********************************************************************* Issue 78 [November 2013] OCCI e-Magazine http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/e/index.html ********************************************************************* [CONTENTS: November 2013] 1. Study Tour Mission dispatched to three countries in the Mekong Region 2. The 5th gOverseas Market Expansion event for products and materials Made in Japanh and eBusiness Talks with Buyers from the Middle East' held 3. Exhibiting VIET WATER 2013 (13 companies mainly from the Kansai region on exhibit) 4. The 4th International Meishi Exchange held 5. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors ===================================================================== 1. Study Tour Mission dispatched to three countries in the Mekong Region The OCCI, in cooperation with JETRO Osaka, dispatched a study tour mission to Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh), Laos (Vientiane) and Cambodia (Bavet) from October 6 (Sun) to 13 (Sun). Co-heads of the mission were Chairman Masashi Hashimoto of the International Business Committee, and Director General Hiroki Matsumoto of JETRO Osaka. The mission was attended by 27 people from 22 companies and organizations. In Vietnam, mission members visited Loteco Industrial Park located in Dong Nai Province near Ho Chi Minh, and Long Duc Industrial Park, which opened in August this year (both are developed and run by Japanese companies), as well as Japanese manufacturing plants operating in the industrial parks, and held talks with executives of the plants. In addition, Mission members attended the opening ceremony for eIncubation Factory', a facility created for the first time in Vietnam, by subdividing a rental factory in order to facilitate SMEfs entry into Vietnamese market. They also had an opportunity to talk with representatives from five Japanese companies that have already been manufacturing in the province. Furthermore, mission members received detailed lectures regarding actual conditions of the Vietnamese economy and the country's investment environment from the local JETRO representatives. They also learned from Japanese-affiliated law firms and Vietnamese human resource training center what companies entering Vietnam should keep in mind regarding the country's legal ystem and the utilization and development of human resources. After that, mission members visited Laos. While the mission members received an explanation regarding the foreign investment invitation policy in this country during talks with Vice Minister Siaosavath of Industry and Commerce and governmental officials of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, an active Q&A session was held concerning entry into Laos, including such topics as infrastructure development and recruiting human resources. Moreover, the mission members visited manufacturing factories of two Japanese companies in VITA Park Special Economic Zone, the location of the only operating industrial park in the capital of Vientiane. They earnestly listened to the explanations from the factories regarding the advantages of setting up a manufacturing base in Laos and issues yet to be solved in the future. After returning to Ho Chi Minh, the mission members went on a two-hour trip by land to Bavet, located on the border with Cambodia, and visited two Special Economic Zones and Japanese companies operating in the SEZ. This visit provided mission members with an opportunity to learn about such examples of manufacturing bases using their favorable locations for manufacturing and procuring components with taxation incentives from Cambodia, while using harbors in Vietnam for exporting their products. With ASEAN Integration drawing near, while the Greater Mekong Sub-region is increasingly attracting attention, the mission this time provided us with an opportunity to collect information to develop business in several countries, fixing our eyes on the future, while conducting a minute and comprehensive research on the business environments in such countries and the environment of the adjacent areas. ===================================================================== 2. The 5th gOverseas Market Expansion event for products and materials Made in Japanh and eBusiness Talks with Buyers from the Middle East' held The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry held Business Talks with Buyers from Three Countries in the Middle East from November 5 (Tue) to 7 (Thu) in order to support companies in Osaka to cultivate markets in emerging countries. The gOverseas Market Expansion event for products and materials Made in Japan,h which is intended to provide business opportunities inviting buyers from overseas, marked its 5th anniversary at this time. During the event, buyers from four companies were invited from three countries in the Middle East (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and UAE) that have a rapidly increasing middle class population and many financially-successful people who highly value luxury goods. With items that such buyers hoped to purchase varying, such as automobile components, perishables, household appliances & electronic parts in general, and ice cream makers, many small and medium-size enterprises that aim to enter new markets enthusiastically held one-on-one business talks. During the 3-day event period, 42 companies and organizations held a total of 64 business talks, the majority (39 business talks) of which resulted in gcontinuing for business talksh later on. In this fiscal year, the OCCI has placed its emphasis on supporting business with the Islamic world by holding the gWorkshop on Business in the Islamic World.h With plans to dispatch a business mission to the Middle East in February next year, the OCCI will continue providing its support for business by companies in