August 2013 - Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan

fccj news
●
Bulletin from the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan
在 日 フ ィ ン ラ ン ド 商 工 会 議 所 ニ ュ ー ス レター
Volume 15 Issue 4 - August 2013
New Faces at the
Embassy of Finland
As informed in the June edition of FCCJ News, there has
been major changes at the Embassy of Finland this summer.
The new Ambassador Mr. Manu Virtamo took up his post
on the 1st of September. Before moving to Tokyo, he was
working at the Department for External Economic Relations as
Coordinator for Export Promotion and Internationalization. He
has long experience in the Department for External Economic
Relations, where he has served, among others, as Head of
Unit and as Adviser to the Department management and the
Minister for Foreign Trade.
Mr. Virtamo has worked in Finnish diplomatic missions
abroad, including the post of Consul General in Los Angeles
and other positions at the Honorary Consulate of Finland in
Marseille and the Embassies of Finland in Stockholm and
Washington. He joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in
1980.
The new Minister-Counsellor Dr. Jaakko Lehtovirta, took up
his position on the 1st of August. He is the Deputy Chief of
Mission, head of administration at the Embassy and in charge
of foreign and security policy. Dr. Lehtovirta has entertained
a keen interest in Asia ever since he worked in Kuala Lumpur
in 2005–2008.
Jaakko Lehtovirta arrived in Tokyo directly from Moscow,
Russia – a country which has been familiar for Lehtovirta, who
is fluent in Russian, since long before he started his career
at the Foreign Ministry in 2001. He is the successor of Ms.
Johanna Kotkajärvi, who has returned to Helsinki.
The new First Secretary, Ms. Miia Rantanen, also took up her
position on the 1st of August. She is in charge of commercial,
economic and financial sectors. Her previous posting was at
the Embassy of Finland in Croatia. She is the successor of Mr.
Jukka Pajarinen, who has returned to Helsinki.
Mr. Pekka Sommarberg, Consul in charge of consular
and administrative affairs started his work on 1st of July. He
succeeds Ms. Minna Kokkonen who has moved to the Finnish
Embassy in Paris.
We wish the newcomers welcome to Tokyo and look forward
to a similarly good cooperation with them as we have had
with their predecessors in developing the relations between
Finland and Japan and for their continuous support of the
FCCJ and its members over the coming years.
FCCJ Yakatabune Cruise
フィンランド大使館の新しい顔ぶれ
前回6月のＦＣＣＪニュースレターでお知らせいたしまし
たように、この夏フィンランド大使館に重要な館員の交代が
ありました。
フィンランド大使館の新しい大使としてマヌ・ヴィルタモ
氏が、9月1日に着任いたします。ヴィルタモ氏は、来日以前
は経済外交部門において輸出促進および国際化のコーディネ
ーターとして勤務されております。彼は経済外交において長
Manu Virtamo
い経験をもっており、そこで管理局および外国貿易省の代表
兼アドバイザーとして勤務しました。
またヴィルタモ氏はロサンゼルスの総領事、マルセイユの
フィンランド名誉領事として、さらにストックホルムとワシ
ントンの大使館員など、フィンランドの外交任務も経験して
おります。彼は1980年に外務省に入省しました。
新公使参事官にヤーッコ・レヘトヴィルタ氏が8月1日、着
任いたしました。彼は大使館副館長であり、総務主管および
外交・安全保障問題担当であります。レヘトヴィルタ氏は
Jaakko Lehtovirta
2005から2008年にクアランプールに勤務して以来、アジアに
深い関心をよせています。
ヤーッコ・レヘトヴィルタ氏はロシアのモスクワから日本
へ直行、彼はロシア語に堪能で2001年フィンランド外務省入
省前から彼にとってロシアは馴染みのある国でありました。
彼はヘルシンキへ戻られたヨハンナ・コトカヤルヴィ氏の
後任であります。
新しい一等書記官は、ミーア・ランタネン氏で、8月1日に
着任いたしました。
彼女は通商、経済・金融関連問題担当を任されています。
Miia Rantanen
前の勤務地はクロアチアのフィンランド大使館でした。
彼女はすでにヘルシンキに戻られたユッカ・パヤリネン氏
の後任です。
さらに、ペッカ・ソンマルベリ氏、領事・総務担当を任さ
れ、彼は7月1日に着任しました。彼はパリのフィンランド大
使館に移られたミンナ・コッコネン氏の後任です。
我々は新しく来日されたフィンランド大使館の皆様を歓迎
し、前任の方々と同様にフィンランドと日本の関係発展のた
めに良い協力関係を保ち、将来もＦＣＣＪおよびＦＣＣＪメン
Pekka Sommarberg
バーに継続してサポートしてくださる事を願っております。
FCCJ 屋形船クルーズ
Finnair AY4159 - Honka HJ4169
Finnair AY4159 - Honka HJ4169
The Chamber started off the Autumn season in style
and with some great fun with the Finnair AY4159
- Honka HJ4169 Code Share Yakatabune Cruise on
Thursday 29, August.
