Growing Greener

The ACCJ–Kansai leads sustainable gardening and food security initiative.

As our world faces the convergence of issues such as climate change, supply chain disruptions, and economic instability and inequality, food security has become a growing concern.

This holds true right here at home, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) Kansai chapter recently led a series of events that brought together community members, businesses, and organizations in an awe-inspiring effort to foster sustainable gardening practices and address food insecurity in the region.

At the heart of these endeavors is the Healthy Urban Gardening (HUG) initiative, the first event of which was held at the Osaka YMCA International School (OYIS) on a sunny Sunday last November. Hosted by the ACCJ–Kansai Community Service Committee (Kansai–CSC), the day of sustainable fun drew more than 100 attendees, including ACCJ members, supporters, parents, and students, who all came together for hands-on workshops and educational activities.

Viviana Di Blasi and her dedicated team took the stage to demonstrate how to make “seed bombs” using a range of soils and seeds, while Cyd Forster, Eva Spanring-Forster, and members of the local Girl Scouts shared the ins and outs of using worm boxes for vermicomposting, the use of earthworms to convert organic waste into fertilizer. Meanwhile, Mark White and a team from OYIS engaged attendees in the construction of raised planter beds made from discarded wooden cargo pallets.

The depth of knowledge and passion exhibited was further highlighted by a captivating video presentation by Joshua Bryan, an industrious seventh grader who showcased his own home-composting project. The session concluded with an engaging quiz on the importance of composting, prepared by other students.

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Throughout the day, the younger attendees actively participated by moving compost from a corner of the schoolyard to a newly established garden area. Armed with shovels and spades, they eagerly loaded compost into wheelbarrows, joyfully transporting it to its new home. Their efforts exemplified a shared sense of purpose and commitment to create a more sustainable environment.

In addition to the enriching workshops, the event offered moments of entertainment and generosity. During a well-deserved break, attendees were treated to musical performances by talented students. Not only were these performances entertaining, but they also served to raise funds for Food Bank Kansai, a Kobe-based non-profit organization that collects donated food products and distributes them to people in need, single-mother families, and others.

The ACCJ has long been a supporter of Food Bank Kansai’s vital work, and donations collected during the events—as well as the ongoing support from ACCJ members—have helped Food Bank Kansai continue their mission of providing food assistance to those in need.

Building on this success, the Kansai–CSC continued its commitment by organizing a second HUG workshop together with Deutsche Schule Kobe International (DSKI). Held in April, the event attracted more than 100 participants and featured a range of activities that further underscored the importance of community-driven vegetable gardens and sustainable living practices.

The HUG initiative has energized community engagement and grown a sustainable circle of direct fresh vegetable donations.

These collaborations with OYIS and DSKI were not only about education and hands-on experiences, but also had a profound impact on the community, showcasing the power of collective effort in addressing pressing issues. By working together, we can create a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future for Kansai and beyond.

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Learn more about ACCJ–Kansai events.

A Culture of Inclusion

Previewing this year’s ACCJ-Kansai Diversity and Inclusion Summit Series

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Shaping workplace culture and inclusion. Leading the change. These are the themes of the 2022 ACCJ-Kansai Diversity and Inclusion Summit. Following the same format that debuted to great success in 2020, three two-hour online sessions will be held over successive weeks in October and November, each with its own keynote speaker, small-group discussions, and practical training.

The format was born of the pandemic, when organizers had to adapt the normally daylong program to a world of virtual interaction. It proved highly successful. The online format opened up access to people throughout Japan, and registrations rose from 224 for the previous year’s in-person event to 320. Similar results were repeated last year. Not only has accessibility been boosted, but the extended interactions also strengthened the summit’s impact and benefits.

With such success, the committee has decided to stick with the three-day series, and this year will host sessions on October 4 and 18, as well as November 8.

The first day will focus on gender diversity and equality, and will feature a training session with Jennifer Shinkai, an ikigai and inclusion facilitator and coach. The main session for the day will be led by Tetsuya Ando, founder of Fathering Japan, the non-profit organization he started in 2006 to focus on supporting fathers who are balancing the responsibilities of work and home.

The second day will feature a discussion of cultural diversity and inclusion with Nissan Corporate Vice President Catherine Perez, while Day 3 will explore psychological safety in sessions hosted by Google.

The series will be a wonderful opportunity to share personal and professional experiences in advancing D&I in Japan and abroad, including strategies that can be employed individually, at work, and in the community at large. Additional coverage can be found on the Digital Journal website following the sessions.

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Learn more about this year’s summit series.

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ACCJ Kansai D&I Summit

Key takeaways shared over three days of focus on workplace equality

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The 7th Annual ACCJ Kansai Diversity & Inclusion Summit took place over the course of three days—October 4, 13, and 21—in a new series format that delivered a blend of inspiration and practical information sharing. With a focus on diversity-and-inclusion (D&I) initiatives, as well as equality in the workplace, the series featured keynote and plenary speakers, a fireside chat, training sessions, and remote networking.