Osaka. ===================================================================== 3. Exhibiting VIET WATER 2013 (13 companies mainly from the Kansai region on exhibit) The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry jointly runs with the Kansai Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry the gWater Group,h a platform to support large, small and medium-size enterprises that aim for overseas development of their water business. This workshop has advertised excellent water-related technologies of companies in Osaka/Kansai for improving industrial wastewater and household wastewater, both of which have become problems in Southeast Asian countries experiencing rapid economic growth. Currently, this workshop has strengthened its efforts in Vietnam, aiming to provide solutions. On October 16 to 18, VIET WATER 2013 was held, the largest exhibition related to water in Vietnam. This was the 5th exhibition in which 270 companies and organizations from 25 countries established individual booths. From Japan, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) set up gJapan Boothsh (a total of 26 booths). Among the 26 booths eight were used as gbooths for the Water Grouphin which 13 companies exhibited, mainly from Kansai. Attracting approximately 8,200 visitors during the exhibition period, booths for the Water Group were crowded with many visitors. To support the creation of business talks among exhibiting companies, the OCCI provided support for business matching by coordinators, set up the Secretariat's booth, and displayed and distributed posters and brochures intended to introduce water-related technologies of exhibiting companies. As a result, the number of business talks during the exhibition period totaled 1,107, with one contract concluded (for approx. 300,000 yen), and 24 contracts expected for conclusion (for a total of 36 million yen). Furthermore, the gVietnam Water Business Missionh (October 9 to 19), an event held concurrently with this exhibition, was attended by 15 companies. Japanese companies proposed a joint solution for drainage problems of textile factories, paper mills and breweries in Vietnam. In the future, participating companies will continue their discussions in order to receive related orders. ===================================================================== 4DThe 4th International Meishi Exchange held The OCCI held the 4th Kansai International Meishi Exchange on October 31. This is one of the largest international exchange meetings in the Kansai region, and this year it attracted a record high of 266 participants. Organized by three organizations\OCCI, Kansai Branch of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and Kansai Canada Business Association\the event this year was held with cooperation from such organizations as Indian, British, Dutch, Canadian, Swiss, German, Brazilian, and French Chambers of Commerce in Japan, as well as JETRO and the Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC). The Meishi Exchange opened with speeches by OCCI Vice Chairman Teshirogi and Deputy Governor Ueda of the Osaka Prefectural Government. Patrick Linehan, United States Consul General, Osaka-Kobe, and Matt Fraser, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner at Consulate of Canada proposed a toast. In this exchange meeting, networking was actively conducted among foreign business persons, representatives from foreign diplomatic offices, and companies in the Kansai region. All profit from participation fees (totaling 158,000 yen) for a lottery held the same day was donated to Ashinaga, an organization that supports children victimized in the Great East Japan Earthquake. This exchange meeting will continue to be held annually in the future. ===================================================================== 5DOCCI International Division report on VIP visitors October 23(Wed.) His Excellency Mr. Drahomir STOS, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Japan November 7 (Thu.) Mr. AMIRSHAM Abdul Aziz, Chairman, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) November 11(Mon.) His Excellency Mr. MARKOS Tekle Rike, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Japan November 12(Tue.) Mr. Win Aung, Chairman, The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry(UMFCCI), Republic of the Union of Myanmar November 13(Wed.) Mr. Aseem Raja MAHAJAN, Consul General, Consulate-General of India in Osaka O-BIC as one-stop service center for creating a foothold in Osaka http://o-bic.net/ Osaka Business & Investment Center (O-BIC), established in 2001, is operated through the joint efforts of the Osaka Prefectural Government, Osaka City Government, and Osaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry. As your one-stop service center for business investing, O-BIC provides a comprehensive yet detailed support system. International companies, foreign government offices and economic organizations as well as foreign-capitalized companies located in Japan are welcome to use the center to obtain accurate information and essential advice for creating a foothold in Osaka. For further information, please contact: o-bic@osaka.cci.or.jp = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Chief Editor : Shinji MARUYAMA, Director of International Division, OCCI Mailed by : Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, International Division Address : 2-8 Hommachi-bashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan 540-0029 Tel : +81-(0)6-6944-6400 Fax : +81-(0)6-6944-6293 Contact Persons : Kazuko KAMADO (Ms.), Hikaru KOHAMA (Mr.) Back Numbers of OCCI e-Magazine: http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/e/mail/index.html = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = * Please contact us through the email (kohama@osaka.cci.or.jp) to inform us of your change of e-mail address, or of your wishes not to receive OCCI e-Magazine.