Founded in 1885 in Ingelheim, a small town on the Rhine River where it remains headquartered, family-owned pharma company Boehringer Ingelheim now has more than 47,000 employees at 145 affiliates around the globe.

The lofty goal of Unilever Japan’s new WAA (Work from Anywhere and Anytime) super-flexitime system is nothing less than to change the way Japan works, according to the company’s human resources director Yuka Shimada.

Despite the shrinking domestic automobile market in Japan — which is widely-perceived as having considerable import barriers for foreign cars, and particularly US vehicles — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has been ...

Nothing is more important for success in business than finding people with the right skill set and cultural fit to help a company prosper and grow. And today’s increasingly rapid pace of technological change and globalisation ...

As a philosophy student at the University of Edinburgh, Keita Koido was deeply impressed by the writings of British philosopher Peter Winch. In his essay “Understanding a primitive society”, Winch observes that if you want to ...

At a time when many people feel that the world is once again entering a period of considerable instability due to unexpected political shifts, and increasingly rapid changes in the technology and business landscapes, financial security is more important than ever.

If you drive a foreign car, chances are that venerable Scandinavian firm Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics helped bring it to you. Not so long ago, there weren’t any foreign cars on Japan’s roads. For decades, the Europeans, too, drove mostly European vehicles.

It may not be as immediately recognisable as Walmart or McDonalds but The Adecco Group is the planet’s third-largest employer after those two American behemoths. The Zurich-based staffing company manages 1.3 million workers ...

I’m driving down Shinjuku-dori and tapping the accelerator very gingerly. There’s a 410-horsepower Ferrari engine under my foot and it growls at the slightest touch, like a beast ready to pounce.

“We consider ourselves to be creators of conviviality, in French créateurs de convivialité; it is our overarching reason for being,” says Tim Paech, president and CEO of Pernod Ricard Japan ...

The frozen, ready-to-bake bread and food group Aryzta can trace its history back to the final years of the 19th century, when the Irish Co-Operative Agricultural Agency Society was founded in 1897 ...

One man’s feast is another man’s famine. The shortage of qualified workers in many crucial fields in Japan is proving a challenge for companies across the board. With bilingual professionals in ever shorter supply ...

If you’ve ever wondered about the tools needed to bore through mountains, wonder no more. Atlas Copco, Sweden’s biggest industrial group, is currently using its hydraulic drilling rigs to help carve out the maglev line ...

At the turn of the millennium, then-president of Finnair Keijo Suila made a bold — and risky — decision to invest seriously in routes to Asia. It was a time when traffic from the continent only accounted for 6% of the airline’s revenue.

Get behind the wheel of a Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid and you’ll notice a small wheel within the steering wheel. Turn this driving-mode dial to Sport Plus and your seatbelt will automatically tighten, and the engine will growl when you give it gas.

Imagine a scheme that boosts productivity, employee health and loyalty; costs just ¥200–¥300 a day; and is essentially tax free. Surely employers would jump at the chance to sign on the dotted line, particularly those in a country facing chronic personnel shortages ...

Competition is heating up for a limited talent pool of bilingual professionals to staff a booming corporate Japan. In this climate, two businesses — the bilingual arms of Japanese recruitment giant Recruit Group — serving the sector are undergoing a rebranding.

For years, Japan has been accused of not changing fast enough. Many bemoan factors such as the nation’s shrinking population, its outdated patriarchal business world and the sluggish economy.

The dangers that businesses are exposed to today are more considerable and diverse than ever before. One example is the threat of large-scale, organised cybertheft, brought about by the exponential growth of the digital economy ...

On 23 May 1928, a group of 51 American businessmen founded Tokyo American Club (TAC) as an exclusive place for expatriate Americans to gather. However, over the past 90 years, the club has undergone several transformations, occupying six buildings in different locations around Tokyo.

Most people reach an age, goal or position in life where they feel they’ve achieved enough and can ease up a little and enjoy the fruits of their labour. But despite being at an age where many choose to retire ...

“When I was a teenager, we had a ranch, and the only way we could get there was by single-engine plane,” explains Juan Rabanal, founder and CEO of fashion management consultancy Numero One. “The pilot would teach me ...