The first day of the summit began in earnest with a keynote speech by Jenifer Rogers, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). Rogers noted that the ACCJ is at the forefront of D&I efforts, especially through the Women in Business Committee and its activities, which include advocating for women in the workforce.

Recently, the committee created the Women in Business Reading List on the ACCJ’s website where resources are shared to help empower women in the workforce.

Speakers at the summit shared their personal and professional experiences in advancing D&I in Japan and abroad, including strategies that can be employed individually, at work, and in the community at large. Attendees engaged deeply with the themes of the conference, via question-and-answer sessions and breakout training opportunities.

The Way of Change

In her presentation, Rogers looked back at her first experiences in Japan, and how having to “encounter adversity in order to create opportunity” helped to shape her career trajectory.

“That experience changed my life; it changed what I wanted to do with it, and the total direction of it,” she said.

Graduating high school early, Rogers relocated to Japan in 1981 and spent two years as a student at Sophia University. Before that transition, she had intended to study nursing in the United States.

However, because of those early years in Japan, she changed her studies from nursing to foreign studies and law. She also studied Japanese. After graduating from law school in the United States, in 1988 Rogers returned to Japan on a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research. Her area of study was the impact of the 1985 Equal Employment Opportunity Act on female college graduates.

Why female college graduates? Because, at the time, they were one of the groups most discriminated against in Japan, Rogers recalled. Such women had the least time to work before they had to quit their jobs to raise children.

In the late 1980s, Rogers and her peers had been excited about how the new law would be a game changer for women in the workforce. “Unfortunately, those expectations were not met.”

And yet, by the time Rogers returned to Japan for a fourth time, at the end of 2014, things had changed: D&I had become part of the agenda in business circles here. Why was that?

Societal pressures, such as the aging of society, had created a need for talent—and among the least-tapped demographics in Japan at the time were university-educated women. Japan realized it has to take advantage of that.

In addition to the United States, Rogers has practiced law in six countries. She has studied or worked in Japan for more than 16 years, her career spanning financial services and IT industries. This vast experience has allowed her to develop a global perspective, she said.

Rogers holds non-executive directorships at three companies, positions that have allowed her to share her experience as a lawyer and a business professional. In January, she was elected president of the ACCJ.

Prior to leading the chamber, she worked with not-for-profit boards and in other leadership roles—experiences that helped her to hit the ground running as a leader at the ACCJ.

Looking back at her career, Rogers sees change as the salient theme; indeed, she refers to herself as a “change junkie.” But why embrace change?

Rogers identified at least three reasons: change—whether that’s working with a new team or in a different country or culture—allows you to leave your comfort zone, learn new ideas, and have new experiences.

“I think of change as an opportunity for growth.”

Does that mean she has taken every opportunity to embrace change? No. Rogers notes that she has been thoughtful about when to adopt change, in part because change comes with risk.

That said, the status quo involves risks, too. Nothing remains the same, she shared. For instance, you may get a new boss, your division may be merged with another one, or you may lose your job due to restructuring. What is important is assessing each new opportunity considering your personal and professional circumstances to determine if it is the right change for you and your career goals.

In her case, change allowed Rogers to become a resilient leader. Without it, she would have had no imperative to grow, no motivation to improve, no opportunity to receive input from a wide range of sources, and no incentive to innovate.

“I gained so much confidence in myself after each new opportunity. There were no perfect experiences, only those that taught me a lot of new things that helped me grow.”

Rogers encouraged women not to be held back by the fear of the unknown, and to embrace change.

Throughout her career and in the same way that she embraced change, Rogers has engaged actively with D&I and experiences involving people who have different ideas, backgrounds, gender, and even biases. While diversity can cause discomfort, it can also spur innovation and growth, she noted.

“In some cultural contexts, I need to have very in-depth, one-on-one conversations with people to make sure they understand my point of view, and that I understand theirs. That happens in Japan.”

As another example, Rogers noted that in India, she had to be open to having many meetings and drawn-out debates to ensure the desired outcome for all stakeholders.

In Japan, where she often is the only woman in the boardroom, Rogers often has wondered how she can leverage her personal experiences and skills to bring about change.

There is now a call for D&I in Japan, not as nice-to-have but as a must-have, to improve productivity and competitiveness, she said. The question then becomes, “How can Japan truly accelerate its diversity and inclusion?”

For us, it starts with adapting views so that they have the greatest impact in the context of Japan. Identifying others who are open to your views, finding a mentor or sponsor who is sympathetic to your goals, and mentoring others are great ways to effect change and to learn for yourself.

Surviving Diversity

The second keynote on day one was delivered by Masaaki Ito, executive director of Japanese fast-food chain Yoshinoya Co., Ltd. Previously, Ito worked for P&G in Switzerland, the United States, Singapore, and Japan. He is currently an outside director and adviser to several companies. Ito spoke about how he has survived in a diverse corporate environment abroad and in Japan.

A graduate of Keio University, he recalled that on TOEIC, a standardized test for English proficiency, he had achieved a high score. And yet, he had not been able to speak English well, something he had thought might haunt him while living abroad.

Ito spoke about being the only Japanese on his team in Cincinnati and Geneva. But, when he transitioned to the office in Singapore, the challenge changed: there were 10 nationalities in the office. What’s more, 60 percent of his colleagues were women—a first for him in the workplace.

Looking back, Ito noted a number of things that he learned—despite the challenges—from working as part of diverse teams across many cultures. From the perspective of a marketer, it is important to have diverse views on your team, he acknowledged. A lack of diversity, conversely, is likely to lead to unintended outcomes, such as groupthink.

One way to work through differences—and to identify shared values and good ideas—is to engage in team-building activities, such as office outings, including going out for food and drinks with colleagues, he said. Referencing Aristotle, Ito noted that there are three necessary elements to human communication. One must have the ability to:

• Create trust
• Act rationally
• Display empathy

In addition, he identified three questions—beginning with who, how, and what—the understanding of which are needed to move people. The first is, “Who do you wish to be in the eyes of the listener?” When speaking, it pays to speak to others in the same way that you want them to speak to you.

The second is, “How would you like to talk to another person?” It pays to be able to find areas of agreement with others, so formulating a conversation using a “yes, and” formula is better than a “yes, but” structure. The former allows you to better understand the other person.

The third is, “What would you like to learn from the other person?” Here, it pays not to focus merely on what you want to say, but to listen. Focus on being objective and eliminating bias about the other person, and listen carefully to them.

Mastering the who, how, and what of communication allows workplace diversity to be transformed from a burden into a boon, Ito shared.

Remote Realities

Day two of the summit began with a keynote by Kyoko Yamamoto, senior vice president and head of human resources at NTT Communications Corporation. In her presentation, entitled “Workstyle Transformation as a Key Driver of D&I,” Yamamoto outlined key barriers to gender diversity in the Japanese workplace.

Speaking from personal experience, she noted long-standing and outdated organizational barriers to women’s inclusion and progress at work, such as inflexible hours and an assumption that employees will stay late at the office. There have also been expectations that work will be carried out face-to-face, as opposed to remotely.

However, the coronavirus pandemic has led to a radical transformation of the work culture in Japan, while expanding the view of what a workplace is. Since the start of the pandemic in early 2020, work practices have become more flexible, “remote-work natives” are now common, and companies have realized that new value can be gained from remote work. What’s more, employee happiness has increased in many respects.

Yamamoto identified four trends in this era of increasing remote work:

• Open communication and management
• Flexible rules and conditions
• The 3Cs of the office
• Digital transformation and data utilization

The first refers to a new culture of open information sharing and management, and setting up remote and interactive management systems.

Yamamoto referenced NTT’s Remote Work Handbook, a guide to telework that is available free online. The guide shares best practices on topics such as how to manage a remote meeting, onboard new employees, and update IT skills.

Flexible rules and conditions, meanwhile, seek to create a work environment that isn’t based on fixed work times and office locations. Here, a new, super-flex-time system allows greater flexibility for employees to choose their work hours and location.

And the 3Cs of the office—change, creation, and collaboration—redefine our understanding of a workplace: the office can now be a remote space for generating ideas and collaborating, but with on/off switches that allow workers to have time for themselves.

The last item, meanwhile, optimizes work via the digitalization of processes and the greater use of data—the advent of which will open new opportunities that align well with the work–life balance needs of women. In such an environment, workers are encouraged to find a balance between individual autonomy and self-management on the one hand, and teamwork on the other. They are also empowered to respect diversity and build trust via open, trust-based workflows.

Since the implementation of this new workstyle paradigm at NTT in early 2020, employee satisfaction has reached record levels. About 80 percent of workers at the company now enjoy remote work, up from less than 20 percent before the pandemic.

Staff told of increased satisfaction and productivity, career development, and a sense of unity. Meanwhile, record increases were reported in employees’ sense of pride, equality, and respect—not to mention trust. What’s more, for the first time, the level of satisfaction among women increased to match that of men. Both had around a 65-percent positive response rate in opinion polls.

Overall, the transformation of workstyles at NTT has led to major changes to its office culture in two ways. From the perspective of the company, business processes have been transformed and data-driven management is now prevalent.

From the perspective of workers, personal growth and well-being have become priorities, work has become more pleasant and diverse, and career opportunities have increased.

Change for Good

The plenary speaker on day two was Daniel Binette, senior director of the immunology business unit at Eli Lilly Japan K.K.

In his presentation, entitled “Beyond the Evidence: D&I in Action,” Binette shared data from a survey, of more than 100 companies in 15-plus countries, which shows a link between financial performance and ethnic or gender diversity in the boardroom.

Other data shows that 67 percent of prospective employees surveyed shared that they consider workplace diversity an important factor when applying to work for a company. Diverse organizations, Binette pointed out, are more likely than less-diverse ones to attract and recruit better talent.

Despite the compelling evidence showing how D&I can improve personal and business outcomes, Binette noted that some organizations have fallen behind global trends in its implementation.

Why? As we focus on diversity targets for age, race, and gender, do we lose our focus on inclusion?

When working in South Africa and Canada, Binette experienced working on highly diverse teams, as both countries have divergent populations. However, there were key differences. Diversity in the workplace in South Africa was notably stratified. While Indian and white colleagues made up older generations of workers, Black people made up most of the recent hires.

Recognizing such subtle differences informed their inclusion strategies that, for instance, aimed at reducing turnover among new hires, which at the time was no better than the industry average for South Africa.

To improve their inclusion scores, Binette and his colleagues asked themselves how they could bring together their organization’s diversity, be it in terms of age, background, culture, or language.

So how did they increase inclusion?

They set a goal: Make life better in communities where most of their Black coworkers lived, while lowering turnover and increasing productivity.

Binette’s D&I goals had four pillars:

• Increase inclusion, productivity, engagement, and retention
• Develop a strategy to build a shared common vision and to coach inclusiveness
• Provide help when wanted
• Create a barometer of discussion

Further, Binette and his team conducted roundtable discussions to find out where their organization stood on inclusion. Employees shared their views and leaders listened.

Most important, however, rather than conduct a top-down initiative, the company invited representatives from their employee base to help shape the overall strategy for inclusion.

After sharing the vision, the next 90 days were critical. Performance management was updated, clear goals around collaboration were set, and it was made clear that, while leadership would support the new strategy, it was the responsibility of all to make it a success.

Managers and employees discussed how to collaborate, and coaching was conducted by everyone. Sessions covered topics such as unconscious bias and microaggressions, remarks that may be perceived as belittling.

As implementation continued, there was a need to support managers further. So diversity training used reverse mentorship to increase interests, pairing managers with employees from vastly different backgrounds. This allowed for better understanding between managers and their colleagues.

Binette admitted that diversity training is a continuous task, but initial results were encouraging: their organization in South Africa became an industry leader in reducing turnover, the workforce was more dynamic and engaged, and prospective employees showed enthusiasm to work for the company.

He shared three key takeaways from the initiative:

• Connectedness—the importance of a shared sense of belonging—grew among employees
• Respect—having deep consideration—for others became more prevalent
• Transparency—the importance of communication among staff and with management to explain the need for the strategy—increased

Binette stressed that leaders are important in:

• Setting clear goals on inclusiveness
• Recognizing their own limits and reaching out for help
• Modeling good behavior
• Assessing progress
• Recognizing change and change-makers

Globally Diverse

Day three began with a keynote by Neal Reed, executive officer and vice president at P&G Japan G.K. In his presentation, entitled “Equality & Inclusion: from Good Intentions to Impactful Actions,” Reed emphasized one main goal: to encourage attendees “to do one thing different, starting tomorrow.”

Reed stressed three assumptions about the attendees:

• They believe that diversity is good
• They know that leaders play a key role
• They are all good people with good intentions

He said that while much progress has been made globally in the D&I space, equal opportunities are still not equally distributed. This means some people do not always feel included.

Warming to the theme of equality and inclusion (E&I), Reed challenged the audience with a question: Are you doing enough? All, not just leaders, are responsible for making a difference, even in a small way.

Reed shared a framework that has guided him in this, allowing him to move from good intentions to actions that have an impact. The framework has three elements:

• Look in the mirror and challenge yourself
• Take action where you have passion
• Help one person at a time

Looking in the mirror and challenging yourself is a reality check, where you ask whether you are doing enough. Faced with a busy life, it is easy to slip into the belief that D&I is not important.

Taking action where you have passion allows one to focus on an area in which you already have a keen interest—a field where you believe you can make the greatest difference in D&I.

Lastly, it may pay to focus on helping one person at a time, a strategy that is less intimidating than trying to solve all organizational or global challenges at once.

In a moment of self-reflection, Reed noted the following elements in his D&I—as well as E&I—journey:

• Coming from a background of privilege brings with it the responsibility to act in support of others who are less privileged
• Change comes from action, not intentions alone
• Diversity is a first step, but enabling equality has greater impact
• Insiders need to help outsiders
• Leaders need to be role models

Reed said that people have always been considered P&G’s biggest asset. The company has long thought of E&I as a business strategy built on diversity in recruitment, equality of opportunity in the workplace, and fostering an inclusive culture.

