NCCJ held a successful joint networking event with the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC) on Wednesday, 3rd of March, hosted by the Irish Chamber at the Embassy of Ireland, Ambassador’s Residence.

Ireland and the Netherlands have many areas of common interest including cheese, beer and football. In the business area, Ireland is famous for its financial services, ICT and pharmaceutical industries and the Netherlands is also well known for its service industries including finance, ICT, flowers and food, and their innovation in environment and energy has attracted considerable attention. Moreover, NCCJ has had a good relationship with IJCC since the time is was the Japan Ireland Economic Association (JIEA),  the forerunner of IJCC (established in 2008). We are sure that you can find more common interests between Ireland and the Netherlands and you can add to your business network through this event.

Ms. Elsen presented the business case for actively increasing the participation of women at all organizational levels, providing several reasons why and in what way companies could benefit from doing so. She referred to examples in other countries, such as the Netherlands, where a high participation of women already exists. Japan, with its graying population, might benefit from introducing some of the principles that drove the increase of women participation in those countries.

She went on to address the major obstacles that currently hinder progress in this area in Japan and shared her suggestions for improvement based on her 20 years experience in organizational and human resources fields. Her highlighting of the existing cultural and structural roadblocks for change, as well as precise and detailed explanation of ways to deal with these issues, provided ample material for discussion among the participants of the Business Round Table meeting, which resulted in a very lively and informative Q/A session.

Maybe some attending the luncheon expected Mr. Praaning to tell them exactly how they should implement CSR for their companies but the point is each company must make their own evaluation and business plan. Mr. Praaning’s presentation was a good explanation on how to integrate society, governance and business - with companies playing a very active role in addressing social issues. The examples he mentioned were drawn from his extended experience and his very skillful presentation made it all easy to follow. It was interesting to hear that it took PA CSR three years just to define the CSR concept: “CSR starts where all other regulations end” and  “CSR is an organic link between enterprising, profit-making and social development, that is conducted as a win-win solution in areas where a company requires something from society that cannot be bought and requires investment through a business plan.”

Questions following Mr Praaning’s presentation included the role of Embassies to influence company policy in Japan, how a Japanese company might deal with a bad image problem, etc and showed the audience was thinking seriously about the role and value of CSR. All went back to work with not only a full stomach but encouraged to apply what they had learned from the luncheon presentation.

Why did you join NCCJ? Are you Dutch?

Actually, I’m 50 percent Austrian and 50 percent German. I joined the NCCJ for several reasons. One is the business perspective; Roland Berger has an office in the Netherlands – a significant one. The office is located in Amsterdam in the World Trade Center. So it is natural to provide an interface to companies here in Japan. The second reason is that I have spent project time in Amsterdam and I really enjoyed the company of Dutch people!

Please tell us something about your professional and personal background?

I came to Japan roughly 15 months ago, in August 2008. I’m here to support our Japan-based company, which has a much stronger link with the Japanese community than the foreign community in Japan. I’m here to strengthen relations between foreign clients and internally.

I have a personal history in Japan. My wife is Japanese and we have been married for ten years. We spent the first two years of our marriage in Kyoto. So it was natural for the company to ask me to relocate to Japan since I had lived here previously. I’ve been with Roland Berger since 2006 and before that I was with Deutsche Bank and another consulting company. So there is a combination in my work evolving around management consulting and financial services and these are what I look at here as well. I work with banks, insurance companies and on corporate transformation issues. I work mostly with foreign clients, not only from Germany but also with French companies and hopefully with Dutch ones as well!

What are your expectations regarding the NCCJ?

First of all I would like to say that the Chamber is doing a great job for a small Chamber. Compared to bigger Chambers, I think there is a much higher frequency of activities and gatherings and to me that is a very good sign. Recently I wanted to attend the Keio University event but it was unable to due so to my business schedule. However, I did attend Tommy Kullberg’s presentation at a breakfast meeting and also, another very good talk at a NCCJ event held at the embassy. The speakers talk from their hearts and experience, and members attend out of interest and that creates a very positive atmosphere.

