similar Japanese people in the UK. Both countries seem to accept (slightly crazy) people with dreams and passion, and are better off for it”.

Graham Davis, freelance writer and member of the BCCJ executive committee

28 bccj acumen, august 2014

TOP STORY

Four centuries of friendship April 2013

ACUMEN plays a key role in promoting and featuring the British Business Awards every year, as seen in the November 2013 issue.

in British industry by a panel of judges who included Jon Harding, chief operating officer of UK Trade & Investment; Ernie Olsen, country executive, Royal Bank of Scotland Japan; and the former president and CEO of Olympus Corporation, Michael Woodford, who is arguably more famous as the world’s most celebrated corporate whistle-blower.

Accepting the award from Ambassador Tim Hitchens CMG LVO, Custom Media President Robert Heldt thanked the judges for “recognising small businesses and the role they play in today’s challenging business environment”.

Post-quake edition It sometimes takes a crisis for the very best in individuals, organisations and corporations to shine through. And so it was in the case of the British community in the days and weeks after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011.

No one who experienced Japan’s worst natural disaster in living memory will forget where they were on the afternoon the ground began to shake violently. Equally, no one who witnessed the generosity and unflinching support with which Britons reacted will forget the spectacle of the donations. ACUMEN attempted to keep up with all the good work that spontaneously poured forth.

GlaxoSmithKline K.K. immediately donated ¥200mn to the Japanese Red Cross Society for emergency supplies of water, food and drugs for a range of common illnesses. Unilever came forward with tons of soap, shampoo, toiletries and tea, while the firm matched donations from staff, many of whom were involved in ferrying supplies to emergency shelters.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Japan K.K. and The Robert Walters Group matched staff donations and launched fundraising drives, while the ANA InterContinental Tokyo donated noodles, rice, mineral water, blankets, towels, soap and other toiletries.

Precisely 400 years after the first diplomatic mission from the UK set foot in Japan, the two nations marked four centuries of trading, diplomatic, scientific and cultural relations with a year-long series of events. The Japan400 festival got under way in London at the end of January 2013 with the opening night of Anjin: The Shogun and the English Samurai at Sadler’s Wells Theatre.

The play tells the true story of William Adams, a sailor from Kent who is believed to have been the first Englishman to arrive in Japan, and his friendship with Tokugawa Ieyasu. Adams was shipwrecked in 1600 off what is today Oita Prefecture. He became one of the shogun’s most trusted advisers and paved the way for King James I’s emissaries when the Clove, the ship carrying them, arrived on the island of Hirado on 11 June, 1613. >>

“In recent years Japan has often taken a back seat to developing markets like China, India and Brazil. The news section reminds me that Japan remains an attractive market for a wide range of UK goods and services, particularly from often-interesting and innovative small and medium-size businesses”.

Iain Ferguson, president & chief operating officer, Lloyd’s Japan Inc.

bccjacumen.com 29

TOP STORY

Return to Tower Bridge May 2012 Saran Outen spent several weeks in Japan waiting for the perfect weather and tide conditions before setting out into the Pacific Ocean aboard Gulliver, a 7m rowing boat that she is using for the ocean crossings during her journey around the world by boat and The April 2011 magazine highlighted not only the chamber’s support efforts following the 2011 disaster, but also that of British firms in Japan.

Pearson Kirihara K.K. reacted with 18 tonnes of supplies donated by employees’ families, 4.5 tonnes of rice and a pallet of nappies, while Jaguar Land Rover Japan provided vehicles for the government’s Rapid Response Team.

This support is merely a fraction of the assistance that was extended to people living in parts of north-east Japan that were most severely affected by the disaster.

The chamber was also swiftly in gear, with Lori Henderson—a mere six weeks in her role as executive director—and the rest of the team at the secretariat coordinating the response. The BCCJ offered a lifeline to British citizens and firms here, providing information and vital support. Once the initial crisis had eased somewhat, the chamber put the Back to Business Initiative for Tohoku into operation, partnering with firms in the worst-hit areas to rebuild all that had been lost.

For her efforts, Henderson was awarded the MBE at Buckingham Palace in June 2012. Phil Gibb, who was president of the chamber at the time of the disaster, was awarded the OBE in May 2013 by the Prince of Wales for his services to British business in Japan, in part in the aftermath of the earthquake.

The embassy was also in the thick of the crisis from the beginning, with Ambassador David Warren KCMG visiting the affected areas to help locate British nationals caught up in the

disaster and to get a better understanding of the scale of the problems.

For his efforts, Sir David was awarded the Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 2012 New Year Honours list.

Speaking to ACUMEN shortly before retiring from the diplomatic service and after four years serving as ambassador, Sir David said the rest of his work in Japan “pales into insignificance” in comparison with the earthquake-related efforts.

“It was an immensely distressing experience and none of us who went to the affected region soon after the disaster will ever forget the appalling devastation that we saw or the extraordinary courage and resilience of the people whose lives had been destroyed in this way”, he said.

Far from slipping from the minds of the British community here, Tohoku, and the people who still live with the aftermath of the disaster, remains important.

As recently as this spring, the Knights in White Lycra completed a 500km cycle from Tokyo to Minamisanriku, in Miyagi Prefecture for the non-profit organisation O.G.A for Aid. The ride raised more than ¥5mn to help construct a vegetable-processing factory in the town.

It is this sort of long-term assistance that communities in Tohoku require, and the British contingent in Japan is still busy extending that helping hand.

bicycle. That initial foray was not successful, but a later attempt on the 4,500 nautical miles of the North Pacific went according to plan, and she is presently cycling across the North American continent.

Outen, from Oakham in Rutland, started her London2London challenge by rowing beneath Tower Bridge on 1 April, 2011, and aims to once more pass beneath the iconic bridge in 2015.

bccjacumen.com 31

ENVIRONMENT

SAVING MOUNT FUJI

• Recognised as a World Heritage Site of Cultural Significance • Attracts over 200,000 people a year for the climb

Celebrity working to improve conditions on sacred peak

• Land Rover ambassador lived in West Sussex

by kathryn wortley

of litter, because when you watch TV programmes about it you don’t really see that: you see the beauty of it”, he said.

The successful removal of

Standing at 3,776m, Mount Fuji is the country’s tallest and most sacred mountain.

K

en Noguchi is no stranger to challenges. While solotravelling on the advice of his father following a suspension from school, the young teen was inspired to try mountain climbing.

Arguably trying to run before he could walk, Noguchi chose Mount Blanc—the highest mountain in the Alps—for his debut trek, and reached the summit. He then set his sights on climbing the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents.

Ten years later, at the age of 25, he became the youngest person at the time to have completed the mammoth task when he scaled Everest, the final peak.

In recognition of his accomplishment, he was selected

32 bccj acumen, august 2014

for the Tokyo Citizens’ Honorary Award for Culture, and wrote a successful book entitled Ochikoborete Everest (Everest after dropping out), which details his remarkable journey.

Now, the alpinist and environmentalist is working hard to inspire the country’s youth, while continuing to pursue his dream of protecting Mount Fuji for future generations to enjoy.

“What I am trying to do is provide young people with a starting point, something to spark them off, so I’ll explain things to them, talk with them and get them involved”, he told BCCJ ACUMEN, following a lecture at the University of Asia Tokyo. “Then, they will come up with fantastic ideas”.

As a well-known and respected authority on environmental issues, Noguchi regularly gives talks to promote better practices, and the need to clean up Japan’s most sacred mountain. He appears on television news and environmental programmes, and recently also has begun to feature in variety shows, in an effort to make the issues more appealing to the general public.

Noguchi’s interest in improving conditions on the country’s highest peak is an extension of his work to clean up Mount Everest, which he began in 1997 after he was shocked to learn that expedition parties of his countrymen were among those leaving behind litter.

“I hadn’t really known how filthy Mount Everest was as a result

tonnes of rubbish from the site through mobilising volunteers has had an impact, both internationally and in Japan, as people seek to address the similar litter problems on Fuji. As a major tourist attraction, the 3,776m mountain attracts over 200,000 people a year—about one third non-Japanese—who come from far and near for the climb. With the mountain’s recent designation as a World Heritage Site of Cultural Significance, Noguchi has been calling for improvements to education, too.

