MARCH 2016 VOL. 53, ISSUE 3 ¥800 MARCH 2016 JOURNAL.ACCJ.OR.JP THE JOURNAL THE AUTHORITY ON GLOBAL BUSINESS IN JAPAN JOURNAL.ACCJ.OR.JP MARKET TRENDS A newly-opened sanctuary in a pulsating city Oakwood Asia Pacific will be opening its 9th property—Oakwood Premier Tokyo in Japan. Located near the Marunouchi district, the property is a 2-minute walk from Tokyo Station—the gateway to the whole of Japan. Oakwood Premier Tokyo boasts 123 fully furnished apartments and is housed from the 6th to the 19th floor of a 19-storey multi-serviced complex. Complete with shopping and dining options to complement your stay, Oakwood Premier Tokyo is designed to ジャーナル 二〇一六 offer an unbeatable combination of exclusivity, convenience and luxury. THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN JAPAN 年三月一日発行 定価八〇〇円（本体七六二円） ISSN 0002-7847 Oakwood is celebrating 15 years in Japan For details and reservations, please visit http://www.oakwoodasia.com/tokyo/oakwood-tokyo-marunouchi.php BANGALORE BANGKOK BEIJING BRISBANE CHENGDU GUANGZHOU HANGZHOU HONG KONG 毎月一日発行 第五十三巻 3 号 ジャーナル 二〇一六年三月一日発行 HYDERABAD INCHEON JAKARTA MANILA PUNE SEOUL SHANGHAI TOKYO OakwoodPremierAd_FEBv8.indd00ACCJ.March.Cover_vFinal_rev.indd 1 1-3 1/22/16 5:44 PM 2/23/16 11:58 AM 00ACCJ.March.Cover_vFinal_rev.indd 4-6 2/23/16 11:58 AM CONTENTS VOL. 53, ISSUE 3 4 FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS 24 RETAIL Hand-Me-Downs 5 EDITOR'S DESK US brands find new lease Fashion Forward on life in Japan Brandi Goode John Amari 7 SOCIAL MEDIA 26 PARTNER CONTENT Trending on the Web China’s Changing Travel Tastes 8 LEAD STORY Nikkei Asian Review Women Managers: 7 Is the New 30 28 J-MEDIA Progress on workplace gender Diet Dailies equality in Japan Financial Services Agency John Amari Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation 15 DIVERSITY and Tourism Trailblazer and Team Builder translation of article Yuri Akahira believes in working in Keizaikai smart and celebrating every win Brandi Goode 39 ACCJ MEMBER NEWS 18 MEDIA Market Trends: Seeing Is Believing Anthony Fensom 22 RETAIL DISCLAIMER Deep Pockets THIS PAGE PHOTO: Japanese apparel makers find Custom Media and the ACCJ will not accept liability Clothes shop in for any damages caused by the contents of The Journal, Shimokitazawa lucrative niches abroad including, but not limited to, any omissions, errors, facts Martin Foster or false statements. Opinions or advice expressed in – p 24 the The Journal are not necessarily those of the ACCJ or Custom Media. ANTHONY FENSOM MARTIN FOSTER MARK SCHREIBER “Seeing Is “Diet Dailies” Believing” “Deep Pockets” (translation) page 18 page 22 page 28 Hometown: Brisbane, Australia or Hometown: Manchester, UK Hometown: Tokyo Tokyo, Japan FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS Languages: English and Japanese Languages: Japanese, Chinese, a Languages: English and (average) smidgen of Russian and several Most memorable interviewee: Japanese European languages Frank O’Farrell. He had just been Years in Japan: Six fired from the manager’s job at Most memorable interviewee: James Man. U. in 1972, and someone Melville (nom de plume of British Favorite place in Japan: Tokyo had coaxed him out on a brisk diplomat Peter Martin), author of Role models: People who achieve Sunday morning to watch a game the “Superintendent Otani” series of their dreams between boy scout troops at a non- mystery novels descript playing field on the edge of Places of inspiration: Libraries, Favorite place in Japan: Sections of Manchester, somewhere. I marched bookshops, lookouts, scenic spots the old Tokaido in Kawasaki City up to him, and said something like, Currently reading: Gittins: a life “Martin Foster 88th Salford Servite Years in journalism and in Japan: 50 among budgets, bulldust and bastardry, Scout News, any comment on the years in Japan, over 35 in journalism by Ross Gittins game, sir?” I remember him being Role model or mentor: The late Corky civil, but not revealing . which Social media: Twitter: @a_d_fensom Alexander of Tokyo Weekender was good preparation for working Secret skill: Craft beer fan in Japan! Favorite author: Robert van Gulik, Dutch ambassador to Japan (1965-67) Thoughts on print journalism: Years in journalism and in Japan: Journalism is alive and well, even if the 27 and 37 Social media handles: Sorry, not my format may change. cup of tea Currently reading: Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman. Secret skill: Near-photographic Kahneman helped destroy the memory, which has really helped economic theory that consumers learning kanji (Chinese characters) are rational, well-informed, and Thoughts on print journalism: consistent Happy to see that Japan’s, at least, Thoughts on print journalism: is still thriving! Still thinkin’ . still printin’ Publisher Client Services Manager To advertise or subscribe: Simon Farrell Joy Fajardo [email protected] [email protected] Marketing Manager Editorial: President Megumi Okazaki [email protected] Robert Heldt