This year we had chartered a much bigger and fancier
Yakatabune boat, which made the event even more
enjoyable than before. It departed from Asakusabashi
touring down Sumida River to Odaiba and back in 2.5
hours. During the cruise we enjoyed a great Japanese
tempura-sashimi dinner and free-flowing drinks.
The event attracted 94 members and their guests and
made affordable by the support of our sponsors, Finnair
and Honka Japan.
For more pictures from the event, see page 3.
ＦＣＣＪは８月２９日、屋形船コードシェア（共
同運航）クルーズ―フィンエアＡＹ４１５９・ホン
カＨＪ４１６９という楽しいイベントで秋シーズン
をスタートしました。
今年、我々はおしゃれでより大きな屋形船を貸切
り、以前よりもさらに楽しいイベントとなりまし
た。浅草から出航し隅田川を下りお台場を通り２時
間半の遊覧。船内では、和食（天ぷら、刺身など）
およびドリンクの食べ放題・飲み放題を楽しみまし
た。
このイベントには９４名が参加、我々のスポンサ
ー、フィンエアおよびホンカ・ジャパンのサポート
によりイベントが実現いたしました。
詳しくはページ３をご覧ください。
Aoyama View:
IT’S HOT, HOT, HOT – BUT BASEBALL RULES
It has been extraordinarily hot throughout Japan. Last week temperature hit all-time Japan record
42 in Kochi prefecture and it surely has felt same in our concrete jungle. News tell that more than
40,000 people around the country have been taken to hospital for heat stroke and over 100 people
died just in Tokyo. Typically for Japan, many of those were old people, too weak to look after themselves
or unwilling to turn on their air conditioners for cost saving. Some cases have been heart breaking,
like “70 year old son looking after his 100 year old mum found dead together at their home”.
Aoyama View is a regular column
appearing on the FCCJ web site
and written by our seasoned
veteran in Japan trade and
semi-retired paper salesman on
Aoyama dori, Timo Varhama.
This article is shortened from the
orginal version on our web site at
www.fcc.or.jp.
ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES SINK TO CRITICAL LEVEL
Happily there has been enough electricity for most of us to combat the heat despite nuclear power being switched off.
It got close, though, in Kansai area last week, when millions were on their holiday and stayed home for the heat to watch
the national high school baseball tournament This is an annual event at Koshien stadium, Osaka, that attracts huge tvaudience every year about this time. In fact, high school baseball ranks as No.2 among the tv-sports, much higher than
soccer, sumo, golf or athletics, surpassed only by professional baseball, which you can “enjoy” on your telly almost every
night. This is probably because it’s not just sport, but a social event: everybody from young to old want to support his/her
high school team or at least a team from home prefecture.
As the games were played in afternoons, when daily electricity consumption is already high with air conditioners running
full to beat the heat at offices, factories and trains, baseball watching added millions of air conditioners to the normal loading. As result, in Kansai Power
Co’s area, which has been acknowledged to be so critical in energy sufficiency that the company has been allowed to exceptionally have two nuclear reactors
running, the electricity would have run out if not there was help from other regional power companies. Looking forward, in fact, Japan will become next month
totally nuclear free as Kansai’s two nuclear reactors will be stopped for scheduled maintenance. Worries are rising that this time there will be black-outs in the
area – in September if weather holds as hot as today or later in winter, when weather turns cold again.
