4 Quick Insights from a PR Expert in Japan: ShapeWin Corporation

2 June 202117 June 2021

We recently chatted with a PR expert in Japan, Mr. Yusuke Kamimura from PR & digital marketing agency ShapeWin Corporation. He delivered some key insights for businesses looking to promote themselves in the Japanese market. Here, we have condensed them down into 4 quick tips.

Introduction message from Mr. Yusuke Kamimura:

“My name is Yusuke Kamimura. I am the President of ShapeWin, which is a PR & digital marketing agency based in Tokyo, Japan. In 2007, I graduated from Tokuyama National College of Technology and majored in computer science and electronics.

I later joined SEGA TOYS as a marketing executive and product producer. In this role, I was involved in marketing toy products and appliances using popular children icons such as Doraemon, Anpanman, and Disney characters.

In 2011, I decided to go independent, and I founded ShapeWin Corporation. My vision is to provide marketing strategy & PR, and sales support for various startups across Japan and abroad.

Over the past 10 years, ShapeWin has successfully supported the development and promoted numerous startups from their beginnings all the way to IPO launch.”

Interviews

Interview with Sandy Tung: Urban Mobility, Innovation, and Smart Cities Expert in London

11 May 202111 May 2021

We sat down with Sandy Tung, Technology & Innovation Lead at Greater London Authority (GLA) to discuss developments, opportunities, and trends in London’s smart city space, as the government looks at ways to promote improved urban mobility and develop smart cities further.

Smart Cities Expert in London — Photo courtesy of Sandy Tung

Interviews

Promoting Collaborative Japan-Netherlands Innovation: An Interview with Maarten Hermus of InnovationQuarter

22 February 202111 March 2021

In order to find out more about what’s happening in the Japan-Netherlands innovation space, we sat down with Maarten Hermus, Account Manager focused on Foreign Investment at InnovationQuarter. He assists international companies in horticulture & food in their expansion to Rotterdam-The Hague area.

Maarten Hermus InnovationQuarter Netherlands — Maarten Hermus

Interviews

Expert Guidance on Mergers and Acquisitions with Japan – Follow-up Interview with Nigel Collins at RPC

7 December 20207 December 2020

Our partner, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC), is a full service London-based international law firm. Nigel Collins heads up the Japan Desk as a Partner and specialises in advising Japanese companies on their outbound transactions, including investments, disposals, restructuring, joint ventures, as well as mergers and acquisitions with Japan.

We interviewed Nigel back in June to ask how the M&A business was going, given the impact of Coronavirus. Recently, we conducted a follow-up session to find out whether there have been any further developments or opportunities with the Japanese market.

Interviews

Healthcare Culture in Japan vs. the UK: An Insightful Discussion with Expert Japanese Nurse May Hagiwara

16 July 202020 October 2020

By Naoko Nomoto

With the effects of the Coronavirus still lingering on, how does each country respond in terms of medical care in such a pandemic? We felt this was a good opportunity to understand how we think about science and the underlying cultural differences that inform it. Tokyoesque’s Naoko Nomoto interviewed May Hagiwara, a Japanese nurse working in the UK, about the differences that exist between healthcare culture in Japan vs. the UK.

Healthcare culture in Japan vs. UK — Photo Courtesy of May Hagiwara

Interviews

Spotlight on: The Global Summit Tokyo 2020

2 July 20202 July 2020

By Melissa Francis

We sat down (virtually) to speak with Melanie St. James, Founder of Empowerment WORKS and Chief Collaboration Catalyst & Executive Producer for The Global Summit, a series of events taking place every two years in a different global location. This year they are being held online from Tokyo. Recently, we became a Catalyst Partner for The Global Summit Tokyo to promote their important work in solving local issues through global thinking.

The Global Summit Tokyo – Partners in Action (Courtesy of Melanie St. James)

Interviews

Impact of Coronavirus on Japan M&A: Interview with Nigel Collins of Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC)

10 June 202011 August 2020

By Naoko Nomoto

Our partner, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC), is a full service London-based international law firm. Nigel Collins heads up the Japan Desk as a Partner and specialises in advising Japanese companies on their outbound transactions, including M&A, investments, disposals, restructuring and joint ventures.

He set time to speak with Tokyoesque’s Naoko Nomoto about the outlook and challenges faced by the Japanese market. He has a deep understanding of Japanese culture and business, has practiced kendo for many years and speaks Japanese. In order to maintain social distancing in light of Coronavirus, this interview was conducted via video conference.

Interviews

Talking Japan Digital Strategy with Global Digital MOJO Carly Yoshitani

16 April 202011 June 2020

We recently caught up with Carly Yoshitani, Studio Administator at digital transformation agency Global Digital MOJO. With a total of seven offices worldwide, Carly is part of the Osaka team in Japan. In the latest of our interviews series, we wanted to find out more about the work they’ve done, and continue to do, in the Japan digital strategy market.

Japan Digital Strategy Global Digital Mojo — Global Digital MOJO Japan Team

Interviews

Interview with Akio Fujii, Japan M&A Specialist

27 February 202011 June 2020

Japan M&A transactions have been on the rise. Since 2014, the number of outbound M&A (Merger & Acquisition) transactions from Japan increased by 58% to reach a total of 720 deals in 2019 with Asahi Group’s acquisition of Australian drinks giant Anheuser-Busch Inbev SA/NV topping the list at a value of $11.3 billion USD. 40% of the top ten outbound deals were made with European companies.

As for inbound transactions, only one of the highest ranking deals was made by a European company (Sandoz International GmbH’s acquisition of Aspen Japan KK at a value of $441 million USD), with the key companies being Japan’s Softbank and South Korea’s NAVER Corporation who increased their existing 73% stake in LINE Corporation to a complete acquisition at a value of $3.4 billion USD in December 2019.

This week, we were fortunate to have the chance to speak with Akio Fujii, a longstanding specialist in working on Japan M&A, both between Japanese companies as well as between Japanese and global companies. He kindly agreed to give us the low-down on his key professional endeavours, experiences in the M&A world, and some advice for foreign businesses looking to do deals in Japan.

Check out his latest article over on LinkedIn entitled ‘What it Takes to Change Japan’.

Interviews

Japan’s 3D Printed Food Market: Opportunities for Foreign Companies

15 January 202023 July 2020

By Melissa Francis

In this post, we discuss the growing importance of Japan’s 3D printed food market, and interview Emilio Sepulveda, CEO & Founder of Natural Machines.

Japan's 3D Printed Food Market Sushi — Source: My Modern Met

BESPOKE MARKET RESEARCH

We enable our clients to understand Japanese audiences in order to make an impact in the marketplace.

MARKET EXPANSION STRATEGY

Our team are familiar with both the European and Japanese markets. We bring clients on-the-ground in their target markets to truly understand the culture, trends and innovations that will have an impact on their success in the market.

TRANSLATION & LOCALISATION

We provide Japanese / English translation and localisation services for Japanese and UK corporates. Our professional, bilingual team is well-versed in creating messaging that resonates with the target audience.

Category: Interviews

4 Quick Insights from a PR Expert in Japan: ShapeWin Corporation

Interview with Sandy Tung: Urban Mobility, Innovation, and Smart Cities Expert in London

Promoting Collaborative Japan-Netherlands Innovation: An Interview with Maarten Hermus of InnovationQuarter

Expert Guidance on Mergers and Acquisitions with Japan – Follow-up Interview with Nigel Collins at RPC

Healthcare Culture in Japan vs. the UK: An Insightful Discussion with Expert Japanese Nurse May Hagiwara

By Naoko Nomoto

Spotlight on: The Global Summit Tokyo 2020

By Melissa Francis

Impact of Coronavirus on Japan M&A: Interview with Nigel Collins of Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC)

By Naoko Nomoto

Talking Japan Digital Strategy with Global Digital MOJO Carly Yoshitani

Interview with Akio Fujii, Japan M&A Specialist

Japan’s 3D Printed Food Market: Opportunities for Foreign Companies

By Melissa Francis

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