While we know we could probably eat better, drink less and exercise more, many of us go on happily believing that we’re actually quite healthy. Or, perhaps, we look at the cost of health food or gym memberships and think that they’re too expensive ...

“The times change, and we change with them.” While the truth of this proverb is evident, Japan can sometimes seem determined to stay the same. Even as the government promotes the idea of an “ageless society” — in which workers are encouraged not to retire at 60 ...

Legend has it that Sunomata Castle in Gifu Prefecture was built in only one night, by soldiers during a siege. It’s said they used pre-built castle parts and fit them together under cover of darkness. While the account of such swift construction is an exaggeration ...

If you’ve ever wanted to have a truly presidential experience, try driving a DS, the official car of France’s President Emmanuel Macron, as well as several of its past presidents, including Charles de Gaulle. First introduced in 1955, the DS was an immediate, popular success ...

America may be a republic, but there the customer is king; Japan’s emperor may not be divine, but here the customer is God — wherever you go, businesses stress the absolute primacy of the customer. But as firms the world over compete for those same kings and gods ...

Sporting IWC timepieces at the annual tradeshow were celebrities such as Bradley Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Dev Patel, James Marsden and Ryohei Suzuki. They were there to promote a new line of 14 IWC Pilot’s Watches, including seven revamped Spitfire watches that are meant to evoke the overall aesthetics, as well as the cockpit design, of the storied British aircraft.

La dolce vita — or the good life, in Italian — is a life of beauty and enjoyment, often characterised by indulgence in culture, cuisine and clothing. But, according to Pontus Häggström, president and CEO of FCA Japan Ltd., and Tiziana Alamprese, the firm’s marketing director, the Italian joy of living isn’t found only in cinemas or restaurants — it can also be found in your car.

Self-improvement is one thing. Improving your company is another. But it’s something else entirely to try and improve the image of the industry you work in. Ash Elfadeli, CEO at JAC International, a subsidiary of JAC Recruitment, is aiming to do just this — and as with any lofty ambition, he’s making sure to get the small things right.

In the era of globalisation, every company with vision strives to build a business empire on which the sun never sets.

The traditional aspects of Japanese culture inevitably charm visitors to the country, but the traditional, paper-based processes still used at many Japanese companies inevitably frustrate those who work here. Edenred Japan has taken note and is moving quickly to modernise its business.

As scientists’ understanding of human biology, pharmacology and life sciences continues to grow, there is an increasing need around the world for specialists to research and to develop applications for the advances being made.

While Japan’s manufactured goods are known worldwide for their quality and durability, the country’s real estate doesn’t share a reputation for longevity.

In 1554, German theologian Caspar Huberinus coined the expression, “Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis”, or, “The times change, and we change with them”, to express an undeniable reality of life.

In the mid-19th century, George Pullman founded the luxury railroad manufacturing business the Pullman Company, which is credited with building the US’s first sleeping cars.

People look to their leaders to guide them through challenges and changes. But as corporate Japan confronts the need to revolutionise its many outdated practices, are Japan Inc.’s leaders up to the task?

While the flying car might still be some years off, the next stage in the evolution of the automobile is well under way.

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.

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.

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.

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.

From January through May, people visiting Tokyo’s Aoyama district had the chance to see the next stage in the evolution of the premium automobile.

This is a year of celebration. In 1981 — in fact, 40 years ago this month — the German automotive giant BMW launched its operations in Japan.

On 8 October 1871, a small rubber manufacturer opened in Hanover, Germany, and began producing rubber horseshoes. Today, that same firm has some 193,000 employees worldwide and operates in 58 countries.

In 1876, Erwin Bälz became one of the first Western doctors to teach medicine at the University of Tokyo, and he later became the personal physician to Emperor Meiji.

In 1668, Friedrich Jacob Merck founded a small pharmacy in Darmstadt, Germany. Still headquartered in Darmstadt, the Merck Group is the oldest pharmaceutical firm in the world, as well as one of the largest.

Japan cares deeply about beauty. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the value of the nation’s cosmetics and personal care market was $35 billion in 2019 — the third largest in the world, after the US and China.

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.