Could you kindly tell us a bit more about your company?

Roland Berger, our current chairman, founded the company 42 years ago. It’s the oldest and only sizable management consulting company worldwide which has European roots. We rank #5 worldwide and we are #1 when it comes to restructuring in Europe. Roland Berger likes to combine strategy and implementation. You cannot restructure by merely formulating strategies.  About 95 percent of our employees in Japan are Japanese and 5 percent are non-Japanese. We have around 80 professionals plus service staff.  For Japan, it is quite a sizable office and is #4 in the market in our division.

Interviewed by Sven van Stichel, Rob Oudendijk and Yuka Hayashi.

Interview with John Dorff, 20 November 2009

Can you tell us something about yourself and TMF?

I’m from Los Angeles. After studying at Brigham Young University in Hawaii, I joined PwC, first in Long Beach, California and then transferred to Honolulu and then came to Japan to work with a different consulting firm. After that, I ran my own company for about 8 years before joining TMF Japan K.K. group. It is the first time for me to work with Dutch-based clients and is a different work environment. Now a little about TMF: TMF Japan K.K. delivers back-office services for foreign companies in Japan, sort of like a big secretary for companies. We handle bookkeeping and reporting, human resources and payroll, domiciliary and management services, etc. It has been good for us that in recession-hit Japan if companies have to cut costs and have find other ways to get their requirements filled more effectively, then they often end up with us.

Why did you join the NCCJ and what are your expectations?

I personally joined the NCCJ about one month ago though TMF has been a member since September 2008; however, unfortunately I have not had opportunities to join any events yet.  So far I have  let Ronald Prins go and drink for both of us. It was probably the easiest assignment he had and according to Ronald, it was the most pleasant one. I joined the NCCJ to get more exposed to a Dutch (European) way of doing business. I’m trying to get a sense of what the European business community is like. I do have a lot expertise with the American style of business. I’m a member of the ACCJ as well.

What are your experiences so far?

It sounded very familiar to me since I lived in Hawaii for many years. In Hawaii there is a word called Ohana, which stands for “family” and is used for people who are an important part of the extended family.  For example, Ohana will be invited for Christmas dinner. Ohana is what I expect from the NCCJ.

As interviewers, we mentioned that if all the members of the NCCJ will be John’s Ohana then his Christmas dinner will be a crowded affair indeed!. Let’s see (and hope).

John Dorff was interviewed by Rob Oudendijk and Yuak Hayashi/Oudendijk.

Interview with Erik Oskamp,  12 November 2009

Please tell us something about yourself
We are a small company with two employees, including myself, located in Akasaka.  Hours are 10:00- 18:30 but we often work until late to be accessible for our clients. As we are open on Saturdays and Sundays, we are often closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We focus on our relations with our clients and try to find good deals for them within an often locked-down and controlled market. With my background in programming and financing for well-known institutions, I set up my company to provide my clients with a custom-made software tool that analyses the current real-estate market in Japan. In 2007, I started it with the help of my wife who has a Japanese real estate license.

Why did you join the NCCJ and what are your expectations? Love to have a drink! But I do not expect to get a lot of business from my membership. I prefer my clients to be for the long run not only for a few years. So expats are not really my targets. But the NCCJ offers an opportunity for me to have a nice chat and meet interesting people

You expect to be a long time in Japan?
“Three decades. I have 17 properties at the moment, a wife, two kids ….where am I going to go? It would be hard to leave.”

Do you speak Japanese?No, but I can read addresses in Kanji (laughing).

Tell me about the ARE logo.
The E has to be smiling – not hard to figure out why. In Japanese it would be ‘ARE’ which means ’what?’, and in Dutch it would also be a measurement for land.  Beginning with “A” gets us often on top of the listings so start with Akasaka where the office is located.

