Five decades of advocacy

Founded in Japan in 2007, and now with an office in the US, ProWorks Group is a business support firm with a team of more than 40 bilingual specialists in Japan.

After serving in Switzerland’s National Council from 2007 to 2017, Ignazio Cassis was elected to the Federal Council in 2017 and has headed the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs since taking office.

This year, Alexander Schallenberg marks 25 years with Austria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, having joined the diplomatic service in 1997.

Japan has produced the well-ordered simplicity of Zen, as well as the spectacle of colour and text found on Shinjuku and Shibuya’s neon-lit streets.

In 2003, Dr Anže Logar left the private sector to work as an adviser to Slovenian members of the European Parliament.

In addition, if a firm relies on contracts with data handlers or processers overseas, the company in Japan now must have them audited regularly to ensure they are complying with Japanese data protection standards.

With the high speeds, roaring engines, and riders leaning just millimetres over the track during turns, there’s nothing quite as thrilling as a motorcycle race.

Since 1985, Ambassador of Italy to Japan Gianluigi Benedetti has served his nation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His first overseas posting was to Japan, from 1987 to 1991, then he worked at the Italian embassy in the US from 1991 to 1995.

The perfect illustration of resistance to the digitalisation of government in Japan can be seen in the former reform minister Taro Kono’s quest to end the use of faxes.

With over 14 million residents, Tokyo is one of the world’s most populous cities. In order to achieve a sustainable recovery — as our continually evolving society emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic — Tokyo needs to make use of the full potential of our women, who make up half of the population.

Many online purchase and payment experiences in Japan are not optimal. Common complaints include a complex checkout process, a lack of trust in the website, and sites freezing or crashing.

Since 2012, Gregor Muischneek has served Switzerland in the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). In addition to postings to China, Kenya, and Germany, he has worked in the Directorate of Political Affairs and the Directorate of International Law in Berne.