Discovering the advantages of doing business in Japan in a context particularly favorable to foreign investments, stimulated by local economic policy measures which encourage international cooperation: this is how today in Turin it presented itself to Italian entrepreneurs, applying as an ideal basis for the development of new activities in the Land of the Rising Sun, the city of Nagoya, economic heart and commercial port of central Japan, capital of Aichi Prefecture, headquarters of Toyota and other large industrial conglomerates, with Tokyo and Osaka one of the three key cities for the economy of Japan.
During a conference organized at the "Torino Incontra" congress center by the Aichi International Business Access Center (I-BAC) and the Chamber of Commerce of Turin, entitled "Discovering Aichi-Nagoya: economic prospects and business opportunities" , a Japanese delegation at the highest levels representing the public economic institutions of Nagoya and the Aichi Prefecture illustrated the particularly favorable environmental conditions for Italian companies and the attractiveness of the measures to promote foreign investments adopted by the local authorities. Speakers included Hiroyasu Naito, vice president of the Nagoya Chamber of Commerce and I-BAC, Shinya Fujii, director of Jetro Nagoya (organization for the promotion of foreign investment), Yoichiro Madokoro, deputy director general of the Government's Industry and Tourism department Prefectural Office of Aichi, and Yoshiaki Miyamura, director general of the Nagoya City Bureau of Economic and Municipal Affairs.
The speech of the entrepreneur Riccardo D'Urso, general manager of Tesori d'Italia, a non-profit association that promotes cultural, tourist and commercial exchanges between Italy and other countries of the world, testified to the already advanced construction "bridge" between Italy and Nagoya intended for the passage of tourists, goods and businesses in both directions. In the metropolitan area of Nagoya (Greater Nagoya) the association has in fact established its own strategic base for the Japan Project 2013-2016. The programme, launched in May 2013 – explained D'Urso – provided for the opening of an operational office in the city of Nagoya, the establishment of the non-profit organization "Tesori of Japan" by the end of 2014 and the start of activities of international promotion since January 2015, in anticipation of Expo Milano". "The objective - said D'Urso - is the creation of a system of systematic promotion of Made in Italy in Japan and Made in Japan in Italy through continuous thematic initiatives in both territories that allow constant interaction of production and distribution realities . We want to return to a 'business culture' to create quality businesses based on more solid and lasting foundations”.
Here are the stages of the Japan Project
The next stages of the Japan Project, announced the general manager of Tesori d'Italia, are:
Inauguration of the first Italian cultural and commercial review in Japan organized by the Tesori d'Italia Associations - Tesori of Japan and WJNetwork (network of Japanese and Italian companies set up in Japan to carry out entrepreneurial initiatives).
• Creation of three new Italian branches in Nagoya by companies in the Marketing, Food & Design sectors, a showroom dedicated to the promotion of Made in Italy in Japan and a first franchised restaurant outlet.
• Inauguration in Milan of an international center for the promotion of Japanese culture and cuisine with a focus on Aichi-Nagoya.
• Inauguration of JAPIT Milano 2015 in July 2015.
The advantages of Nagoya for landing on the Japanese market
According to Riccardo D'Urso, there are at least four reasons that make Nagoya an opportunity for Italian business in Japan:
1) ability to offer a solid base from a financial and commercial point of view from which to manage activities throughout the Japanese and, if desired, Asian markets;
2) a public attentive to quality and corporate organization who can preview the feasibility of a project and/or a product and give indications on the possible approval rating of a Japanese (market test which always ends up having effective feedback nationwide);
3) living and therefore operating costs much lower than in Tokyo;
4) ability to team up around an entrepreneur, once welcomed into the business community, and to protect him from the bad weather of the market.
