Sustainable Excellence

With a business culture founded on in-person interaction and lengthy consensus-based decision-making processes, Japan Inc. wasn’t prepared to respond quickly to the changes the pandemic demanded of it.

The nearly week-long blockage of the Suez Canal in March delivered a sharp reminder as to just how crucial cargo shipping is to global trade: around 50,000 vessels carry about 90% of the goods that cross oceans.

Masaki Sakuyama joined the manufacturing giant Mitsubishi Electric Corporation as an engineer in 1977. He was appointed president and CEO in 2014, and he has been chairman since 2018.

In Japan, the golf world is protective of its image of exclusivity. The sport is dominated by rules, traditions, and tan trousers — which means it’s not seen as a game that’s fun for all. But a revolution is already underway, and its first target is the clothing.

If this were a normal Olympic year, many countries would soon be opening their national houses and pavilions. These spaces, which can take years to plan, give countries a chance to promote tourism and business, host cultural events, and provide their athletes with a place to connect with the media — and to party.

Simon Coveney was elected to the Dáil (Irish Parliament) in 1998, becoming one of the youngest members of parliament to repraesent his party, Fine Gael. He has served as Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade with responsibility for Brexit, and as Tánaiste (deputy prime minister).

We know that every parent wants to see their child get the very best education. Since Japan is home to so many excellent international schools, it’s important to take the time to find the right one.

Back in 2009, Pontus Häggström, president and CEO of FCA Japan, learned an interesting lesson in business management: “Sometimes it’s harder to stop doing something than to start something.” That was the year he proposed dropping the moderately successful Dodge brand in Japan to focus on promoting Jeep — which, at the time, was selling roughly 1,000 cars a year.

SMEs are the backbone of the economy in both Europe and Japan, but many of them have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic and face an uncertain outlook, despite government support schemes.

This year, Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan Dr Andreas Baum celebrates 30 years in the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. In addition to postings in Turkey and Canada, he has been minister and deputy permanent representative of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York.

On 17 March, a district court in Sapporo became the first in Japan to rule that not allowing same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. This landmark decision is being regarded as a major step towards seeing same-sex unions legalised in Japan.

It’s easy to indulge your sweet tooth in Japan, but it can be hard to choose how you do it. The sheer range of confectionary treats on offer — even just at the convenience store — makes it difficult for established brands to stand out, let alone new market entrants. Vidal Candies, however, has made rapid headway into the market by catching eyes as successfully as it satisfies cravings.