“What I’d like to see in the future is awareness that Mount Fuji is now officially recognised as part of our cultural heritage. While I don’t argue that we should go back to [when people climbed as an act of worship], I just hope this would be a time for us to rediscover some of those ties”, he said.

As a result of his international upbringing, he describes his ability to see the good and bad in situations like a record—for Fuji, the A side is its beauty, seen from afar, while the B side is the fact it is deep in litter. Born in the US and having spent his early years in the Middle East, Noguchi received his secondary education in a country school in West Sussex.

ENVIRONMENT

The Mt Fuji environmental project involves about 10,000 people.

Ken Noguchi (left) leads volunteers in the clean-up campaign.

He remembers the rights of way that criss-crossed through the grounds and his surprise at seeing horses looming over the horizon as he looked out the classroom

and could do in a very relaxed way, probably because it was really an extension of the everyday”, he said.

It is perhaps this love he has

considered decision for them to drive it because it fits their lifestyle”.

Noguchi is a firm believer that the attitude of the British maker really shines through in the

of photographs. Despite his busy schedule and the challenging work he undertakes, he says the improvement that has been made to the country’s tallest mountain

window. More shocking, and pleasing to him, though, was the fact that walkers could use these paths, even on private property.

He was impressed by the lush green beauty of the place, and the connection he found English people had with the environment.

“Being close to nature was natural, it wasn’t a big deal because it was something [the English] were accustomed to

of the outdoors, and spontaneity to be active that inspired Noguchi to become a Land Rover brand ambassador.

“With the Range Rover you get this feeling that you want to throw all your camping gear in the back and just go off and have an adventure”, he said. “At least, looking at my friends and the people I notice on the streets, it seems it has been a very cool,

brand’s quality.

“It’s [the British] idea that when you have something that is very good, you take care of it, cherish it, and have a long-term relationship with it”, he added.

This consciousness of the future has influenced his work on a variety of projects. A prolific writer, he has penned a number of books about the environmental issues on Mount Fuji, and has compiled a collection

really motivates him to continue.

What started as a small clean-up group numbering about 100 people a year is now a project involving 10,000 volunteers who come from all corners of Japan to help.

“It is the change: the fact that I know that I am not alone, and that people are responding [to the clean-up campaign message] is what keeps me going”, he concluded.

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BCCJ EVENT

ANALYSING ABENOMICS

• Long-term structural change critical for the country’s future • Need to employ non-Japanese, the elderly and women

Behind-the-scenes look at Japan’s economic policies

• Pro-reform agenda will favour an environment for entrepreneurs

by john amari

To help tackle concerns over a dwindling population, Japan will have to introduce foreign labour and increase participation of the elderly and women in the workforce. To enable greater participation of women, he said, the

BCCJ excom member Graham Davis (left) with guest speaker Keisuke Suzuki.

J

apan has suffered over two decades of economic stagnation. In 2012, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced a threepronged economic recovery strategy dubbed the three arrows of Abenomics.

The first arrow is fiscal stimulus; the second a boost to the economy through monetary easing; and the last, long-term structural change—which is ongoing and has received mixed reviews from pundits.

On 8 July, the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) organised a luncheon—“Inside Abenomics”—during which members gained behind-the-scenes insights on the third arrow from House of Representatives member Keisuke Suzuki, one of the rising stars of Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Speaking to a capacity audience, Suzuki began by highlighting three potentially risky and upcoming milestones that the Abe

34 bccj acumen, august 2014

administration will need to manage: a cabinet reshuffle, expected in September; decisions regarding its nuclear power strategy; and a judgment concerning whether to introduce a second consumption tax-rate hike, this time from 8% to 10%, in December.

Suzuki agreed the first and second arrows have worked relatively well, but that the jury is still out on the third arrow, which includes politically turbulent areas such as negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Born in the UK and speaking with a slight English accent, Suzuki was confident as he highlighted three areas in which the third arrow of Abenomics is critical for Japan’s future, namely, its geopolitical relations with neighbours; its long-term competitiveness with other Asian nations, the US and European countries; and the need to manage an increasingly declining and ageing population.

government has introduced an action plan and will submit a bill to the Diet later in the year.

Suzuki said injecting more foreign labour into the Japanese economy is a potentially prickly, though necessary, matter that may disturb social harmony and, therefore, should be treated with sensitivity.

Despite these concerns, however, he said that in June the government had instituted limited measures to extend the three-year foreign work visa to five years. Plans were also under discussion to lower the bar that currently prevents non-Japanese with certain specific skills from entering Japan.

Pro-reform agenda Reaching the end of his presentation, Suzuki turned to reform of Japan’s corporate and investment culture. Limited use of human and financial capital, as well as low inward investment and entrepreneurship, he said, could be accelerated by lowering the corporate tax rate, shifting capital from the public purse to the private sector, and increasing deregulation.

He concluded that reform of corporate governance, by including independent members on company boards, reducing instances of cross-shareholding, and encouraging entrepreneurial risk-taking, would be critical to this process. Almost as an aside, he said political horse-trading within the LDP over the upcoming Diet sessions might well determine the fate of the third arrow.

During an occasionally passionate question and answer session, Suzuki was asked about cross-shareholding and labour-market reform,

BCCJ EVENT

obstacles to inward investment and the Abe administration’s long-term robustness. He also commented on how, in the future, Japan might demonstrate leadership skills, and how reform of the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) might be better managed. Lori Henderson MBE, executive director of the BCCJ, asked for his response to heckling suffered in June by Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member Ayaka Shioumura.

In answer to the diverse questions, he said that, at the next session of the Diet, the government could introduce legislation requiring that firms have an independent board member; labour-market reform may well see introduction of the elderly into the whitecollar workforce; and an argument is being made for creating business-friendly special economic zones.

Abe’s centre-right politics, he continued, are not necessarily hawkish, but largely rooted in realism and reform. Japan, meanwhile, could show leadership in the management of its elderly population and, in Asia, become a model of how to both increase the participation of women in the economy, and implement energy efficiency.

The event was fully booked by members keen to hear the young politician’s views.

Suzuki was cautiously optimistic about Japanese politics—and Japanese society itself— moving towards a pro-reform agenda and, thereby, creating an environment favourable to entrepreneurs.

Finally, he thought there was little appetite or expertise among bureaucrats for risk-taking with public funds, and that the heckling of Shioumura sadly reflected an old-school mentality that is, arguably, declining.

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PUBLICITY

KOBE CITY: MODERN AND PROGRESSIVE Providing opportunities for business and pleasure text and photos by kobe enterprise promotion bureau

Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster The Kobe Medical Industry Development Project is the nexus of an accelerating effort to form an international network of medical-related industries, one of the 21st century’s key growth sectors.

Research institutions and universities have already joined over 270 firms at Port Island in the city, where they are pursuing innovation in biomedical fields. The project, linking industry, academia and the government through partnerships, is not only a municipal enterprise geared to local development, but a national project.

A great place to live After the opening of the Port of Kobe in 1868, the area attracted many non-Japanese residents. Since then, the lifestyles and cultures of various countries have been integrated into neighborhoods, thus creating an environment in which non-Japanese find it easy to live comfortably.

Besides having easy access to a number of religious facilities, the area has international schools, pleasant living conditions and a natural environment, while offering a choice of ethnic cuisines and traditional Kobe beef.

Meriken Park in Kobe features the Kobe Port Tower and Kobe Maritime Museum.

Support for foreign firms and affiliates The city of Kobe has various incentives for businesses wishing to invest. We have a system of preferential treatment for both foreign and domestic firms who are prepared to make large investments within the next three years. We are also offering a fixed assets tax-rate cut of up to 90% for 0–10 years.

In addition, we have increased our rent subsidy for office space. While before we provided ¥2mn per year, we now offer a subsidy of up to ¥11mn per year.

Businesses thus can receive a generous subsidy of up to ¥33mn for three years.

Kobe Enterprise Promotion Bureau www.kobe-investment.jp/foreign_en/?lang=en

36 bccj acumen, august 2014

The city has western-style architecture.

Residents can enjoy access to, and views of Kobe Bay.