HELLO TEPCO, WHAT’fS GOING ON THERE?
When you remember that the tanks are there only to “temporarily” keep the radioactive water that has been used
to keep reactors cool and the actual work to neutralize the reactors and close the whole plant has not even started in
2 years, you must ask what’s going on here. Or rather what is not going on and why? As we all know, the first real step
forward is to ckean up and close the plant starts by removing the 1400 or so nuclear rods with high radiation from the
damaged reactors, a gigantic, critical operation that is going to take years and cost tens of billions. If something goes
wrong, say experts, it can cause bigger radiation risk than the crisis we saw in 2011. After that follows entombing the
site with concrete or some other way so that risk of the remaining radiation spreading out will be minimized for the
foreseeable future, probably decades, and finding a safe storing place for the radioactive rods. Once all that is safely
done, all the contaminated cooling water in the tanks, probably up to a million tons at then, must be “filtered” and
cleaned, a process where even our own Fortum has offered its expertise. None of this work has been started yet as Tepco has been just “studying” for the best
way while keeping the reactors cooled by pumping big volumes of water and storing it in the tanks.
As all this makes it clear, that Tokyo Power cannot be entrusted of getting anything done, not even maintaining the plant security as it is, it surely cannot be
trusted with the big, risky and long lasting cleaning and closing operation. The company is bankrupted financially and morally and already practically under
government control, so a natural step forward would be to remove the F1 site all together from Tepco’s hands and establish a new knowledgeable and reliable
organization to handle the crucial closure work in Fukushima.
TO INCREASE TAX OR NOT? OR FIND SOMETHING IN BETWEEN?
As discussed in previous columns, the topical question for economy now is the decision whether to increase the
VAT tax next April from 5 % to 8% or not – or to do it with some twist. The original agreement with PM Noda seem
now totally forgotten, yet many sources at home and overseas press for going forward. Several alternatives are on
table for “the third way”, namely to back up the tax rise with a) new public spending, b) further loosening in BOJ
policy or c) long waited corporate tax cut. One more interesting alternative, originally proposed by well-known Tokyo
economist Robert Feldman at Morgan Stanley and now getting new airing, is that instead of going in two jumps of
2-3% at time as now outlined, the VAT could be raised steadily every year by 1% for, say, 10 years. This would create
smaller risk for consumption slump, but steadier pressure for inflation for long time to come.
All of the alternatives have their own backers in the 59 member tax panel that Abe has placed “to give him advice” or, more honestly, to find a way to avoid
any damage to economic growth and Abenomics fame. Abe is expected to mainly listen to opinions from his two favorite academics, namely emeritus professor
Hamada from Yale, “the father of Abenomics”, and professor Honda from Shizuoka University. Don’t know if Abe thinks Shizuoka stands on same level as Yale
in economic theory, but these two are his favorites these days, and they both warn him not to raise the tax as planned. The committee is supposed to turn in its
report by end of this week August 31, but it is unlikely to lead to any decision, so Abe cannot tell his fellow G-20 leaders next week what Japan is planning to do.
Same day, ministries are supposed to submit thier own idea figure for the FY2014 budget, so on spending side Abe will probably make big boasts as before.
RELAXED ABOUT ECONOMY? THANK CHINA, TOO!
As it looks today, there is little concern about the actual economic performance, so in that respect Abe can take it
easy and slow. The 2Q.GDP growth turned out less than what some analysts expected but, so what, at 2,6% annual
speed it is still respectable, better than most other developed economies and about as much as can be expected on
long term from Japan. As for the corporate sector, the low JPY value will continue to contribute nicely to the bottom line
of big multinationals. Nikkei estimates that, with current FX rate, listed companies will add over USD 6 billion profit to
their bottom lines on currency benefit alone. On top of that, comes increase in exports: July figures showed good growth,
especially cars to USA, but also exports to SEA, even to China, who clearly wants Japanese chemicals and machines
whatever the communist leaders try to say to play down Japan.
