Switzerland Newsletter Switzerland Newsletter

IS S U E 37 Switzerland Newsletter A P R IL 2 0 1 2 Japan External Trade Organization

Inside this Japanese watch component subsidiary moved to Neuchâtel issue KEF Corporation manufactures and sells watch rubber seals Japanese 1 Founded in 1967 and headquar- weeks or less to deliver a prod- watch compo- tered in the Chiba prefecture of uct”. nent subsidiary moved to Japan, KEF Corporation is a Neuchâtel company developing precision Neuchâtel-based office Japan’s cur- 2 rubber parts. rent economic It sells its products for many KEF Corporation just moved its situation applications: watches, but also Swiss office in Neuchâtel. “We Vaud compa- 2 digital cameras, printers, batter- moved because many case manu- nies will visit ies, medical and food products. facturers are located in cantons Japan from September 10 After a long presence in Switzer- of Neuchâtel, Jura and Bern. to 14 land through distributor, KEF They now are the companies Traditional 3 opened in July 2003 its own which buy the rings”, explained Japanese cui- Swiss office. Initially located in Mr. Hennau. KEF’s also sells sine in Geneva Geneva, it moved earlier this Jean-Noël Hennau, Managing Director, rubber rings to brand’s after- Visit of WTO 3 year in Neuchâtel. Two persons Hiroko Itohisa, Sales Department Manager, sales services. Director Gen- are in charge of this office. KEF Corporation’s Swiss subsidiary “We have many customers in eral to JETRO’s Jean-Noël Hennau who recently CHF 13.5 million). It produces Switzerland in the three major Headquarters joined and worked previously for and sells rubber rings that are Watch Groups, but also in the Canon re- 4 Seiko Instruments for eighteen used mainly in the watch indus- high quality low volume mar- ceived six years and spent seven years in kets”, Mr. Hennau claimed. “Best Product try. They can be round or square, 2012” awards Japan. Among other responsibili- but also have special shapes. The COMCO (Swiss Competi- ties, he was in charge of Euro- A watch has generally three tion Commission) decided to pean markets and a member of types of sealing rings: one on the allow ETA (Swatch Group) to the Executive Committee of back to seal the watch case, one reduce its supply of movements Seiko Instruments. Hiroko Ito- by 15% to watchmakers com- 会見 on the crown and pushers and hisa has worked in the sales de- one between the case and the pared to 2010. Will Swiss com- INTERVIEW partment of KEF Corporation glass. panies turn more to foreign com- for many years and dispatched to Jean-Noël Hennau claims KEF’s panies so as to ensure a stable Europe to lead the European and rubber rings have three advan- and diversified supply? International sales since 2008. tages over its competitors. “First, “The COMCO’s decision will we have very competitive prices. serve us. Our product is so small KEF develops high-quality Second, we have very tough re- that it is not significant for the rubber parts quirements on quality. We in- calculation of the value of the spect 100% of our products. Swiss made label. People should KEF employs a total of 350 peo- Third, we are very fast in the not be afraid to contact Japanese ple for an annual sales volume of delivery. Even if a new mold companies”, claimed Jean-Noël about ¥ 1,200 million (approx. needs to be done, we only need 6 Hennau.

Page 2 JETRO Switzerland Newsletter

Japan’s current economic situation 動向 According to the Bank of Japan, April 2011 to 96.3 in February 2012. “Japan’s economic activity has Exports of Japan rose 5.9% to