PUBLICITY

PROMOTING GLOBAL JINZAI custom media

Language Resources Ltd. was nominated in the Global Talent category of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan’s 2013 British Business Awards.

Why do you think your firm was nominated?

What services do you provide?

When and why did you start your firm in Kobe?

Geoff Rupp, M.A. (Appl. Ling.), founder and chairman: I imagine it was because we have established a reputation as

We are a kind of “resource bank” of professional language specialists.

Our main work is in English language training for business and technology, where we design and implement courses for corporate clients, according to the English skills, job functions and learning objectives of their staff.

Our other work includes

Teacher training is also an important part of our work, as we offer the highly respected Cambridge CELTA Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Over 10,000 teachers take this course each year in some 300 approved centres worldwide, but we are the only such centre in Japan.

In this way, we are not only working to improve the standards

a provider of quality language services for people working in the global market. Although we are a relatively small firm, based in Kobe, we work in most major cities in the Kansai and Kanto areas.

providing professional interpreters for business meetings, and technical translation in a range of fields, including medicine and pharmaceuticals, engineering, and environmental issues.

of language education in this country, but we also believe in setting standards for others to follow, while offering clients a level of training that meets or exceeds international standards.

Later that year, the steel firm gave me that opportunity, and after training thousands of students and hundreds of teachers, we are still here—showing there’s always a better way to learn.

When it comes to company language training, we let our clients do the talking.

I had the pleasure of working with Language Resources (LR) and their staff at our Japan site, where LR has been a long-time provider of language instruction.

“The LR commitment to quality is exceptional. Their instructors are held to the high standards of advance certifications in teaching English, and this showed in the meticulous planning and skilled delivery of the teachers I observed.

“Excellent customer service is also an LR value that is evident in their ability to customize programming and scheduling.”

Jeff Craig, M.Ed. Manager, Fab Central Team Training Micron Technology, Boise, Idaho

We’ve been in business since 1981. I had recently returned to Japan after completing a Masters in applied linguistics in the UK. A major steel firm in Kobe hired me as an inhouse trainer, knowing that my plan was to establish my own training business.

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POLITICS

THE HAGGIS VOTE

• Only those resident in the country will be eligible to vote • Referendum may divide friends and family, warn pundits • A definitive Yes or No vote is most desirable option

Scots independence debate gathers pace by ian de stains obe

T

here are more giant pandas in Scotland than there are Conservative Members of Parliament. That single snippet of apparently useless information actually speaks volumes about the nature of Scottish politics, something to which, until recently, few people south of the border have given thought. The English in particular take the union for granted, and since it has worked so well for 300 or so years, that is largely understandable.

The two countries were separate states for several centuries before eventual union. England’s attempts at a military takeover of her northern neighbour were notoriously unsuccessful. History resonates with the names of the heroes of the wars of independence: Robert the Bruce and Sir William Wallace.

Bannockburn, too, stands out as the 1314 battle—which took place near Stirling in central Scotland— in which the Scots truly trounced the English. The beginnings of a union go back to Mary Queen of Scots and her pledge, in the 1560s, to bring the kingdoms together.

That actual coming together of the states did not happen, however, until May 1707 with the Acts of Union.

Matters remained relatively straightforward until a referendum in 1997 resulted in the creation of a Scottish Parliament, sitting in Edinburgh. This so-called devolved

38 bccj acumen, august 2014

The independence referendum will take place on 18 September. • photo: reproduced with kind permissions of the electoral commission.

legislature has the power to act on all and any matters that are not reserved for the government in Westminster. If the outcome in the new referendum were a Yes to independence, it would leave Westminster with no powers whatsoever over Scotland.

It is no coincidence that the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) has chosen the anniversary of Bannockburn (18 September) to hold the independence referendum

that could tear apart this centuriesold union. Cynics might say that a stirring of the Braveheart blood, especially in a year when Scotland hosts the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, will encourage people—especially the young and independently minded—to vote Yes. Yet, this could well be completely misguided. The former first minister of Scotland, Lord Jack McConnell, told BCCJ ACUMEN,

“I meet loads and loads of 16- and 17-year-olds who are studying the debate and they are smarter than everyone gives them credit for.

I’ve met very few people of this age who say to me they don’t have enough information. By contrast, I meet many people of my age who don’t really seem to have read much at all”.

But the Yes campaigners are clear about their aims. Alyn Smith is Member of the European

POLITICS

“The Scottish government has calculated that talks to establish full independence will take around 18 months, and until that point we remain part of the UK”.

—Alyn Smith

Parliament for Scotland: “Too many of our resources are not being put to the betterment of the Scottish people. Our tax and benefits system mitigates against productivity and

100,000-strong Asian community.

On the other hand, no one living outside Scotland will be able to vote. This means a huge number of people—well over a

remain part of the UK, so part of the EU (assuming of course the UK remains in the EU)”.

If the ayes have their way, that short 18-month period will see

Embassy Tokyo and SDI themselves have declined to comment on the prospects, and possible outcome of the referendum.

Even privately, many are loathe

as a disincentive to innovation within Scotland”, Smith said.

Smith is quick to point out that Scotland is a world leader in the field of science, with abundant energy reserves, a talented population and a strong economy.

“But too many of our people are struggling”, he said. Smith fears that “the direction Westminster will take us in is entirely against our wishes and our interests”.

So, if it is a question of voting for what matters, there is another issue that rankles. The rules state that everyone resident in Scotland at the time of the referendum can vote. This means an estimated 650,000 people born outside Scotland will be eligible. Of these potential voters, the SNP has deliberately targeted the ethnic minorities, especially the over

million—in the Scottish diaspora is disenfranchised, begging the question posed by some: just what does it mean to be Scottish?

The European Union (EU) has recently announced that it will not admit new member states for at least five years. So what would that mean to a newly independent Scotland? Smith is adamant this issue would not apply, citing the example of what happened after the reunification of Germany.

“We are part of the EU territory now, and embedded in every EU programme from Erasmus to Horizon 2020. It is simply in nobody’s interests to see us leave only to come back in again.

The Scottish government has calculated that talks to establish full independence will take around 18 months, and until that point we

much accomplished. There will need to be, for example, Scottish embassies. Lord McConnell sees this as being a matter of starting out with regional hubs. But there are immediate concerns over such issues as trade promotion. What, for example, of the British chamber?

Scottish President Emeritus of the BCCJ Phil Gibb OBE sums it up very well: “The possibility of a [Scottish Chamber of Commerce in Japan] would need to be considered, though in all likelihood I could see this being an extension of Scottish Development International (SDI). I’m really not sure whether the Japanese government would necessarily extend the ‘special status’ enjoyed by the BCCJ”.

Perhaps not surprisingly, official bodies such as the British

to discuss the issue in any depth.

Without doubt it stirs emotions.

It is hard, when looking at both sides of the debate, not to conclude that, to a degree, the Yes campaign has been fought on emotional grounds, while the No campaign has argued much more based on the facts. In some cases, as Lord McConnell pointed out in his recent address to the BCCJ, the issue has sharply divided families, and in the event of a success for those in favour, it could do so even more.

To be personal for a moment, I prize my Scottish parentage and will proudly don the tartan— McLaughlan—of my mother’s clan when occasion permits, but I would rue the day when I would need to show my passport to visit my brother and his family in Glasgow, after spending time with my sister and her family in Essex.

One thing is a certainty, namely, that everyone concerned is looking for a definitive result: either a strong Yes or No vote.

Anything else will render the exercise futile and result in calls for yet another referendum in the space of just a few years.

Few people will have the appetite for that.

“I meet loads and loads of 16-and 17-year-olds who are studying the debate and they are smarter than everyone gives them credit for”.

—Lord Jack McConnell

bccjacumen.com 39

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HEALTH

DENTAL CARE FOR TODDLERS

• Initial visit recommended before a child’s first birthday • Prevention important to protect teeth until they are lost naturally • Lead by example to teach your child good dental care

by dr anthony s drennan dmd

I

have had numerous mothers ask me about the best time for a child’s first dental visit.

Paediatricians and general practitioners usually recommend that a visit be made before his or her first birthday, since it is at around six

Prevention is the name of the game. It is very important to keep primary (baby or milk) teeth in place until they are lost naturally.