Another contribution from the Chinese people against their leaders’ wishes comes from inbound tourists that reached a new record over 1 million in July.
Clearly Japan is back on global travellers’ maps and the numbers are most up for South East Asian people, who now find Japan not only attractive but also
affordable. Visitors from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam were all +50% or so up while Taiwan and Korea were both +25% up. Yet, the biggest contribution came
from Mainland China, which, even if -21% down, is still by far the biggest group (140,000 in July). Mainlanders are also the biggest spenders per person for
products they know are genuine and reliable, from luxury watches and high fashion to milk powder, baby nappies and rice cookers. Did you know that their
spending is so big that it can count for 0,2% share of this year’s GDP?
This column started with baseball, so why not finish with it . After all, if there is another country that is as crazy about this ballgame as USA, it is Japan.
BASEBALL, ONE JAPAN CRAZINESS
In pro baseball, salarymen stopped on the street to watch public video screens and sport newspapers came out with special
edition, when U.S. big league veteran Ichiro Suzuki, who currently plays for New York Yankees, came up with his 4,000th hit. This
record stands as all-time 3rd highest in U.S baseball history, so it was widely reported in USA, too. Some said it does not rank fully
same as locals as it combines Ichiro’s Japan career hits with his 13 years in MLB, but that Japan has won two out of three baseball
World Cups with teams consisting of mainly local players, says that competitive level is extremely high even in Japan leagues.
There’s only 2-3 foreign players in Japanese league teams and they don’t always stand above the local talent, that has wide basis
developed through intensive junior work at schools etc as evidenced by the national high school tournament. Same rule applies
for soccer and this explains why Japan’s national team is Asian champions and highly ranked globally, yet J-League teams struggle
against Chinese and Arabian teams that are up to 90% recruited of foreign mercenaries.
...more
the Yakatabune Cruise
new from
members
FCCJ President Marko Saarelainen arrives in style
to the 4th FCCJ Yakatabune Cruise.
Enjoying to food, drinks and company. Center FCCJ
Board member Hiroaki Sugawara.
At Odaiba participants could enjoy a cooler
breeze on top of the boat.
FCCJ President Marko Saarelainen closes the
successful event attended by 94 members.
Midori Ogasawara, another happy
winner of a Finnair prize, presented
by Mitsuo Takaizumi.
The boat made a small detour for a
view of Tokyo Skytree.
Finnair’s Sakari Romu, dressed for
the occasion, departs in style.
the chamber
member news
メンバーニュース
NSN - Nokia Solutions and Networks
NSN・ノキアソリューションズ＆ネットワークス
Following Nokia’s acquisition of Siemens’ entire 50
percent stake in Nokia Siemens Networks, which was
announced on 1 July, the name of the company has
changed to Nokia Solutions and Networks, known as
NSN, on 7 August 2013.
Subsequently the official name of the Japanese
subsidiary was changed on the 1st of
September to Nokia Solutions and
Networks Japan Corp.
The NSN logo has also changed.
ノキア社がシーメンス社の50％持分の買収をしたこと
により、ノキア シーメンス ネットワークス社は、2013年
8月7日、Nokia Solutions and Networks（ノキアソルーシ
ョンズ＆ネットワークス)、略称NSNに社名を変更いたし
ました。
日本の子会社であるノキアシーメンスネッ
トワークス株式会社はこれに続いて、9月1日
にノキアソリューションズ＆ネットワークス President:
Marko Saarelainen, tel. 03-3479-4169
株式会社と社名変更いたしました。
Vice President:
Hirokuni Yoshida, tel. 03-5449-8311
event calendar
イベント予定
Thursday, 12 September
９月１２日（木）
Time:
Venue: Cost: 日産自動車追浜工場ツアー
時間： 09:00～12:00
場所： 日産自動車追浜工場、神奈川県
参加費： 3,000円
Tour to Nissan Motor Oppama Plant
09:00 - 12:00
Nissan Oppama Plant, