JIN-455 -- J@pan Inc Magazine, March/April 2008

The ‘JIN’ Japan Inc Newsletter
A weekly opinion piece on social, economic and political trends
in Japan.
Issue No. 455 Wednesday March 5, 2008, Tokyo

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J@pan Inc March/Arpil 2008

The March/April edition of J@pan Inc magazine including our
recruiting special feature, is out now. Here are the highlights:

The Trade in People
What does the downturn in financial optimism in Japan mean for
recruitment companies? For decades, foreign firms have found the
market ripe for Western style headhunting and recruiting
techniques that had previously been culturally incompatible with
the ‘one company for life’ tendency prevalent in Japan. However,
the recruitment bubble may be close to bursting. For one,
foreign headhunters are no new phenomenon and they now face a
number of domestic competitors as do the agencies. Additionally,
many of the companies that have done well until now are
specialists in IT or financial services. With the prospect of
cutbacks, what type of firms will survive? Will it be the
all-encompassing giants or more likely the niche outfits?
A former recruiter and industry expert gives his view.
To read the full article visit:
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_the-trade-in-people

Also in the recruitment feature:

Personnel Perspectives, we take a look at three different
perspectives of employment: the candidate, the recruiter the
employer. Also includes our undercover investigation into the
life of a headhunter with our exposure of the top five ‘sneaky
things that bad headhunters do.’
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_personnel-perspectives

Our Recruitment Services Directory:
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_recruitment-services-directory

CEO Interview: Junichi Fujimoto, FON Japan
Junichi Fujimoto, the man on our front cover, was the first
Represetative Director of Livedoor back in 1998. His original
vision was always of free Internet access for all. Now heading
up FON in Japan, Fujimoto shares his hopes of bringing Japan
into the fold of the largest WiFi community in the world. FON,
started by Argentinean entrepreneur Martin Varsavsky, allows
users of the network to set up and maintain nodes of the network
(connected to the Internet via commercial ISPs) and, in return,
are able to use the nodes of other uses. In other words, an
official and commercially sanctioned version of Internet access
socialism. Fujimoto has managed to do a deal with Livedoor to
merge the FON networks together in a bid to massively expand the
FON network in Japan.
To read more:
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_interview-fujimoto

------------ Translation/Marketing Service ----------------
The J@pan Inc Translation/Marketing team now offers translation
and marketing services for companies to help them enhance their
performance internationally. Our services include:

- Professional translation
- Catchy copy writing
- Strategic design
- Effective PR
- Direct marketing

Our achievement includes:
- Corporate report translation and desktop publishing
- In-house magazine translation and desktop publishing
- Annual report translation
- Company legal document translation
- Government PR brochure copy writing and design
- DM service targeting senior executives

Please contact at sachie.kuroda@japaninc.com for more details.
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The Father of Invention
Kujiro Kawakita is a patent attorney, an entrepreneur and an
inventor. When he invented the Quick-Strap, a strap for bags and
cases that can be adjusted and secured to avoid picking up dirt
or causing obstruction, he found a way to combine his three
roles. He was able to patent the invention himself and then make
a successful business out of selling the sales licenses. Buoyed
up by his own success and having proved the merits of a business
whose theory he had always believed, Kawakita is now an
evangelist for it. Not only does he advise entrepreneurs and
smaller businesses who come to him on how to manage their IP,
he also encourages them to sell licenses and make good money
without having to take on masses of staff. He even visit
colleges to share his experiences with the next generation of
inventors and educates them about the importance of protecting
their IP and ways they can start to build a successful one-person
business.
To read the full article visit:
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_father-of-invention

Is The Customer A False God?
James Mok’s third part in his series of articles about the
Japanese IT industry. This time he singles out the Japanese
reverence of the customer for critical analysis. While serving
customers and keeping them happy is vital to the survival of
any business, if it is allowed to compromise standards and
interfere with necessary and mutually beneficial growth and
development, it can ultimately be counter productive. Drawing on
his experiences of working in the IT industry in Japan, as well
as featuring interviews with senior management, Mok underlines
the need for more figures like Carlos Ghosn who famously
restructured Nissan.
To read more:
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_japanese-enterprise-it