The primary teeth are important for many reasons. They help children chew properly to

plaque, tartar build-up or stains. Following this, a demonstration is given on proper home care to parents, as well as an assessment of the need for fluoride.

months of age that primary teeth typically begin growing in. I am usually guided by the following.

First visits are mainly about getting used to the dentist’s chair and, most important, about educating parents on how to care for their baby’s teeth. If your child has transitioned from a bottle to a cup and does not snack or drink in the middle of the night, the child can wait one extra year, until age two, for their first visit. At this time the standard recommendation for a visit every six months kicks into gear.

maintain good nutrition, play a role in speech development, save space for permanent teeth, and promote a healthy smile that helps children feel good about the way they look.

Many first visits are nothing more than introductory icebreakers to acquaint your child with the dentist and the practice. Short, successive visits are meant to build the child’s trust in the dentist and the dental surgery, and can prove invaluable if your child needs to be treated later for any dental problem.

I always recommend having the appointments scheduled earlier in the day, when your child is alert and fresh. For children under 36 months, the parent may need to sit in the dental chair and hold the child during the examination. Or, parents may be asked to wait in the reception area so a relationship can be built between child and dentist.

The first visit usually involves a gentle, but thorough, examination of the teeth, jaw, bite, gums and oral tissues to monitor growth and development, and observe any problem areas.

If indicated, your dentist will administer a gentle clean, which involves polishing, or as I like to call it, “tickling the teeth”, and removing any

A number of common recommendations will usually be made at the initial visit.

1. Clean your infant’s gums with a clean, damp cloth after each feeding.

2. As soon as the first teeth come in, begin brushing them with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and water.

3. To avoid baby-bottle tooth decay and teeth misalignment due to sucking, try to wean your child off the breast and bottle by one year of age, and monitor excessive sucking of dummies and thumbs. Do not give your child a bottle—of milk, juice or sweetened liquid—as a pacifier at naptime or bedtime.

Prior to bedtime, drinking milk is fine.

4. Help your child brush at night, the most important time due to lower salivary flow and higher susceptibility to cavities.

I recommend having the child brush first to build self-confidence, followed up by the parent, to ensure that all plaque is removed.

5. The best way to teach a child to brush is to lead by good example. Allowing your child to watch you, or an older sibling, brush is a technique that has worked for many of my patients.

Short, successive visits are meant to build the child’s trust in the dentist and the dental surgery.

In the end, it is the basics—brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and getting regular dental check-ups every six months—that have the most impact on a child’s smile. It is my experience that children with very proactive parents have the least incidence of decay, and as a result enjoy going to the dentist. A visit to the dentist’s surgery should be a pleasant one and not one that is avoided at all costs.

bccjacumen.com 41

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Q: We recently moved to Japan because of my husband’s work posting.

We are excited to be here, but I am finding it hard, especially because he seems to spend so much time with his colleagues, even in the evenings, and I am left alone a lot. How can I deal with this?

A: TELL Lifeline is a free, confidential and anonymous telephone counselling service that has served the Japanese and international communities here for more than 40 years. Our counsellors range in age from 21 into their mature years, represent 14 nationalities, and are fluent in English.

The volunteer counsellors are carefully screened before they are admitted to the intensive 12-week training programme, designed to equip them with the listening and counselling skills they need.

Evaluations ensure that all volunteers are up to speed in terms of competence.

Training is followed by a period of apprenticeship under the supervision of more senior counsellors, before the new graduate starts answering Lifeline calls single-handed. After that, there is a system to ensure that all volunteers receive on-going support to maintain the ability to carry out their duties.

Phone counsellors never reveal their affiliation to others and

A: Changes in your life recently have left you with mixed feelings.

The excitement, about being in a new culture and exploring things that are very different from those in your home country, is also tempered with a sense of isolation as you attempt to settle into your new life.

The need for cultural adjustment is something many people experience when they make an international move, as you have done. This feeling may begin with what is called the “honeymoon” stage, when everything is wonderful, moving on to a period of “this place drives me crazy” and, even, to you feeling, “I’m not sure whether I like it here or not”. The length of each stage can vary. People experiencing cultural adjustment can often swing back and forth between stages, depending on a variety of circumstances.

You seem to be struggling with how to cope and this has left you feeling unhappy with the apparent changes in your marriage, due to your husband’s work hours. You are lonely because you are missing the relationship you used to have with your husband in your home country. Your experience is one

callers are never asked to reveal their identities or whereabouts.

TELL does not trace calls and counsellors do not discuss anything they hear outside the confidential environment of the phone room.

TELL’s approach is clientcentred, which means we listen— actively and carefully—and work with the caller to consider options. We are not an advice service, although sometimes we may make referrals to individuals or organisations that might be of help under certain circumstances, such as to provide legal advice or specialist medical referrals.

No issue is too small, nor too big; we welcome simple calls seeking information to those concerning more serious matters, including relationship difficulties, loneliness, anxiety and even suicide.

If you have issues that are causing you concern, often just talking about them can make them feel less threatening, and sometimes may even resolve them.

We’re here to listen. Please call.

No issue is too small, nor too big . . . We’re hear to listen. Please call.

faced by many trailing spouses who come to Japan.

The working partner will probably have an “instant” community within their workplace, whereas the accompanying spouse often has to work harder at finding their support network. Although it is beginning to change, the work ethic here is that managers, especially, are expected to spend time in the evening with their colleagues. This is when much of the nemawashi (consensus building) is done, in order to make sure that work life runs smoothly.

Unfortunately, this can lead to a skewed work–life balance.

Finding ways to take care of yourself, and develop healthy coping methods may make this transition easier. Talking about your experience and feelings with someone in your life who is supportive can be a good way to relieve some of the stress and loneliness you are feeling.

TELL Lifeline is another source of support. Not only are the telephone counsellors experienced in listening to people who are in situations similar to yours, but they also have knowledge of resources that may be helpful. TELL also offers face-to-face counselling.

bccjacumen.com 45

PUBLICITY

HEART IN THE HOME BUSINESS Architect firm offers authentic, high-quality British designs by kathryn wortley

I

f the saying is true that love is needed to make a house into a home, then Cotsworld Ltd. Managing Director Koichi Obi is in the right business. Obi’s

reading an immeasurable number of books on elements of style—from Tudor to modern— architectural details and interiors.

He subsequently passed on this

fondness for the UK is reflected in every aspect of the Britishstyle architectural firm, from the sourcing trips to local areas in search of authentic materials to the extensive research and training undergone to deliver the final traditional touches on their products.

His connection to Britain began with a chance meeting of a man selling stone from the Cotswolds area, in south-central England. On seeing his brochure and samples, Obi was so taken by the quality of the construction materials that he resigned from his job and started setting up his own firm. Naturally, he knew where to begin.

“After I arrived at Heathrow, I took a train straight to the Cotswolds”, he told BCCJ ACUMEN. “There I saw the honey-coloured houses spread out before me and I was really impressed”.

It was on this visit that Obi decided to expand his plans to use not only brick and stone, but also other British materials. Over the space of two years, the designer went back and forth, visiting quarries, joiners and craftsmen to encourage them to export their raw materials to Japan.

Research, too, was crucial, and he spent hours in bookshops

information to his firm’s staff and tradesmen.

“I studied because, if you don’t know about Western-style architecture, you cannot build an authentic house. Style is extremely important to British people, and I thought, ‘I want to become like that’”, he said.

It is thanks to this passion that Cotsworld is now celebrating its 15th anniversary. Delivering tailormade homes based on photos, very particular requests, and even experiences in the UK, has resulted in delighted customers who often invite him to see the finished interiors.

“Our customers say their homes are wonderful”, he said. “The best feedback I ever heard was from one customer whom I built a house for, in a Cotswold style.

When he went to the Cotswolds, he said his house was the real thing.

He was so pleased and that made me really happy”.

Cotsworld staff monitor the construction phase in person on a weekly basis. Because of this, the firm’s projects focus on the Kanto area, but Obi insists there are no limitations on the UKdesign aspect.

