Equal and Secure
The May meeting of G7 leaders in Hiroshima has focused efforts across the ACCJ to ensure that our voice is heard—and the importance of the chamber reinforced—as Japan and the United States work to coordinate critical policies. Of particular importance are all matters digital.
Cracking the Code
As digital transformation touches every aspect of how we work and communicate, businesses face ever more complex challenges. The evolution of cybersecurity means that companies must rethink how they hire for this critical task. Robert Half shares how to secure the best cybersecurity talent.
2023 Tax Reform Proposals
On December 16, 2022, the Government of Japan released its 2023 tax reform proposals. The amendments contain changes to the rules related to gifts and inheritance tax. The proposals are usually promulgated into law by the end of March and enter into force on April 1. Here is an overview of what to expect.
Fantastical Fukui
There are many reasons to visit Fukui, a small tadpole-shaped prefecture facing the Sea of Japan. It’s home to a bevy of traditional crafts, magnificent temples, rugged landscapes, and some of Japan’s best freshly caught winter crab and sweet shrimp. All this begs the question: Why isn’t Fukui more well-known? We take you on a visit.
Past Meets Future
The glass panel separating the Enoura Observatory’s gallery from Sagami Bay erupts in an orange glow. It’s the summer solstice and the sun rises in perfect alignment with the long, narrow gallery designed by Japanese contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto. The fiery spectacle is just one of the wonders that awaits travelers in Kanagawa Prefecture.
Japan to Foster Global Cooperation at the G7
In May 2023, the G7 Summit will be hosted in Hiroshima against the backdrop of a severe global energy crisis and supply chain disruptions that are stoking the fires of inflation, shaking consumer confidence, and threatening the most economically vulnerable in our society. METI will focus on three key policy areas: trade, climate and energy, and digitalization.
The Toranomon Hills Station Tower: Transforming a Neighborhood
Home to a buzzing community that melds business and art with innovation and tradition, Toranomon is one of Tokyo’s most vibrant and interesting neighborhoods. And later this year, the area will take a bold step with the opening of Toranomon Hills Station Tower.
Winds of Change
After two years in virtual space, one of the largest annual events held by the ACCJ returned to its traditional in-person format on December 3, when chamber members and guests gathered at the Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku for Chicago: An Evening in the Windy City.
Investing in Biotech
To help Japan capture a market forecast to grow to up to $4 trillion by 2040, METI has created an $8 billion fund to support biomanufacturing, a field that encompasses technologies which leverage genetic technology to maximize the ability of microorganisms to produce substances.
Leading the Way
Each year, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) honors members who have shown extraordinary dedication. On December 20, recipients were recognized in person for the first time since 2019 at a special Leadership Forum networking event, chaired by ACCJ Governor John W. Carlson III, at The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon.
(Re)Open for Business
It isn’t easy to do business when you’re standing outside staring through the window. But that’s the situation so many found themselves in during much of the pandemic, thanks to some of the world’s most stringent border restrictions. Japan finally reopened its borders to mostly normal travel, including visa-free entry in October 11. We look ahead at the journey past and ahead.
Healthy Ideas
The 2022 HxD event was modeled on the concept of ideathons, or workshop-like gatherings of groups tasked with challenges for which they are to propose solutions. Through this model, a total of 86 ideators, facilitators, and mentors worked together through a cyclic ideation process to identify root causes and develop the next big project in healthcare.
Perfect Powder
Hakuba Hotel Group (HHG) has been a driving force behind the development of the area over the past 10 years and manages a portfolio of more than 50 premium chalets and apartments situated in prime locations surrounding the Happo-One Resort. ACCJ members get 10 percent off at any HHG property this winter.
Yonezawa Artistry
Legacy and vision. Two words that describe and drive Gentaro Nitta’s Nitta Textile Arts and Michiko Yamakuchi’s Yozando. Both are eminent textile enterprises based in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, and manifest a celebration of the past as the industry looks toward the future.
Stronger Together
The US–Japan partnership is the cornerstone of peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and the alliance got a boost in May when US President Joe Biden, visiting Tokyo, launched the Indo–Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) with a dozen initial partners.
Committee Matters
Looking back at 2022, it was a year of great progress for the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). I was honored to represent you as president and am humbled to have been reelected for a second term. This year, I look forward to building on our progress, harnessing the energy of our members and leaders who so generously share their time and expertise.
Out on the Town Once Again
Live sports and in-person gatherings added to the feeling of normality as chamber events such as the ACCJ Charity Ball, which returned to its in-person format at the Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku, and the Tokyo and Kansai Shinnenkais kick off the year.
Japan Surprises 2023
Surprises are the spice of life that make us perk up and challenge our baseline assumptions. And what better time to sprinkle them on than the start of a new year? Of course, there will always be a surprise or two, but here is my annual list of possible surprises that could add up to a heaping load for Japan in 2023. Whichever may come to be, I wish a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year to all!
Supply Chain Woes
Nowadays, it is common to hear and to read in the news that the world is experiencing unprecedented supply chain woes. China lacks coal and paper. The United States has a shortage of toilet paper and toys. And India is low on microchips. Why is this happening? Here are four current issues that negatively impact the world’s supply chains.
Setting the Stage for Green Transformation
If renewable energy production is not doubled by 2030, power outages and energy system disruptions could become everyday affairs. To help the international community rise to what may be this generation’s greatest challenge, and to showcase some of the technologies that will assist the world in meeting it, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) organized Tokyo GX (Green Transformation) Week. The 10-day event ran from September 26 to October 7.