More information about ARE can be found at http://www.akasakarealestate.com/.

Interviewers: Sven and Rob Oudendijk, pictures: Yuka Hayashi/Oudendijk

NCCJ began 2010 with the New Year Aperitif. Held on January 14 at the Roppongi Hills Club, 28  NCCJ colleagues enjoyed a lively evening with each other, toasting in the new year and looking forward to a successful and productive 2010 for all!

last Aperitif pictures:

Gerhard Fasol, founder and CEO of Eurotechnology Japan KK, was the guest speaker at the NCCJ Business Round Table held on Wednesday, 18 November, 2009 at the Deshima Lounge of the Netherlands Embassy with a presentation titled“New opportunities versus old mistakes – foreign companies in Japan’s high-tech world”

Mr. Fasol illustrated how technologies invented and first marketed in Japan changed the world: the mobile internet revolution, the solid state lighting (LED) revolution, and camera phones were all originated in Japan. Some European high-tech companies have 80% of global business in Japan – at the same time several of Europe’s most important technology giants have failed in Japan.

Mr. Fasol explained with a number of examples what we can learn to make European high-tech companies fulfill their potential in Japan and how European high-tech companies can avoid falling again and again into the same old traps. A lively Q & A session rounded up this successful and well-attended event.

An approaching typhoon brought rain and violent winds on the 7th of October. Luckily, the China Room at the Grand Hyatt hotel was able to offer us warmth, delicious food and yet another interesting presentation. Our guest speaker, Ms Motoko Sakashita of McCann Erickson, shared with us the conclusions of various research and case studies regarding the latest changes in consumption and communication taking place in Japan. During the presentation we were able to see that the Japanese population described that though they are currently experiencing a recession, on a personal level they enjoy much more freedom. Housewives are the happiest among the different consumer categories and many Japanese still see a positive future. This fact was also brought up during the Q&A session, where the link between hard times and happiness was further discussed.

 As many people struggle economically they have become quite creative when shopping; girls decorate clothes bought at UNIQLO in order to save money, families are buying ECO-friendly products that will use less energy thus saving money etc. Although an economic crisis can be devastating for certain people, it can also be considered an ideal time to revise our priorities, consumption behavior and our ecological footprint. As individuality rises in Japan, there are still many community activities bringing people together during these hard times. And what brought the NCCJ members together on the 7th of October was not only the superb Chinese cuisine but also an insightful, well-organized presentation by Ms Sakashita.

The Japan Market Expansion Competition (JMEC, www.jmec.gr.jp) is a hands-on business training program, centered around a competition to write the best business plan. JMEC information sessions give potential participants the opportunity to find out more about the JMEC program, to ask questions and to speak with program alumni. We highly recommend those interested in JMEC attend one of these sessions. There is no fee to attend, but registration is required. The following are the upcoming information sessions for JMEC 16 (2009-2010):

• ·Thursday, October 15th, 7:30 – 9:00pm, Temple University Japan Campus, Mita Hall room 503
• ·Tuesday, October 20th, 8:15 – 9:15am*, Temple University Japan Campus, Azabu Hall, room 212 * Please note, this is a morning session.

All sessions are free but registration is required. To register for a session, please visit http://www.jmec.gr.jp/participants/upcoming-information-sessions.

The deadlines for JMEC 16 are:?Participants – October 23, 2009?Project Clients – November 27, 2009

The Japan Market Expansion Competition (JMEC, www.jmec.gr.jp) invites you to join a Wine and Tapas party on Tuesday, October 6, 7:00 – 10:00pm at The Pink Cow. On the menu will be a great selection of wines from Orca International, as well as an assortment of yummy food specially created by Chef Andy. The entrance fee of ¥5,000 includes food, drink and a chance at the door prize drawing. This will be an excellent opportunity to network, so bring plenty of meishi! Please RSVP to info@jmec.gr.jp by October 2 to reserve your spot. This event is expected to be popular, so sign up soon!