“I have been to the UK more than 25 times”, Obi said. “It means

46 bccj acumen, august 2014

Quality and authenticity are crucial in making the homes.

that when customers ask if I know of a place, there is a high chance that I have personally been there. If the building you want to base your design on is anywhere in the UK, we can build it”.

Although traditional British materials are used, the interior structure is built using the international standard two-byfour method, which was originally imported from the US. It has been authorised by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and offers resistance against earthquakes. A central air system provides a comfortable living environment, and interior designs include kitchens and bathrooms. The firm even provides referrals to specialists for traditional gardens. Obi said

although customers are keen for everything to be authentic, some people make exceptions.

“Only about 30% of customers want a British-style bathroom, while the rest want a Japanesestyle wet room; others really care about the toilet, choosing washlet types over conventional ones”.

Although it is not always easy to find the necessary materials, Obi told BCCJ ACUMEN that he loves his work, which inevitably spills over into his social life. He recently addressed 60 people at a seminar where he showed over 200 photos and described the design features of the Georgian and Victorian periods.

He also appeared as an expert guest on an NHK talk show about castles featured in the popular UK drama Downton Abbey.

EXPORT TO JAPAN

BRITISH BRAND POWER

Heritage and quality crucial for successful market entry by julian ryall

“Our research of the ‘British Heritage Market’ had clearly shown the Japanese customer to be a highly discerning British heritage-style connoisseur”, said

The UK firm was recognised in the 2014 Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.

D

espite only having been founded in 2001, London Tradition Ltd. quickly established a reputation for designing and making topquality garments for the wholesale market, including stylish pea, duffel and trench coats. That reputation has grown around the world, with Japan one of the first overseas markets into which the Hackney-based firm has ventured. The founders insist that their garments are, have always been, and will continue to be, designed and manufactured in London.

The firm’s achievements have recently been recognised by the

British government with the prestigious 2014 Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in the international trade category.

“The award is a recognition of excellence for this rapidly expanding company that has taken British outerwear—including the humble duffel coat—and transformed them into a luxury heritage brand for an international market”, reads the citation.

It also points out that the firm has recorded an impressive rate of 865% growth over a period of six years.

Today, Japan is London Tradition’s biggest overseas market—accounting for 50% of exports—followed by Germany, Italy, France, Austria, the Netherlands and Spain. The firm also has its eye on the US and South American countries.

“Our research of the ‘British Heritage Market’ had clearly shown the Japanese customer to be a highly discerning British heritage-style connoisseur”.

Mamun Chowdhury, joint founder and managing director. “So, our entry into the Japanese market from early 2003 was a natural fit for our products”.

“We consider the Japanese market to be highly influential in the world, and thus have significant potential, both for our existing trade and wholesale market, as well as for our planned entry into the retail market”, said fellow Managing Director Rob Huson.

London Tradition is currently undertaking extensive market research into both the wholesale and retail sectors in Japan, and intends to draw up a targeted growth plan.

UK Trade & Investment Japan at the British Embassy Tokyo have been instrumental in assisting London Tradition to get a foot in the door of what is a competitive and fastmoving sector.

“We consider the British embassy in Japan to be a vital partner in all our endeavours in Japan and feel that it would have taken us much longer, and indeed been riskier, to try to access this market without their assistance”, concluded Chowdhury.

this article can be viewed online at www.exporttojapan.co.uk. helping uk companies succeed in japan bccjacumen.com 47

INDUSTRY

Time for a cuppa Herbal tea firm enters market by julian ryall Co-founders Sebastian Pole (left) and Tim Westwell have found success with “tea cocktails”.

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apan, India and China may have been the birthplaces of the brew that is today considered Britain’s national drink, but consumers in those markets are snapping up a range of herbal teas that can trace their genesis back to a spare bedroom in Bristol in 2002.

After all, says Pukka Herbs co-founder Tim Westwell, if they can carve a niche in the competitive and congested domestic market in the UK, then there is no reason the firms’ selection of what he terms “tea cocktails” cannot fare equally well in Asia.

Westwell says he had become bored with his regular corporate-world job and wanted to find a way to directly contribute to society. He placed a simple advert, entitled “Do you want to grow business in a healthy way?” in a local newspaper in Bristol.

He received one reply, from Sebastian Pole, a qualified medical herbalist, and the idea for an ecologically and socially sustainable business— which also tapped into the Brits’ obsession for tea—was born.

“We set out to create new, innovative teas that will help people to understand nature better, to improve their health and their lives”, 53-year-old Westwell told BCCJ ACUMEN. “But, as well as having a positive impact on our customers, we also wanted the benefits

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to extend to our staff and the growers that we work with.

“As a herbalist, Sebastian knows and understands all the subtleties and benefits of herbs and has access to the raw materials all round the world”, Westwell said. “And, watching him work, it’s almost like alchemy as he brings together as many as 11 different herbs in a blend to create the perfect tea”.

At present, Pukka Herbs—which takes its name from the Hindi word for real, authentic or genuine—produces 31 blended teas. A total of 17 of these teas, which are suitable for different occasions or moods, are available in Japan.

The naturally caffeine-free Relax tea, for example, brings together 100% organically grown chamomile flower, liquorice root, sweet fennel seed, wild fennel seed, cardamom pods, ginger root and marshmallow root. Like its name suggests, it is ideal to bring on a sense of calm, and can be drunk throughout the day or as a nightcap.

The Revitalise tea, on the other hand, melds cinnamon bark with orange peel, elderflower, cardamom seed, liquorice root, ginger root, green tea, spearmint leaf, clove bud and black peppercorn. It serves as a powerful pick-me-up when energy levels are waning and it makes an excellent change from a coffee-induced caffeine jolt.

The drinks have hit the spot in the UK, and the firm has won the most Great Taste Awards ever presented to a herbal tea business.

And the search continues for new tastes to add to the line-up of a firm that has grown from one working out of that spare bedroom, to one that employs 60 people in the UK and works with growers around the world.

Pukka has replied to demand in Japan for more mainstream teas—an Earl Grey and English Breakfast—but inevitably with a twist.

The Lively English Breakfast, for example, includes ginseng that is hand-picked by indigenous tribes in northern Vietnam and the powdered root of the maca plant from South America.

“We take a lot of care with what we do: from selecting the best seeds in the country where they are grown, to the tea’s place on the shop shelf and on to people’s homes, we insist on having complete traceability”, Westwell said.

“We have more than 200 ingredients that are sourced from the best growing regions of the world and we only select the most potent parts of the plants that we use”, he added. “We think that is what makes the difference when the customer comes to taste the tea”.

Pukka Herbs in Japan has been importing teas for six years and has seen a steady year-onyear growth in its sales over that period.

INDUSTRY

“We have grown faster in the UK because the herbal tea market there is more mature, but here we are trying to create awareness and build that market from a low base”.

Japan was identified early on as a potentially fruitful market for Pukka, Westwell said.

“These are premium teas, in terms of quality, taste and price, and we identified countries where we thought that would be appreciated”, he said. “This is a very affluent and healthconscious market with a long history of drinking green tea, so we believed Japan would be open to new ideas.

“And we are very aware that we now have to consistently live up to those high standards”.

Pukka teas are available through many supermarkets and specialist food stores in Japan. Westwell admits that he would love to open a specialist store in Tokyo one day, although overheads are at present prohibitively high. Nevertheless, the firm is growing in Japan at a rate of between 20% and 30% a year; in the UK, growth has been an impressive 45% over the past five years. In terms of Pukka’s presence in Japan, the aim is to expand in the existing channels and to enter hotels and restaurants.

The Lively English Breakfast includes ginseng that is hand-picked by indigenous tribes in northern Vietnam.

“There’s a lot of wonder in nature and herbs”, Westwell said. “We want to bring people back in touch with nature and the healing benefits of herbs and plants in a way that they can enjoy.

“That’s why we have created teas that are designed to bring your senses alive”, he concluded. www.pukkaherbs.com

PUBLICITY

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT MADNESS

Why 70/20/10 Doesn’t Work in Japan

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enior leaders must work through people and the key leverage group are Middle Managers. Doing more, faster, better with less, screams out for delegation.

Putting aside the issue of basic delegation nous on the part of the leaders, the capability of the delegatees to pick up the shield and spear, makes or breaks organisations.