Recently in Japan, P&G launched initiatives, such as the E&I Board, members of which meet regularly to apprise themselves of their work. Then there’s Beyond Gender, an initiative that builds on previous work around gender, while bringing to the fore challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and those with disabilities.

The company’s brands, too, have been used on a greater scale than before to highlight E&I initiatives. So ads for its household products, for instance, have been used to encourage men to do more housework, such as laundry.

Challenge Accepted

The plenary session on day three, entitled “The Possibility of ‘Knowing’,” featured para athletes Kabetani and Norimatsu, both of whom compete in wheelchair rugby and are representatives of AIG Japan Holdings K.K. The moderator was Yumiko Ishii, senior manager in the internal audit office at American Home Assurance Company, Ltd.

Kabetani and Norimatsu spoke about their experiences in the company’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), volunteer-led initiatives for the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion, including for employees with disabilities.

Looking back at his early days working at AIG, Norimatsu recalled that some of his colleagues, having had little experience working with someone in a wheelchair, were not certain how—or, indeed, if—they could help.

“There were people who were not sure whether they wanted to help me by opening the door,” Norimatsu shared.

Other colleagues wanted to help but found it to be challenging, not knowing how or when to do so. But, as time went by, the distance between Norimatsu and his colleagues naturally closed and many more people began to speak to him. As a result, mutual understanding grew.

ERGs were created to help bridge such gaps, and to bring the workforce closer together. Indeed, survey results from the disability ERG show that colleagues were eager to know how they could assist team members with disabilities. As a member of the group, Norimatsu has been eager to share his experiences with others, and to learn from them, too.

“I know about wheelchairs, but I don’t know much about disabilities that do not involve the wheelchair, including those of people with mental disabilities,” he said.

Such connections, he noted, are especially important in Japan, a country where there have not been many opportunities, in the corporate environment, for people with disabilities to interact with other colleagues. Via the ERG program, both para athletes have not only bridged gaps between employees and supported AIG’s business goals, but they have also helped to inspire colleagues in unexpected ways.

Norimatsu explained: “If speaking about my disability helps someone, I want to proactively communicate [my experiences]. It might not connect directly with business, but it might indirectly produce a good effect.”

Breakout Performance

Throughout the summit, attendees engaged in breakout training sessions facilitated by Miho Takiguchi, director of talent and organization development and diversity at AstraZeneca K.K. The sessions focused on the themes of the conference.

With more than 200 attendees, this year’s summit was organized by ACCJ-Kansai Diversity & Inclusion Committee Co-chairs Yuri Ichihashi, Yuka Nakamura, and Asana Otani. The summit’s master of ceremonies was Vice-chair Daniel Steiner.

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Sustainable Change through Animation

2018 ACCJ Volunteer of the Year eyes education through entertainment

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ACCJ 2018 Volunteer of the Year Royi Akavia is well known in the chamber and local community for his unwavering support of Food Bank Kansai. Helping children is one of the most important missions for the renowned visual artist whose work has been displayed around the world, including in the permanent collection of the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

It was in that city that his own struggles, as he started his career on the SoHo art scene in the East Village during the early 1980s, helped him understand what it is like to go without and the importance of giving to those in need.

Digital Difference

Beyond his work on canvas, Akavia has spent the past 20 years working in animation, which he says is “magic for a painter like me.”

But it’s not just for fun. Through his business Double Bounce Productions, Inc., (DBP)—a diamond prize sponsor of this year’s ACCJ Charity Ball—he is putting those skills to work to educate children on sustainability and diversity issues to build a better future for the world.

One of the most noticeable aspects of digitalization has been the shift from traditional broadcast and cable television to on-demand streaming video. Services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime have seen a surge in consumption during the pandemic. But even before the coronavirus boosted demand and created production delays, these companies were experiencing a shortage of high-quality animated content.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Netflix’s budget for the development of animated content was estimated to be $1.1 billion in 2018—11 percent of its total budget for original content—and is predicted to reach $5 billion in 2022. Analysts believe that Amazon could spend as much as $1.86 billion on animation next year.

This presents a great opportunity to create content that is both engaging and educational.

Heroes of Change

Today’s entertainment landscape is awash with superheroes, as adaptations of comic book characters regularly top the box office and streaming. Akavia sees this as a foundation for telling stories that make a difference and bring about change in the long term, using original characters to which children can relate.

His desire to take DBP in this socially conscious direction comes from years of contributing to organizations, such as the ACCJ and the United Nations Development Programme, which is tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development.

To do this, he has assembled what he calls “a world-class dream team” which includes animator Emiliano Topete, concept artist Ricardo Caria, artist Clifford Land, and Wendee Lee, one of the most accomplished voice actresses in the animation industry. Also joining the team is Hayato Ogawa, an associate professor of engineering at the International College of Technology in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, who coordinates students and staff to undertake projects designed to help rural communities adopt sustainable and efficient lifestyles.