All of J@pan Inc can be read online at www.japaninc.com

Other articles include:

Business Break & Trends in Japan
Our regular round-up of new businesses and business news.
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_trends-in-japan

Measure for Measure
Industry statistics, a corporate profile, and a focus on retail
giant Don Quijote make up our new column of useful Japanese
market information.
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_market-data

Exclusive Interview: Michel Lachaussee
J@pan Inc talks to the President of the French
Chamber of Commerce in Japan
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_interview-lachaussee

Perspectives on Tokyo Living & Real Estate
Kenneth Arbour, President of Century 21, writes about the
challenges of relocating to Japan
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_tokyo-living-real-estate

Changing the Status Quo
Brad Frischkorn examines the future of stock exchange
technology in Japan
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_stock-exchange-technology

Politics: A Profile of Shigeru Ishiba, Minister of Defense
Adam P Liff takes a deeper look at this key LDP politician
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_shigeru-ishiba

Knotted Beauty
The cedar tree from the Hida region and its new role in
furniture manufacturing
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_knotted-beauty

Investment
Chris Clearly turns market perception on its head in his
analysis of the current situation
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_investment
This issue includes an online market history quiz
http://www.japaninc.com/market_quiz

Inside Out: Business in Venezuela
Is Chavez’s bark worse than his bite?
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_venezuela

Human Flight
Matthew Heath writes about his hobby – jumping out of planes
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_human-flight

Bubbles for Brunch
Take a tour of the best champagne brunches in Tokyo
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_bubbles-for-brunch

Reinventing Western Fashion
Discover Bunka Gakuen, Japan’s oldest and largest school
of fashion
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_western-fashion

Arrivals & Departures
Who’s coming and going in the Tokyo international business
community
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_arrivals-departures

Back & Forward
Ken Worsley’s satirical take on the economy
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_back-and-forward

Crossword
It just got harder!
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_mar-apr_2008_crossword

I hope you enjoy our latest issue.

Peter Harris
Editor-in-Chief

++EVENTS

-------- Job Fair for International Students & Careers ---------

The JOBFAIR will be held on March 8th in AKIHABARA.
This JOBFAIR is the biggest event for international students
and foreigners who are thinking about a career change in Japan:
50+ companies will attend seeking internationally-minded people!

JOBFAIR participants will have an opportunity
to visit company booths and ask HR about careers.

Some companies may have interviews on the day.
The JOBFAIR provides a great chance to meet many companies and
learn about them what they do and the people they need in a
short period of time.

DATE: March 8th /11:00 - 18:00
PLACE: at AKIHABARA
http://www.jobfair.jp/jp/JB5001LG.php?j=12&banner_id=rfb00009-

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March 20, 21, 22 and 23 -- 9:30 am to 6:30 pm
(Thursday, March 20 is a national holiday)

Satisfies the PMI's requirement of 35 PDUs for certification.

Enroll and pay by Friday, February 29, and you will be eligible
for a 35,000 yen discount and pay only 160,000 yen (incl. tax).

InnoSoft Japan K.K
For more information visit: www.innosoft.co.jp
or call us at 03-6868-3000

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Marcus Evans Events - Supported by J@pan Inc

-Customer Relationship Excellence
15th - 16th April 2008, Hilton Tokyo
http://www.marcusevans.com/html/eventdetail.asp?eventID=13548
This event features leading speakers from Daihatsu Motor,
Daimler Japan, General Motors, Honda Motor, Nissan Motor,
Mitsubishi Motors, Toyota Motor and Johnson Controls
Automotive Systems Corporation. Don't miss this out!

-Compensation and Benefits
27th - 28th May, Tokyo
This event provides Japanese firms the understanding and
'how-to' of investing in their employees for the purpose
of sustaining their businesses Corporations nowadays need
to formulate a business-driven compensation policy that
leverages human capital to drive corporate growth.

'J@pan Inc readers are entitled to a 10% discount upon
registration with Ms. Esther Wong.'

For further details and brochures, please contact:
Ms. Esther Wong
Tel No: +603 2723 6736
Fax No: +603 2723 6699
Email add: estherw@marcusevanskl.com

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++END