Advertising Sales Director Custom Media Editor-in-Chief DeWitt Mosby Publishers of The Journal for the American Chamber Brandi Goode of Commerce in Japan. Specialists in bilingual brand www.custom-media.com Account Managers strategy/visual communications, corporate bespoke Studio Manager Kimo Blackmore solutions. Producers of Business in Japan TV. Paul Leonard Joshua Ellis Anthony Head Deputy Editor John Amari Business Development Director Daiwa Azabudai Bldg. 6F Graphic Designers Kotaro Toda 2-3-3 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Michael Pfeffer Tokyo 106-0041 Ximena Criales Project Coordinator Yoshiki Tatezaki Tel: 03-4540-7730 Client Services Director Sam Bird Media Coordinator © 2016 Custom Media K.K. Kiyoko Morita The Journal is printed on paper certified by the US Forest Stewardship Council with vegetable oil ink certified by the Japan Printing Ink Makers Association. 4 THE JOURNAL n MARCH 2016 EDITOR'S DESK FASHION FORWARD what they often do best: perfected Also at Davos, Pierre Nanterme, something introduced abroad and CEO of Accenture, had this to say: made it their own. “Deep Pockets” “Digital is the main reason just over half (see page 22) looks at three brands— of the companies on the Fortune 500 one a jeans manufacturer—that have have disappeared since the year 2000.” Brandi Goode cultivated a strong retail relationship Japan, with its lingering attachment [email protected] with the United States, in some cases to fax machines and oversized daily redefining and even exporting items newspapers, has not exactly been at the considered ametora—slang Japanese for forefront of the digital revolution in I’ve often noted in this column that traditional American—back to America. business. However, as our feature shows one of the highlights of my job is (see page 18), Japanese companies are meeting so many interesting people STUFF OF DREAMS finally realizing the potential of social with compelling stories to share. Our March issue also revisits the media and the importance of integrated diversity theme, with an interview marketing strategies. Sadly, I never crossed paths with spotlighting Yuri Akahira (see page 15), Media and marketing are in focus longtime American Chamber of the energetic head of Meltwater this month, with “Seeing Is Believing” Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) leader and Japan. If you think business can positioning Japanese companies as US–Japan trade champion Ira Wolf. be tough-going for young people leaders in the virtual reality (VR) boom. After reading the touching, personal and women, imagine 26-year-old If you thought VR headsets were just for words dedicated to Ira (see page 40) Akahira leading pitch meetings for gamers, think again. after his untimely passing last year, a new brand with 10 prospective With wide-ranging applications I sincerely wish I had. clients—all of them male and nearing from test drives to building tours, 2016 retirement age. could indeed be the year when VR goes AMERICANA REVAMPED Gender parity was a hot topic at from virtual to reality. Back home in In December 2015, a book was this year’s World Economic Forum the United States, it is not unheard of published called Ametora: How Japan Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. to buy a home, sight unseen, using VR Saved American Style. The book’s The group’s recent report, referenced technology; for me, this is still the stuff author, a cultural historian, delves in our lead story (see page 8), reveals of futuristic dreams! n into the Japanese assimilation of US the finding that it may take another fashion trends. 118 years for women’s salaries to be the A flagship publication of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), Take denim jeans, a prime example same as those of men. Anyone have a The Journal (formerly the ACCJ Journal) is a of how Japanese brands have done hammer for that pesky glass ceiling? business magazine with a 53-year history. NOW TRENDING ON THE WEB SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE NEWS FROM JAPAN TOP HASHTAGS LINKEDIN Tweets from Tweets in Japanese This month: Popular tags Discussions from media outlets from people and media from the top 30 list global leaders @G7 Thanks to #Germany for a great #G7 2015! #dankeshon. Now you can follow #G7 for official content related to G7 Japan 2016—Ise Shima http://bit.ly/1U72lpv Greg T. Spielberg Rank Managing director, We Are Pop Up 1 #kca THE INTERNET IS DEAD. @Forbes 2 #grammys LONG LIVE CREATIVE RETAIL What sumo wrestling Creative retail is the fusion 8 #gameinsight tells us about Japan's of experiential marketing, economy traditional retail and a writer’s 21 #trecru storytelling model. http://onforb.es/1TnEIbw 22 #job Tokyo Metropolitan チョコレートは、エネルギー源である糖質と資質のほ Chocolate contains sources of energy such as Police Department か、ミネラル、食物繊維等が含まれており、非常食に最 sugar and fat, as well as minerals and dietary Security and Disaster 適な食べ物です。今日はバレンタインデー、チョコレート fiber, and it is a suitable food for emergencies.