Highlights: March 2008 Issue
SPECIAL REPORT: Twelve Private, Independent Companies to Watch in 2008
SSJ has selected, in consultation with a range of knowledgeable industry observers and Japan-focused corporate executives, twelve unlisted, independent companies across a variety of sectors, that seem, from our analysis, to be on their way to excellent results in 2008. Each of these companies, either because of its size, its innovations, its increasingly-recognized brands, or its strong execution, has built or is building strong foundations for growth that could last for years at rates that could easily exceed those of better-known or listed companies in the same sector.
Only our network can bring you this kind of information, available nowhere else.
Among the companies discussed in this exclusive feature are: A niche maker of traditional Japanese seafood, noodle and seafood-based boxed meals; a job placement firm realizing added success as a provider of a full range of outsourced personnel and general service department functions for corporate clients; a cooking oil provider that has developed into a food ingredient engineering specialist for global companies; a virtually unknown family-owned firm with sales in the defense and aerospace industry nearly 40 billion yen; a producer of character-based dolls that has defined an industry with millions of devoted fans worldwide; a Kansai-based chain of love hotels that is turning a few hours stay into an entertainment experience for its guests; a company set to become one of the world's leading marketers of innovative consumer robots; a mammoth logistics organization whose activities affect the supply chain of virtually every agricultural commodity and food by-product sold in Japan; an architectural design firm specializing in amusement parks and entertainment themes; a joint venture company bringing a common data-sharing program to Japan's food industry at a much lower cost than traditional EDI; an almost out-of-luck biotech start-up that has renewed itself as a regenerative medicine company via an important acquisition; and a medium-sized audit firm that may soon join Japan's leading accounting firms with a strong offering in tax, audit, consulting and IPOs.
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A Specialist Offers Advice: "Influencing Policy Outcomes in Japan"
In Japan, the importance of skillful lobbying in broadening a company’s profile with key regulatory bodies and ministries, and in realizing important policy change objectives, cannot be underestimated.We have received a variety of requests for assistance on such issues in recent months. Many of our readers are keenly interested in learning how to both achieve policy outcomes and exert some influence over administrative guidance as their Japan ambitions mature. They also seek information on how to properly define, or re-define, their products so that they receive less onerous regulation. For this reason, we have decided to republish an extremely useful primer on lobbying from a longtime Japan pro and SSJ contributor that first appeared in our pages back in 2000 and 2003. If your company produces goods in Japan, or exports here, this specialist contribution alone will save you a lifetime of hassle and is, by itself, worth the price of a year's subscription.
"Excessively Profitable" - The Puma Japan Story
Herzogenaurach, Germany-based Puma AG is a marketer of footwear and apparel all over the world and one of the best-known sports brand names around. In Japan, it is "excessively profitable" and here we have the company's Japan chief explaining why.Japan Insight: Get the Scoop
Linc Media Deal with US Firm May Be On the Rocks -- An SSJ Exclusive; Newell Rubbermaid Buys Aprica Kassai; Etc.
From the Editors
Weak PR Efforts By Japanese Companies Mean Better Opportunities for Your Firm
Plus much more...
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