Covid-19 has turned the business world on its head, and technology has become the lifeline to keep society running as efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus force people apart. Online collaboration and secure communication are especially important, and American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) President’s Circle member company Cisco Systems G.K. is… Read
Japan’s prison system has been thrown into the spotlight in recent months thanks to the accusations against, and detention of, one Carlos Ghosn, illustrious ex-CEO of Nissan. This has exposed questionable practices such as “hostage justice”; forcing suspects into limbo through extended detention until they confess, irrespective of real guilt.… Read
Entrepreneur Megumi Iguchi always looked up to her parents as guiding lights for life’s journey. From childhood, Iguchi admired her father, an executive in a trading company, and her mother, a stay-at-home mom. Both, she told The ACCJ Journal, struck a good balance between success at work and stability at home, something… Read
Ruriko Koko Sato never thought she’d become an entrepreneur, let alone help lead a community of women business founders. But as one of the creators of Startup Lady, that is precisely where she finds herself. Together with Startup Lady co-founders Moeko Suzuki, Amee Xu, and Steffie Harner, Sato is helping the association grow its influence across… Read
Many independent hotels, both large and small, often need help to attract inbound visitors. Unlike major chain hotels, they don’t have the network and they also wish to keep their identities distinct from other hotels. Membership in Preferred Hotels & Resorts helps them do that. The family-owned company, founded in… Read
In today's changing economy and society, legal issues are becoming more diverse and complex. This creates a greater need for the services of lawyers such as Kenichi Yasuda of Dojima Law Office. Established in in Osaka in 1957, Dojima Law Office opened its Tokyo office in 2010 to better serve its… Read
When Tania Abedian Coke was in college, her mother called her out of the blue to offer words of encouragement: “You know, you can be a CEO. I just want you to know that,” her mother said. Coke, who recalls growing up in a family environment that was always supportive, was… Read
The cruise ship industry continues to gain in popularity, as operators offer exciting new destinations and new entertainment and dining experiences on board. According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which represents 95% of cruise capacity worldwide with 63 member cruise lines, around 28.5 million passengers went on cruises in… Read
The best thing about being a founder is being able to do whatever you want, meaning you have full control over the business, and full decision-making powers. That’s what Oya Koc, co-founder and chief executive officer of Japan-based on-demand interpretation services provider Oyraa, told The ACCJ Journal when asked why she started… Read
When it comes to creating the optimum workplace culture, companies must realize one thing: they can’t just guess. Everything is based on data. That’s what Japanese serial entrepreneur Yumi Alyssa Kimura told The ACCJ Journal when asked how to shape a work environment that is equitable, diverse, and fully engages employees.… Read