************************************************************************* Issue 35 [July 2009] OCCI e-Magazine http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/e/index.html ************************************************************************* [CONTENTS, July 2009] 1. Economic Conditions of Osaka / Kansai --- business expectation slightly better 2. The Canada-Japan Society of Kansai ---events held since the 50th Anniversary of Founding 3. The 3rd Japan-Korea CCI Chairmen's Meeting, and Japan-Korea SME CEO Forum, held on July 3rd, 2009 4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors ========================================================================= 1. Economic Conditions of Osaka / Kansai --- business expectation slightly better While the economic conditions of Osaka / Kansai remain severe, the pace of deterioration seems to have slackened off. Decrease in exports is smaller consecutively in these two months still on the recent low levels, but with some indication for a pickup. Production is also picking up through the two months with the progress of inventory adjustment. Looking at the panels-related industry; while the export of solar panels fell to approx. 40 million panels in January 2009 (according to the Osaka Customs), it quickly rose back to 50 million in March and to 80 million in April with increases mainly to Asia. With the background of such export trends, production of solar battery cells also increased, and with the earlier-than-initially-planned operation of SHARP Corporation's huge complex in Sakai, the panels-related industry is expected to continue to be the motive power of the Kansai economy. According to our BSI (Business Survey Index, showing the average business sentiment of the heads of Osaka / Kansai companies, surveyed jointly by OCCI and Kansai Economic Federation), their minds are looking up, and their views or forecast for now or future prospects have been revised for the better or upward from the last survey. As regards the personal consumption on the other hand, weak trends seem to be continuing with sales of large retailers falling for 13 consecutive months, causing anxiety for further influence from worsening employment situations. We need to closely watch to see if effective support to our economy will be provided by the Government's stimulating measures such as "eco-points system for home appliances" or gtax reduction on eco-cars" etc. BSI Results Prediction Oct-Dec 08 Jan-Mar 2009@@Apr-Jun 09 Jul-Sep 09 Oct-Dec 09 Totals -83.1 -87.9 -42.2 -19.6 8.5 Large Corps -87.8 -90.7 -24.1 -0.0 22.8 SMEs -80.1 -86.1 -52.5 -31.0 0.3 ======================================================================== 2. Re. Canada-Japan Society of Kansai ---events held since the 50th Anniversary of Founding Among its activities to promote various exchanges between the Osaka / Kansai region and Canada, the Society of Kansai conducted on June 30th the annually held Canada Day Party at the Chuo Denki Club in Osaka (nominated as a modern industrial heritage site). With the presence of Mr. Noboru Nakahira (President, Canada-Japan Society) and Mr. Robert Derouin (Minister, Embassy of Canada), about 70 participants attended the successfully held event where Mr. Iwao Takai (President, Canada-Japan Society of Kansai) presented a testimonial of distinguished services to Mr. Takeshi Matsuba who greatly contributed to promotion of exchange activities between the two countries, as an individual member, for 50 years since the foundation of the Society of Kansai. At the opportunity of the Osaka International Trade Fair held in 1958, Mr. W. F. Bull the then Canadian Ambassador and Mr. M. Sugi the former OCCI Chairman met and agreed that in view of the deepening cultural and economic relations between the two regions, there should be a Kansai version or chapter of the Society already founded in Tokyo. Further consideration developed into the founding of the Society of Kansai with President Yujiro Iwai of the then Iwai Sangyo Corporation as the first President of the Society of Kansai. Since November 2008 when the Society of Kansai marked the 50th Anniversary of founding, some commemorative events have been held over these several months. Most outstanding among them was the Kansai-Canada Celebration held in October 2008. In commemoration of our country's first ever or unprecedented use of wood material (Canadian cedar) in the main construction of a subway station, a wooden monument called INUKSHUK (designed by Bill Nasagaluak, a famed sculptor artist from the Northwest Territories of Canada) was donated to Watanabebashi Station on the KEIHAN Nakanoshima Train Line (opened in October 2008) by the Kansai Canada Business Association and the Canada-Japan Society. In December 2008, the 50th Anniversary Seminar was held with Mr. Kensaku Hogan (former Japanese Ambassador to Canada) as the keynote speaker emphasizing the importance of learning from history, in promoting further exchange activities between the two countries. Currently the membership of the Society of Kansai consists of 16 companies and 48 individuals. Those wishing to join can contact International Division OCCI (Tel: 06-6944-6400) ======================================================================== 3. The 3rd Japan-Korea CCI Chairmen's Meeting, and Japan-Korea SME CEO Forum, held on July 3rd, 2009 These two events were held at the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) on July 3rd 2009. Amid various ripple effects from the global economic crisis, top business leaders from both countries got together to discuss both sides' economic situations and prospects for the future to explore opportunities to further expand and maintain mutually beneficial relations. Particularly at the Japan-Korea SME CEO Forum (that was formalized to be convened in the summer, at the Japan-Republic of Korea Summit Meeting held on January 12), 260 leaders of SMEs (small and medium-size enterprises) from the two countries further deepened relations through mutually introducing examples of exchanges coping with difficulties or tasks etc as well as through freely exchanging views. At the 3rd Japan-Korea CCI Chairmen's Meeting, OCCI Chairman A. Nomura (in the capacity as Vice Chairman of JCCI) gave a lecture on the current economic conditions of Japan and prospects for the future where he mentioned that signs of recovery are being recognized with production picking up, although some SMEs of Japan are driven into tight corners in the adverse economy of Japan amid the global depression. He also said that recovery of the world economy largely depends on the full recovery of the U.S. economy as well as on the development of Chinese economy, and for Japan and Korea, the key to recovery is provided by making the best of China's growing power. He further mentioned that, more domestically, recovery of our own economy depends on how promptly the Japanese Government's radical economic countermeasures and fresh support measures for industries are implemented. OCCI Vice Chairman T. Nishimura (as Chairman of JCCI's Small and Medium Enterprise Committee) gave a lecture on "Status Quo and Tasks of Japan's SMEs - revitalization of SMEs is the key to economic growth." ======================================================================== 4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors * June 21 (Sun.) Mr. Manjusri Jayantha PALIPANE, Ambassador Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka * July 17 (Fri.) Mr. Michael D. Bobrove, Vice Chairman American Chamber of Commerce in Japan ========================================================================