Co-founder Topete’s career has taken him to several studios and TV networks since 2005. He served as animation director on the award-winning Televisa series Imaginantes and, in 2013, founded Polygoon Studio in Mexico. Has been a professor of animation at the esteemed SAE Institute and Escena animation and digital arts school since 2016.

Caria studied illustration at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and served as art director for the Anamon Studios short Let’s Eat, the first animation project ever developed in a cloud-based environment.

Land crafts realistic paintings by mastering light and shadow. One of his most famous works is the mural painted for New York City-based fashion house DKNY. The work became a landmark on Houston Street, where it stood for 17 years.

Akavia told The ACCJ Journal that DBP will provide new kinds of heroes and tell cutting-edge stories that he hopes will inspire and motivate viewers.

“We’re not trying to create a superhero,” he said. “Marvel is doing just fine with that. We’re trying to create a superhuman, one powered by the strength of kindness, patience, intelligence, and creativity.”

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HxD 2021

ACCJ drives innovation by bringing together startups and big pharma

Last August, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) announced Healthcare x Digital, an XPRIZE-style competition meant to spur industry-changing technologies and connect Japan-based startups with major pharmaceutical companies and public officials.

Driven by the ACCJ Healthcare Committee—with support from the chamber’s Kansai Chapter—the initiative is led by ACCJ Corporate Sustaining Members AstraZeneca K.K., Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd., Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC, and President’s Circle Member Eli Lilly Japan K.K.

The inaugural event was a huge success, with 28 companies submitting proposals. Three finalists were selected from this pool, and each emerged from the December 1 Pitch Event with awards and prize money to help them continue development of their ideas. Honors went to:

• Bisu, Inc.: Best Innovation; the Moonshot Prize
• MediFrame, Inc.: Best Value Proposition
• MICIN, Inc.: Best Product

Great Opportunity

In a follow-up interview, Bisu Chief Executive Officer Daniel Maggs told The ACCJ Journal that participation in the Healthcare x Digital competition was important to them because “it matters for us to have validation and recognition from the medical industry, because we care very deeply about quality.”

Ryoichi Kusama, co-founder and senior vice president of MICIN, said that his company wants to help the medical industry change from within and become a player that can be trusted. Therefore, “the biggest plus is that it has expanded the collaboration with major pharmaceutical companies.”

And Mediframe CEO Atsushi Wada said that it meant a lot to him to be recognized by AstraZeneca, Bayer, and Lilly. “For them to see the potential in my company made me feel very pleased and encouraged.”

This year’s competition will once again bring together global healthcare leaders with top and emerging tech companies, entrepreneurs, and innovators in the search for new ideas.

Three Challenges

Healthcare x Digital 2021 will carry forth the goal of forging new partnerships and creating new solutions to solve Japan’s most critical community healthcare and individual patient challenges by focusing on three areas:

• Overcoming the urban vs. rural healthcare divide
• Reimagining the hospital of the future
• Empowering patients to own their healthcare

These areas tie into the digital transformation of society and can help Japan continue to take care of—and provide even better care for—all its citizens. Demographic and economic trends are creating a strong contrast between rural and urban regions, and these shifts will require Japan to adopt new healthcare approaches and solutions. One question being asked in this year’s competition is how digital technology can break down the boundaries of distance to provide great and uniform care for everyone, no matter where they live.

Of course, reform of the healthcare system puts great pressure on hospitals to transform themselves and make better use of tools and resources. Technology is certainly key to that makeover, but what are the most innovative digital levers that can open up those paths to greater efficiency?

Another important part of ensuring that the healthcare system remains sustainable is empowering individuals to monitor their own health. A great example of such a tool is Bisu’s home health lab, for which the startup won ¥1 million in funding at last year’s competition. The elegant and easy-to-use system supports a range of tests that anyone can perform at home, allowing early disease detection and providing a way for individuals to track their health and adjust their daily lifestyle habits and decisions.

Joining Forces

At the core of Healthcare x Digital is the goal of bringing together emerging players—who have healthcare ideas, but require partners—with established players looking for innovative ideas to solve healthcare challenges.

This is made possible through the Healthcare x Digital ecosystem, which comprises four groups:

• Innovators and startups
• Established companies
• Government organizations
• Academic and non-profit institutions

These public, private, and non-profit sector players join forces to deliver all the pieces required to envision and execute groundbreaking solutions.

In the private sector, startups often have innovative digital healthcare ideas, but they lack the partnerships to evolve them. Teaming up with established companies that have the resources to develop an idea and bring it to market can allow the startup not only to grow as a company, but to change the course of future healthcare.

In the public and non-profit sectors, government bodies are searching for solutions to long-term healthcare challenges, such as cost, quality, and access. They want to drive innovation, which can lead to economic growth, but how to drive that change is not always clear. Academics and research institutions have insights that can help effect change, and they need a way to translate this into real-impact non-profit organizations.