SITUATION shown some signs of picking up, ¥6,204 billion in March 2012 from although it has remained more or a year earlier, up 23.9% for the less flat” (April 2012 Monthly Re- United States, but down 9.7% for port). Furthermore, the Cabinet the European Union and 5.9% for Office claimed that “concerning China. On the same period, im- short-term prospects, reflecting ports increased 10.6% to ¥6,288 the effects of policy measures, a billion. picking up trend in the Japanese The domestic demand increased as economy is expected to take hold. well. The average of monthly con- However, there are downside risks sumption expenditures per house- that could stem from the influence hold for March 2012 was ¥303,841,

of the Eurozone debt crisis, oil Tankan judgment survey up 4.1% in nominal terms and up price hikes, and further slowing Source: Bank of Japan 3.4% in real terms from the previ- down of overseas econo- ous year. Furthermore, the con- mies” (April Monthly Economic the Tankan judgment survey for sumer confidence index rose in Report). large manufacturers increased from March 2012 1.0% from the previous The main indices of Japan’s econ- –9 in June 2011 to –4 in March month and 20.7% from April 2011. omy show a recovery trend since 2012. The leading index of business earthquake disasters. The index of conditions also grew from 90.3 in

Vaud companies will visit Japan from September 10 to 14 活動 The Vaud Chamber of Commerce Consultant Asia Pacific, identified and Industry (CVCI) held a meet- some business opportunities in

ACTIVITY ing in Lausanne on April 4. Its pur- Japan, such as clean technologies pose was to introduce the business (industry that has gained impor- visit of Vaud companies in Japan tance in the post-Fukushima con- scheduled to be held from Septem- text), medical, bio and nano tech- ber 10 to 14, 2012. nologies. Raphaël Conz, Manager of the Swiss Ambassador in Japan Economic Promotion (SPECo), their interests. H.E. Paul Fivat outlined some as- outlined the objectives of this visit: Following the welcome speech of pects of the Japanese economy. He to bring a total of 30 / 40 entrepre- Guy-Philippe Bolay, CVCI’s Dep- underlined that penetrating Japa- neurs to Japanese dynamic markets uty Director, H.E. Ambassador nese market requests not only a and to attract Japanese companies Kenichi Suganuma, Head of Japan’s good product, but also time and in Canton of Vaud. Consulate in Geneva, presented personal investment. He also During their four-day stay in Ja- the current relations between Ja- claimed that it is now time to in- pan, participants will be welcomed pan and Switzerland. Manabu Eto, vest, because Japan is in a recovery by the Swiss Ambassador. They JETRO Geneva Director General and reconstruction situation after will have the opportunity to par- also introduced Japan’s current earthquake disasters. ticipate in seminars and to visit economic situation. some companies, depending on Marcel Germann, OSEC’s Senior

Issue 37 Page 3

Traditional Japanese cuisine in Geneva “I arrived in 1973 in Switzerland to Chinese gyoza are cooked in a 会見 study French. I was planning to soup, Japanese gyoza are grilled. stay only two years. But, 39 years Sansui’s menu also shows home- INTERVIEW on, I am still here!”, said in a very made yakitori (Japanese recipe of good French Saburo Tanaka, skewered chicken), tempura (fried owner of Sansui restaurant in Ge- seafood or vegetables) and grilled neva. eel with sweet sauce. He married his wife Francesca in Following Fukushima’s accident, Geneva in 1979 and worked as a Sansui imports less foodstuffs from tour organizer. “But, since 1991, the Japan. “Our best sake was the number of Japanese tourists de- “Okunomatsu” from Fuskushima. clined. As cooking was my hobby, But, we do not serve it anymore”. I opened Sansui restaurant in Most of fishes are imported from 1993”, he said. other countries. And foodstuffs Saburo and Francesca Tanaka , owners of imported from Japan remain safe, Sansui restaurant in Geneva Two minutes from station since they are inspected in Japan Sansui’s specialties and in Europe. Located in “Grottes” district of Does Mr. Tanaka have some pro- Geneva, Sansui restaurant is only “Our objective is to prepare a food jects for his restaurant? “I always two minutes from Geneva Cor- of good quality at cheap prices”, have new ideas. I would like to navin station. claimed Mr. Tanaka. propose something that exists in The restaurant welcomes approx. In addition to the traditional sushi Japan, but does not exist yet in 60 clients per day. Most of them and sashimi, Sansui restaurant has Switzerland”, he claimed. are local residents: businesses, some other specialties. “We have bankers, employees of interna- been the first restaurant in Geneva Sansui Restaurant tional organizations, diplomats. to prepare Japanese-style Rue de la Faucille 12, Les Grottes, Geneva Some are Japanese and Korean. gyoza” (kind of ravioli). Whereas