Middle Managers are the corporate glue.

Market and system noise are filtered, sorted, nuanced and passed up to senior leaders.

They must also amplify the key direction and messages to everyone below. Well, in theory this is the case - what about the practice?

Middle Managers in Japan are tutored by their sempai – their seniors. The seniors themselves were similarly tutored. Looking at the postwar period there are distinct periods of managerial mis-development. The military officers returning from the war came back to a devastated economy and were placed in leadership positions in the rebuilt firms. The 1960s and 1970s saw Japan overtake the major European economies one by one. This was built off disciplined hard work and almost feudal sacrifice of family. For those in large firms, lifetime employment meant unquestioning dedication was expected. “Tough love” was meted out by the officer corps, now turned corporate managers. Leadership was top down, mainly barking out orders and berating subordinates.

The bursting of the bubble in the late 1980s left a corporate hangover with important side effects. Marketing and training budgets were slashed as firms struggled to survive. Thirtysomethings in the 1990s became the “lost patrol” – they moved up the ranks, based on age and seniority. Unfortunately, by the time the training faucet got turned on again, it went to their younger hopefuls. The sempai missed out and

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the content of their inherited tutor curriculum became frozen in time. The postwar system emphasised hard skills but had little clue about how to develop civilians. Today, in their fifties and in senior roles, many senior leaders have not been challenged by a new management idea in twenty years. By the way, the psychological and values gap between this senior generation and the millenniums now entering the workforce is vast, measurable in light years.

The Lehman Shock left a renewed legacy of instability. Lifetime employment suffered collateral damage. The demise of Yamaichi Securities put the loyal and diligent on the street, a hammer blow to the traditional worker/ company compact. Post-Lehman, training again took some intense blows and so sempai-led OJT (On The Job Training) has remained the central pillar of Middle Management education in Japan. OJT’s philosophical and practical roots stretch unbroken to the pre-1945 Imperial Officer Academies. Want to confirm this? Ask yourself why there is still no equivalent in Japan of the West’s major business schools, churning out the best and the brightest Middle Managers?

We are left with generations of undereducated managers, channeling their passed-use-by-date unreconstructed sempai. They are all swirling around a tight whirlpool, out of context and out of touch with contemporary corporate needs. This is the critical reason why dated theories like the 70/20/10 model for learning and development are irrelevant here in Japan. Both the 20% from the sempai and the 10% component from training simply fail to deliver.

Corporate training in Japan is almost 100% ineffective. Old Japan loves lecture and Japanese trainers just love to talk. There is plenty of one-way traffic around the “What” and “How” but little or nothing around the

“Why”. “Distributed Intelligence” – using the full experience and smarts power of the group - is rarely utilised.

If you were hoping for a post-training performance pick-up, then good luck! Daily, battalions of corporate trainees troop back to their desks and resume hostilities, without making any changes to how they do their job.

Einstein noted that we can define insanity as “continuing to do the same things in the same way, but expecting a different outcome”. We must all be mad!

Until OJT is re-ordered off a properly educated baseline and the training delivered actually leads to behavior change, then there will be no progress. Middle Managers will continue to squander their key role. They will fail to communicate in ways that trigger enthusiasm, inspiration, empowerment, and confidence. High levels of engagement will never be achieved. Critically, engagement is the magic spring from which flows innovation, commitment and motivation in teams.

The male, greying Corporate Boardroom can continue to pontificate from on high but actual workplace change is delivered by Middle Managers. Hands up who wants better Middle Management in Japan?

Before you even think about training your Middle Managers, read the free report, “Stop Wasting Money Training. How To Get The Best Results From Your Training Budget”. To receive your Free Report pick up your phone now and call 0120-948-395 or 03-4520-5469 for a 24 hour Free Recorded Message.

EXCOM

BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL TEAM

by bccj vice president anna pinsky

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s part of our plans to increase the accessibility and transparency of the work of the BCCJ executive committee (excom), you will see

This helps ensure that candidates are compared and selected based on objective criteria, and that the final hiring decision is not overly influenced by other subjective or

more articles over the coming months from different members of our 2014–15 excom. In this issue I am taking the opportunity to share some insights from my own 15 years of experience working and living in Japan.

I am an organisational development specialist. My first experience of Japan was at the age of 17, when I worked as a volunteer in two Leonard Cheshire Disability’s homes for the handicapped, located in the Kansai region. A scholarship from Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology provided an opportunity for me to return to complete a Masters degree.

I have spent most of my professional career working with British organisations, often during their start-up stage in Japan. This has given me the opportunity to observe some of the common pitfalls experienced by new market entrants.

It is well known that Japan is one of the most difficult countries in which to recruit the necessary quality of talent. In fact, ManpowerGroup’s 2014 Talent Shortage Survey of over 37,000 employers in 42 countries cited Japan as the most challenging market for filling job vacancies.

emotional factors.

For particularly crucial positions, one way to better grasp candidates’ people skills is to arrange for them to take part in a simulated work project. This could entail a short role play, in which the candidate has to address an issue relating to a subordinate’s poor performance, and would offer a more precise indication of the candidate’s communication skills and ability to develop rapport.

Staff who are not only bilingual, but also have business skills are needed.

Securing quality bilingual staff is usually one of the first priorities in setting up an office in Japan, but the limited availability of experienced bilingual talent means that finding the right candidate can be fraught with difficulties.

The eigoya problem Part of this challenge relates to eigoya, a term used in the local HR community to describe candidates possessing excellent English skills but lacking basic business knowledge. An eigoya-type candidate could be an individual who has spent most of his or her career focusing on developing close-to-perfect English language skills to the detriment of gaining business knowledge and expertise.

He/she may come across as eloquent and persuasive in an interview context but, once hired,

struggles to build rapport with others and fails to develop the working relationships necessary to carry out the role.

The accidental hiring of an eigoya candidate is not uncommon. This type of poor hiring decision usually is made when the interviewer does not speak Japanese and is lulled into a false sense of security by the candidate’s high level of English, forgetting to thoroughly check their experience and track record.

Richard Boggis-Rolfe, chairman of recruitment firm Odgers Berndtson, emphasised the danger of hiring based on one’s gut feeling, at one of our BCCJ events earlier this year. He mentioned the importance of preparing a clear and prioritised list of requirements for the role and using this list in a disciplined way.

Look for potential Another way that some firms have overcome the hiring challenge is expanding the list of acceptable candidates to include individuals who have 80–90% of the English language skills required for the role.

I have seen some firms successfully build a strong team by identifying individuals who may not have the necessary standard of English at the time of the interview, but who have the right attitude and level of motivation to improve their fluency in a comparatively short time upon entering the organisation.

There is no one right solution to finding and developing the best talent for your business in Japan, but I hope these hints and tips will help your business avoid one of the common difficulties.

bccjacumen.com 51

BBA IS GREAT 2014

BUSINESS

British Business Awards

Friday 14 Nov. 6:30-10:30pm | Hilton Tokyo, Shinjuku

Celebrate the best of UK-Japan business at the 7th British Business Awards Book Now! Seats: ¥27,000 Tables: ¥270,000 (10 seats) BBA recognise excellence in all industries Awards presented by British Ambassador to Japan Tim Hitchens Black-tie gala dinner with British cuisine Music by “the UK’s best unsigned band” Stone Foundation

Nomin ati ons

now open!

Headline Sponsor

Sponsor

The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan

Nominations open for six BBA awards Trophies by Scottish artist Kate Thomson of Ukishima Sculpture Studio

Media Partners

In-kind Sponsors

www.bccjapan.com

BBA 2014

GONG

CHARITY LEADER IN HONOURS LIST

• Praised for important role in supporting displaced people • Developed sponsorship, fundraising and advocacy

CEO of Refugees International Japan receives OBE

• Influential work both in Japan and overseas

by kathryn wortley

“M

s Jane Best, in recognition of your outstanding contribution to supporting refugees and those displaced by conflict, Her Majesty The Queen has appointed you to be an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”.

Thus began the official investiture of Jane Best OBE at a special ceremony in the British Embassy Tokyo on 17 June. British Ambassador to Japan Tim Hitchens CMG LVO expressed his joy at giving the award, which is usually presented by the Queen or other Royals in London.