Pitch Your Idea

Healthcare x Digital 2021 began accepting submissions on July 1 and the deadline is October 1. Evaluation of submissions is set to start on October 5. Pitches will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Focus on patient and community needs
• Healthcare x Digital value proposition
• Need for an ecosystem to flourish

Everyone who participates in Healthcare x Digital will benefit from having their ideas reviewed by top executives from leading international healthcare and technology companies.

Those selected to participate in the Pitch Day will be invited to the full-day virtual event on October 14. Finalists will then take part in the HxD Ideas Day on November 11, a hybrid in-person and virtual event at which they will present to a panel of leading healthcare and pharmaceutical executives—all empowered to initiate business deals and new relationships on behalf of their global brands.

Monetary prizes will also be awarded, and the finalists will meet with senior executives from the organizing sponsors. Winning companies will receive mentoring and support from healthcare professionals and executives from organizing sponsors.

Join us to discover Japan’s most innovative healthcare ideas and develop partnerships to make them a reality.

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Sponsors

President’s Circle Sponsor

Eli Lilly Japan K.K.

Organizing Sponsors

AstraZeneca K.K. | Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd. | Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC | i2.JP (Innovation Infusion Japan)

Contributing Sponsors

Dentsu | K&L Gates LLP | NRW Global Business | Omron Corporation | Trilations G.K. | Real Life Sciences

Supporting Organizations

City of Kobe | Embassy of the United States, Tokyo | Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe | Global Venture Habitat | GVH#5 | LINK-J | Osaka Innovation Hub

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My Leadership Journey

ACCJ-Kansai CEO Series: GE's Eriko Asai shares how to stay resilient during uncertain times

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Since 2015, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) Kansai chapter has hosted the CEO Series, an annual collection of speaker events featuring top executives from leading companies. The sessions are very popular due to their intimate and insightful nature, and the glimpses they offer into the lives of successful leaders. Attendees leave inspired and with actionable advice to help them improve their work lives, while the candid discussion is especially valuable for young professionals starting to build their careers.

On May 19, Eriko Asai, president of GE Japan and ACCJ chair, spoke at an event co-hosted by the ACCJ-Kansai Business Programs Committee and Diversity & Inclusion Committee. She revealed what she had learned on her way to becoming GE Japan’s first female president.

“Today, I’m going to share with you my leadership journey and some of the challenges I’ve experienced over the years that helped me develop my leadership skills and keep myself resilient during uncertain times,” she said.

The landscape has changed significantly since Asai took the helm of GE Japan in January 2018, and the company currently is undergoing its biggest business transformation of the past 128 years. “One of the most important jobs, as a leader, is to drive the cultural transformation and make a difference,” she noted.

Milestones

Asai opened her presentation with a slide labeled “Leadership Journey” on which she charted the major events in her life and career, beginning with her birth in the UK.

More than just a visual representation of education and job changes, the chart tells a story that Asai believes has great value. “I highly recommend that you write your journey like this, because it helps you reflect on who you are, your strengths and weaknesses, why you think about something a certain way, what you care about, what has been consistent in your career journey, and where you want to be in the future,” she explained.

One thing that this writing exercise brings to the forefront is self-awareness which, Asai said, is such an important part of the leadership journey. Noting that her rise to company president was a zigzag, not linear, she outlined her career progression and the skills she learned along the way—a particularly valuable way of looking at professional development and staying the course.

“It’s very important to be intentional about your journey, according to your life stage,” she explained, breaking down the phases of career progression by age:

• Twenties: challenge yourself
• Thirties: work–life balance and expertise
• Forties: leadership
• Fifties: investing in the next generation

When she moved to Japan at age three, to Australia at age nine, and then returned to Japan two years later—all due to her father’s work with a trading company—Asai learned three key skills that would help her become a leader:

• Survival
• Listening
• Adapting to change

Two more skills were added when she chose to study at a UK university, before going to work for Sony Europe in Germany—despite speaking no German:

• Being the minority
• Communication

When she began a series of transitions in her thirties—shifting first to government affairs with Microsoft Corporation, then to healthcare with GE Healthcare, during which time she also served as director of the American Medical Devices and Diagnostics Manufacturers’ Association, later expanding her role to energy and finally becoming president of GE Japan in her late forties—she added two more key traits:

• Self-confidence
• Resilience

Now that she is president, she has taken on roles that help her invest in the next generation. This includes serving as chair of the ACCJ. And, while she leverages her experience to help others grow, she finds herself also refining skills such as:

• Developing people
• Building teams
• Crisis management

“I have lived in many places, in five countries, and have always been a minority in those societies—so I know how it feels when your voice is not heard, how painful it is to be left out with no means to respond,” she said. “Although I didn’t know the word ‘inclusive’ when I was very young, I came to understand what inclusive leadership looks like through my experiences in the early part of life. I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences. It’s very good to reflect on those and think about how you can apply what you learned earlier in life to your workplace today.”