Visit of WTO Director General to JETRO’s Headquarters Mr. Pascal Lamy, Director General two organizations. 活動 of the World Trade Organization He also claimed that bilateral and (WTO) met Mr. Hiroyuki Ishige, plurilateral liberalization of trade ACTIVITY JETRO’s Chairman and CEO on has been globally promoted amid March 16, 2012, at JETRO Head- the stagnation in negotiations for quarters, Tokyo. trade liberalization. Mr. Ishige made reference to the Mr. Lamy outlined that, if two WTO / Institute of Developing countries were capable of blend- Economies - JETRO joint study Mr. Pascal Lamy, WTO Director General, ing their systems, the coalescing of and Mr. Hiroyuki Ishige, JETRO’s Chair- “Trade patterns and global supply man and CEO institutions across multiple coun- chains in East Asia: From trade in tries would eventually be goods to trade in tasks”. This (see Newsletter No. 27). He ex- achieved. study was presented on June 6, pressed his wish for the continua- 2011, at WTO’s building in Geneva tion of joint studies between the

Issue 37 Page 4

Canon received six “Best Product 2012” awards 革新 Canon obtained six “Best Product sional Video Camera in 2012” for 2012” awards from the Technical EOS C300, which features a INNOVATION Image Press Association, organiza- “landmark video camera technol- tion that gathers 29 photography ogy”. and imaging magazines in Europe. The “Best Multifunction Photo It marks Canon’s record high num- Printer in 2012” was awarded to ber of awards from this Associa- the PIXMA MG8250. It features tion in a single year. EOS 5D Mark III digital SLR camera access to the PIXMA Cloud Link © 2012 CANON.INC The EF8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM and wireless printing from mobile was awarded “Best Professional The EOS 5D Mark III was awarded devices. DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) "Best Video DSLR in 2012" for its Furthermore, Canon was recog- Lens in 2012” for its capacity to camera that “changed the land- nized by the US Fortune Magazine capture 180-degree field of view. scape of digital photography”. as the world’s fifth most admired The EOS-1D X was recognized The “Best Expert Compact Camera company in March, moving up two “Best DSLR Professional in 2012” in 2012” award was delivered to positions from the previous year. for its “creative advantages of a full the PowerShot G1X for its “DSLR- Japan remains the world’s largest frame sensor with high-speed, high like image quality, but in a com- manufacturers of cameras. It -sensitivity technology”, which pact camera-style body with an shipped in January 2012 three meets the needs of journalists, excellent fixed zoom lens”. times as many cameras as it did in sports and wildlife photographers. Canon received the “Best Profes- January 2003.

Agenda ✓ 23 rd - 25 th May: “Demographic Ageing in Japan and Switzerland: Action through Exchange and Dialogue” Symposium organized by the World Demographic & Ageing Forum, Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue, Rüschlikon/Zurich

✓ 30 th May: Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce General Assembly, Zurich

✓ 4th June: Visit of the Delegation of Suwa Desktop Factory (DTF, from Nagano Pref.) in Lausanne Workshop and visit of companies

✓ 14 th June: “Japan: Challenges and Opportunities in Cleantech sector” (“Japan: Herausforderungen und Chancen im Cleantech-Sektor”) Seminar organized by OSEC, Bern, Hotel Novotel, 3.30 - 5.45 p.m. (In German)

JETRO is a government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. Originally established in 1958 to promote Japanese exports abroad, JETRO’s core focus in the 21st century has shifted toward promoting foreign direct investment into Japan and helping small to medium size Japanese firms maximize their global export potential.

JETRO Geneva The JETRO Switzerland Newsletter can also be viewed and/or downloaded online: 80, Rue de Lausanne http://www.jetro.go.jp/switzerland/newsletter 1202 Geneva Phone: 022/732 13 04 Fax: 022/732 07 72 E-mail: [email protected]