Best was recognised for her work with Refugees International Japan (RIJ), at first as a volunteer international funding director, and from 2006 in the capacity of president and CEO. She was praised for developing corporate sponsorship, fundraising and refugee advocacy initiatives.

RIJ aims to help people in Africa and Asia who, as a result of conflict, have been displaced and lost everything. The award recognises the important role that Best has played, and continues to play, on behalf of the organisation, both in Japan and further afield.

“You demonstrated that displacement internally in Japan [following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami] needed to be taken as seriously as in overseas countries affected by war. Your work overseas and in Japan has played a very positive and influential role in generating a better understanding of corporate social responsibility in Japan and globally”, said Hitchens.

Best was delighted to receive the investiture, and have her friends and colleagues with her to celebrate the occasion.

“The award is a tremendous endorsement to the work we do at RIJ. I am thrilled that the work has been recognised in this way”, she said. “I hope my good fortune will bring opportunities to others. Many thanks to everyone who helped me achieve it”.

Best’s sensitivity and positivity, even in the face of harrowing circumstances, is a support to volunteers of the charity, said Hitchens. Her personal dedication, as well as her strong and inspirational commitment to international development, was also commended.

“This honour is a mark of our respect, and our thanks, for your tireless efforts”, Hitchens said in closing.

British Ambassador to Japan Tim Hitchens awards Jane Best an OBE at the British Embassy Tokyo.

bccjacumen.com 53

ARTS 1

FROM 30 AUGUST How I Live Now Directed by Kevin Macdonald, this British film is set in the UK in the near future. Saoirse Ronan plays Daisy, sent to stay with relatives in the countryside, where she finds herself fighting to survive.

Photo: ©THE BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE/ CHANNEL FOUR TELEVISION CORPORATION/ HILN LTD 2013

Yurakucho Subaru-za (among other locations) Yurakucho Building 1-10-1 Yurakucho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Various show times Adults: ¥1,800 » www.howilivenow.jp/ 03-3212-2826 ◉ Free gift We are giving away three exclusive leaflets for this film.

UK EVENTS IN JAPAN COMPILED BY KANA SHIMOYOSHI

Rokko Garden Terrace 1877-9 Gosukeyama, Rokkosancho Nada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo 9am–10pm (exceptions apply) Free (some fees may apply) » www.rokkosan.com/gt/ event/20140411_6260/ 078-894-2281 ◉ Free tickets We are giving away three pairs of tickets to Rokko-Shidare Observatory, where one of the events is being held.

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UNTIL 3 NOVEMBER ART Fahrenheit 451: Sailing into the sea of oblivion This international exhibition representing Japan will display things lost from our lives in the contemporary age. The works of British artists will be on display.

Photo: MICHAEL LANDY ART BIN 2010 INSTALLATION VIEW AT SOUTH LONDON GALLERY

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UNTIL 31 AUGUST Peter RabbitTM & British Fair in Rokkosan Garden Terrace A UK-style cottage garden will come alive during this event, with famous scenes from The Tale of Peter RabbitTM. Enjoy British cuisine, shopping and fun events in a peaceful and traditional countryside atmosphere.

Photo: Beatrix PotterTM and Peter RabbitTM ©FW & CO., 2014

Yokohama Museum of Art 3-4-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Shinko Pier Exhibition Hall 2-5 Shinko, Naka-ku Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 10am-6pm (until 8pm on 9 August, 13 September and 11 October; closed first and third Thursdays) Adults: ¥1,800 » www.yokohamatriennale.jp/ english/2014/ 03-5405-8686 ◉ Free tickets We are giving away five pairs of tickets to this event.

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◉ To apply for free tickets or gifts, please send an email with your name, address and telephone number by 31 August (except where otherwise indicated) to: coordinator@custom-media.com.

Winners will be picked at random.

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4 SEPTEMBER

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John Lill Piano Recital in Tokyo An English classical recital and solo pianist, John Lill CBE has played with the greatest orchestras in the world in a career spanning over 55 years. This recital is part of the Fantastic Pianist Series 2014, and includes Beethoven’s “Sonata

◉ Free tickets

No.2 in C minor, Op 13 Pathétique”, and Schuman’s “Carnival Jest from Vienna Op 26”.

We are giving away two pairs of tickets to this event. Please apply by 26 August.

Hakuju Hall 1-37-5 Tomigaya Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 7pm Adults: ¥5,500 » www.proarte.co.jp/shop/ products/detail.php?product_ id=1198 03-3943-6677

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◉ Free tickets We are giving away two pairs of tickets to this event. Please apply by 26 August.

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Nihon Tokushu Togyo Shimin Kaikan 1-5-1 Kanayama Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 7pm Adults: ¥4,300 » www.min-on.or.jp/play/ detail_10692.html 052-951-5391

4 SEPTEMBER Beatles & Queen Named after the year The Beatles first performed in Japan, girl group 1966 Quartet will perform renowned numbers from the iconic British band on violin, cello and piano. They will also perform “Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We Will Rock You”.

10–28 SEPTEMBER Die Dreigroschenoper Known in English as The Threepenny Opera, this work was adapted from the 18th century English play, The Beggar’s Opera,

by John Gay. Die Dreigroschenoper was written by Bertolt Brecht and will be performed in Japanese.

Photo: YOSHIO KUMAGAI

New National Theatre, Tokyo 1-1-1 Hon-machi Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Various show times Adults: from ¥3,240 » www.nntt.jac.go.jp/ performance_en/play/140901.html 03-5352-9999 ◉ Free gift We are giving away five coupons that may be exchanged for show programmes at the venue.

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community

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1 | BCCJ EVENT Attending the 51 night “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on 24 July at Conrad Tokyo were (from left): Sarah Firth, BCCJ membership and marketing assistant, Lori Henderson MBE, BCCJ executive director, and Nina Oiki, BCCJ volunteer.

2 | With a Shakespeare theme, the night featured special food, decorations and a slide-show.

56 bccj acumen, august 2014

3 | ROYALTY Prince Fumihito Akishino and Princess Kiko Akishino (centre) visited Cotswolds hotel Lords of the Manor on 7 July. They are pictured with Sunil George (left), assistant restaurant manager, and Paul Thompson (right), general manager.

4 | SCIENCE Industry, government and academia experts attended a joint UK-Japan workshop on manufacturing and industrial policy on 19 June.

The event was organised by the Science and Innovation section of the British Embassy Tokyo, the Institute of Manufacturing of Cambridge University and the University of Tokyo.

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5 | EDUCATION Staff and students of the British School in Tokyo ran the Nakasendo Way, the path taken by the imperial messengers of Edo Japan, which runs from Kyoto to Tokyo, from 28 June to 3 July. The participants successfully raised ¥300,000 to build a school in Cambodia in partnership with United World Schools.

community

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6 | PARLIAMENT Attending the Fukushima okiagari koboshi exhibition on display from 7–11 July at the Houses of Parliament (page 8) were (from left): Keiichi Hayashi, Japanese ambassador to the UK, and Yoshio Mitsuyama, chairman of Fukushima Prefectural Association, UK. 7 | DRINK The International Wine Challenge Sake Awards tasting event was held at the Embassy of Japan, London on 17 July.

8 | DRINK Members of The Japan-British Society enjoyed a wine tasting party at Berry Bros. & Rudd on 10 July.

10

10 | CULTURE Visitors to Hyper Japan, which was hosted at Earls Court, London, from 25–27 July, enjoyed performances of traditional Japanese dance and music.

9 | ART Leading art expert and cultural envoy Yuko Hasegawa gave a talk on 20th-and 21st-century Japanese pop art at The Wilson Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, Gloucestershire, on 12 July.

bccjacumen.com 57

JET

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Second in our series on JET alumni by philippa greenwood

I

was on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme in Shiokawa-machi, Fukushima Prefecture, from 1996 to 1998.

Looking back, I realise I applied for the wrong reasons: in short, I didn’t have a clue what else I wanted to do on leaving university and JET sounded like a fun way of delaying any serious life decisions for at least a year. I was a ju-jitsu practitioner and hoped that spending time in Japan would provide an opportunity to hone my skills. Despite the lackadaisical reasoning behind my application, it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

The two years I spent in Shiokawa-machi have left me with many wonderful memories: participating in local festivals, learning traditional Japanese dance, aikido and judo, taking part in compulsory karaoke sessions, and being surrounded by the aweinspiring countryside. But it was the welcome and kindness shown by everyone I met that will last longest in my mind.