As she noted, her path has zigzagged, so it is important to remember that you can learn at any time. “Leadership is all about acquiring skills at any point in your life. If you didn’t have a particular experience—for example, a chance to live abroad—earlier in your life, you can always do something different in your current life and practice adapting to the change.”

Pandemic Leadership

Next, Asai talked about the current situation and the need for leaders and teams to work together when dealing with a crisis such as the coronavirus pandemic.

“This is a moment when leadership really matters,” she said. “We need to prepare for the worst-case scenario and make sure that people understand the guidelines we have put in place. This takes self-awareness and imagination.”

She said that, in such situations, it is important to follow up with employees who may be feeling left out, or who find it difficult to talk with a manager. “We need to be creative about supporting them in making the work-from-home experience comfortable.”

At the start of the pandemic, Asai set up the national crisis management team for GE Japan, to help it cope with Covid-19 and the potential disruptions to business operations. By working together, helping everyone understand the risks and importance of establishing and following safety guidelines, and listening to employee concerns so that they might feel comfortable and adapt, GE Japan was able to continue being productive and secure.

Once everyone had become accustomed to the new procedures and workstyle, she handed over related responsibilities to the business leaders, who then managed their units and teams on their own.

Strategy and Policy

Expanding on GE’s business transformation, Asai highlighted the importance of focus.

“GE has a 128-year history, but we have really changed our portfolio over the past couple of years,” she explained. “We used to have businesses such as capital, plastics, and even media. But we have divested ourselves of most of the non-core businesses and now are focusing on infrastructure.” The three areas of the strategy are:

• Energy transition
• Precision health
• Future of flight

In terms of policy, GE is working with governments around the world to implement rules and regulations that harness innovation while ensuring a sustainable future. Three key policy areas are:

• Decarbonization
• Decoupling
• Digital transformation

Highlighting the last of these, she reminded attendees that “the ACCJ just released the Japan Digital Agenda 2030 report, which provides comprehensive guidance as to how Japan should leap from here, given that the government is focusing on establishing a digital ministry and there are a lot of changes to come. It’s an important time for the ACCJ to be putting forth a position on this, and we are also doing so at GE.”

Building a Culture of Success

“To make this business transformation, one of the most important jobs as a leader is to drive the cultural change,” Asai said, explaining that, at GE, 50 percent of a team member’s review score is based on performance and 50 percent on leadership behaviors, of which the company has three:

• Act with humility
• Lead with transparency
• Deliver with focus

“When we talk about acting with humility, it sounds obvious. But it’s also surprising that we are talking about it at this point in GE’s long history,” she said. “We are very proud of our technology, but because we are so proud, we have become a little bit arrogant. So, the questions are: How can we become more humble? How do we behave with humility? What does humility look like? We need to discuss and debate this as a team.”

She added that humility is a very important starting point for leadership behavior. “If you think something is wrong, you should say so. We have to be open to this. It has to be a culture of welcoming feedback and acknowledging mistakes.”

Transparency, she explained, goes hand in hand with humility, because without transparency, people will not raise issues and you cannot solve problems. The worst-case scenario for a company is not having the bad things reported up to management level.

“Trust is the base of this transparency,” she said. “And this also goes for leaders sharing bad news with the team in a timely fashion, because, without leaders exercising transparency, the team will not have the courage to share bad news themselves. It goes both ways.”

Delivering with focus relates to our ability to manage the demands of modern life, where it is easy to become distracted or be drawn into doing a task that is not the highest priority.

“In a world where we have so much work to do, we really need focus and speed. And being able to focus on the most important thing is a continuous challenge,” she said. “It is about ruthless prioritization and practice, and I am continually struggling to do that myself. Priorities are so important.”

Takeaways

In closing, Asai recapped five points that she believes can lead to a successful and rewarding career—one in which you might also zigzag your way to the top:

• Leadership is about continuous learning
• Focus on building trust
• Embrace awareness and imagination
• Be mindful of how you use time
• Take control of your life and have fun!

“We live in an uncertain world, so constant change is the norm,” she said. “We are never going to be perfect, so we need to be humble and learn from others. The good news is that you don’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to know everything, because there’s no way to know everything.”

Building trust, Asai noted, takes time. But “speed of trust,” as she calls it, is very important because when there is trust you can get work done faster.

Being mindful of how you use time also is critical, she said. “In my case, I need to spend about 20 percent of my time reflecting and really thinking deeply, without meetings, and 10 percent or more on people development, talking to people—especially young talent who have points of view to share—and spending time with them outside my work.

“And, obviously, sleep and exercise—all the things that keep you healthy—must be tended to, so it’s very important to carve out time in your schedule for that,” she added in closing. “Making sure you are healthy is, in the end, bringing a healthy spirit to work every day.”

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