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Event report: NCCJ Annual General Meeting 2014
The NCCJ held its Annual General Meeting in the Deshima Lounge at the Netherlands Embassy on Wednesday, May 21, with Chairman Hans van der Tang presiding.
After noting that a quorum was present for the subsequent voting, Hans started with a brief rundown of the past year’s highlights, including a wide variety of events, such as the popular Lotegenoten, briefings, informal drinks sessions, events with the European Business Council, and invitations for NCCJ members to join events with other chambers, as well as the continued support for the Oranda Jima Foundation.
He also noted some personnel changes within the Chamber since the last AGM, including Membership Committee Treasurer Yoji Morishita, who left last September and was replaced by Tetsuo Hoshiya.
The committee chairpersons then gave short talks detailing their committees’ activities, beginning with Treasurer Hoshiya, who gave a presentation on the chamber’s very tidy finances.
Activities Chairman Martin van der Linden spoke about the Chamber’s various events in the past year, including the Lotgenoten meeting focusing on motivating and engaging employees. He also noted some upcoming events, including the opening of the NCCJ-sponsored Oranda Jima House in Yamada-machi, Iwate Prefecture, on May 24. In June, he noted, there will be a presentation by soccer coach Robbie Servais, as well as the always popular table football tournament.
The Membership Committee chairmanship being vacant last year, Hans gave a presentation on membership trends, including new efforts to attract Dutch nationals who work for non-Dutch companies in Japan, as well as younger members, with a new membership category with a lower fee.
Communications Chairman Maarten Molenaar spoke about the upgraded website and newsletter with increased content, better organized information and spaces for more advertising.
As EBC Representative Hiroshi Ishiwata was unable to attend, Hans gave a presentation, noting the Council’s new Chairman Danny Risberg and the EBC’s concerns regarding the ongoing FTA negotiations, including technical standards, transparency and ensuring an even playing field in business.
Takeo Nishitani of the External Relations Committee talked about his committee’s activities in the past year, including assisting with the first Japanese parliamentarian delegation to the Netherlands. In the new year, a variety of events are planned, including speakers on the Japanese government’s Smart Cities project, factory visits and others.
Attention then turned to voting for the new management committee. The regular members present voted their approval for the new 11-member Management Committee.
All the nominees being eminently qualified and suitable, and the quorum of 13 regular members being present, the voting members approved the new management committee unanimously with a show of their green voting cards. They also approved the new membership category and fee at the same time.
The new Management Committee consists of: Hans van der Tang as Chairman; Hiroshi Ishiwata as Vice Chairman, EBC Representative and Vice Chairman of the External Relations Committee; Tetsuo Hoshiya as Treasurer; Jan Waninge as Secretary; Martin van der Linden as Director and Chairman of the Activities Committee; Richard can Rooij as Director and Chairman of the Membership Committee and Vice Chairman of the Activities Committee; Takeo Nishitani as Director and Chairman of the External Relations Committee; Maarten Molenaar as Director and Chairman of the Communications Committee; Kaoru Inahara as Director and Vice Chairperson of the Communications Committee. The Chairmanship of the Deshima Committee remains vacant for now. Pieter Janson was again approved as Auditor.
As the final event of the meeting, the Chamber honored our two observers and embassy liaisons, who are leaving Japan — Nienke Trooster, who is leaving to become Ambassador to Vietnam, and Merei Wagenaar, who is returning to the Netherlands to take a new position in government.
All business having been concluded, the AGM participants went to the nearby La Tana di Bacco restaurant for a pleasant nomikai and networking session.