That’s not to say there weren’t challenges. As I am not a natural linguist, I always struggled with the language. Nor could I drive, so it was necessary to arrange for teachers to take me to the more remote schools where I taught. Moreover, I had to cycle for 40 minutes to reach my nearest JET neighbour. But, my Japan experience left me more

58 bccj acumen, august 2014

Now in its 27th year, the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme has welcomed over 55,000 people from 62 countries to deliver grassroots international exchange between Japan and other nations. This column will feature former JETs, both in the UK and Japan, who keep the idea of fostering mutual understanding firmly at heart.

independent and confident than I had ever been, with a belief that I could try anything, and adapt to living anywhere.

This freshly found confidence and love I discovered of experiencing a new country are the reasons for which I applied to work at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), although I had no idea that my new job would take me back to Japan.

I joined the FCO in September 2002. Knowing that Tokyo would be a popular request, I tried to be realistic about my chances of securing a posting there. So I couldn’t believe my luck in March 2005, when I was told that I would be heading to Japan’s capital the following year to take up a role as HM vice-consul at the British Embassy Tokyo.

When I started in that challenging new role in August 2006, the exposure that JET had given me to Japanese culture and

customs was, again, invaluable.

The job largely involved helping British nationals who had found themselves in trouble. I saw Japan from a different perspective: through prisons, hospitals and institutions for the mentally ill. But there are similarities across such establishments, and my experience working in schools was useful background knowledge.

Again, I was struck by the kindness of strangers, especially in a capital city. I couldn’t help but draw comparison with my life in London, where I didn’t know the names of some of my neighbours.

By contrast, I think I had visited nearly every flat in my apartment block within three months of arriving.

My second stint in Japan was even more life changing than the first. By the time I returned home in October 2009, I had been promoted to the post of consul, and my family had expanded by

two: a dachshund called Peanut, and my beautiful daughter, Indigo.

Indy was born in a Shinjuku hospital in September 2007. She will be seven this September, but has never tired of telling people she is from Japan, or of devouring sushi.

For the first couple of years after coming back to the UK, she was my major link to the country.

Yet somehow, once Japan has got under your skin, it seems to find a way of coming back into your life.

My current role is as major sporting events manager in the FCO’s sporting opportunities unit, which was set up to explore ways of harnessing soft power and economic opportunities after the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. With Japan hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and Tokyo 2020, it was inevitable that I would once again be involved with Japanese stakeholders. As a result, I attended a dinner in May for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Guildhall, London.

I am not sure whether Japan will continue to play a part in my FCO career once this role is over, but I do not underestimate the positive effect my experiences there have had in both my work and private life. Even if my job doesn’t take me back for a few years, I have promised Indy that we will return for the Games in 2020, and eagerly have started to plan the trip.

IF YOU ASK ME

EUROPEAN UNION: STAY IN OR GET OUT? Going it alone could taint the UK’s position for investors by ian de stains obe

B

ritish Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent tilting at the windmill of JeanClaude Juncker’s European Union presidential bid has highlighted—

the EU, there will be a significant adverse impact on Japanese investors’ perception of Britain as an investment destination”.

Many Japanese firms

if it were not already evident enough—the gulf between the UK and its European partners over a multitude of issues. Juncker’s success in securing the presidency of the European Commission suggests that Cameron’s quest for changes that would satisfy the concerns of some UK citizens about remaining within the union is a lost cause.

This is bad news for the prime minister, if there is to be a referendum, as promised, in 2017.

That itself is dependent on a Tory victory in the forthcoming general election, due next year, and by no means a given. The question then is whether another party in government would also look for a referendum. The Labour Party have so far sat on the fence but the UK Independence Party (UKIP) have been really vocal in wanting a referendum, and they want it now. Whatever the outcome of the next general election, the UKIP’s views will need to be taken into account.

At issue is the return to Westminster of powers that now rest with Brussels and a retreat from the “ever-closer union” policies that Juncker is seen to favour. From the start, Britain has resisted this position. If it comes to

designate their UK offices as the headquarters for their Europe, Middle East and Africa operations.

The UK offers seamless access to the Continent, a businessfriendly administrative and tax environment, and London Heathrow Airport is a major global hub.

But, were the UK to leave the EU, many of the advantages of using the country as a regional headquarters would evaporate.

In Nakajima’s view, “Japanese companies may choose to scale down their UK presence, opting instead to relocate their administrative and operational functions to Germany, France and other countries”.

A significant number of Japanese manufacturers have already chosen to base their operations on the Continent and, according to Nakajima, Britain ex-EU could see itself relegated to a second league of national markets, such as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

So a United Kingdom outside the EU would appear to be an unattractive destination for Japanese investors, but is this something of which the man-onthe-UK-street is aware, or about which he even cares?

Were the UK to leave the EU, many of the advantages of using the country as a regional headquarters would evaporate. a referendum, to choose whether or not to be a member country of the EU, as is currently proposed, voters will naturally look to their local interests. But there is a broader context.

At present, almost 50% of Japanese investment in Europe is hosted in the UK. Yuuichiro Nakajima, managing director of Crimson Phoenix K.K. makes the point: “Should the UK opt to leave

bccjacumen.com 59

BOOK REVIEW BY IAN DE STAINS OBE BCCJ ACUMEN has one copy of this book to give away.

To apply, please send an email by 31 August to: editor@custom-media.com.

The winner will be picked at random.

Ian Buruma Penguin Press £25.00

Examining the events of 1945 A look at the pivotal year when the world changed dramatically

60 bccj acumen, august 2014

I have long been an admirer of Ian Buruma’s writing. Aside from his considerable journalistic output for such publications as The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The New York Review of Books, he has authored an impressive backlist of books that covers an equally impressive range. One thinks of The China Lover, Murder in Amsterdam and Taming the Gods in particular.

The books cover subjects

take on the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers Directive of 15 December 1945: “Ordering Emperor Hirohito to announce on the radio that he was a human being like everyone else did not seem like such a bad idea … What the emperor actually said was that his ties with the Japanese people were not ‘predicated on the false conception that the emperor is divine’. This satisfied the Americans. Most

that are very different, yet each rings with Buruma’s distinctive voice; one that is compassionate and authoritative. Arresting and engrossing, as all of these volumes are, it is hard not to feel that the work under review is the book Buruma was born to write.

Luce Professor of Democracy, Human Rights, and Journalism at Bard College in New York, Buruma was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch father and a British mother.

He studied Chinese literature and Japanese film and his exposure to both the European and Asian cultures informs his writing on every page.

The year 1945 marked the official end of the Second World War. It was a pivotal year that marked the collapse of one world and the beginning of an uncertain new one. Cities across the world, from Berlin to Tokyo, lay in ruins. The people in those cities—and many more like them—were starving and displaced; whole populations were decimated.

In a series of carefully paced and beautifully written chapters, Buruma explores exactly what the events of 1945 brought about: for example, the creation of the United Nations, the European Union and Japanese pacifism. Here is his

Japanese were hardly surprised by the statement, since they never doubted his humanity. But they saw him as a ruler descended from the Sun Goddess, something he never repudiated. In any case, few Japanese seem to have cared much one way or another”.

But this is no dry re-telling of history. Woven through the meticulously researched chapters that embrace the entire theatre of war is a deeply personal story.

Buruma’s father fell victim to the Nazis during the occupation of the Netherlands, and remarkably survived the ordeal of being in a Berlin labour camp.

In a moving epilogue, Buruma recounts a visit with his father to Berlin in 1989 to witness the fall of the Berlin Wall. He is prompted to ask whether 1945 really was the end of the war, or whether it was actually 1989.

“With the fall of the Soviet Empire, there was hope that the gash running through the spine of Europe might heal at last. More than that: hope that the world would finally come together briefly flickered again in that miraculous year [1989], despite what happened in China in June …

Now there was only one Big Power left. There was talk of a new world order, even the end of history”.

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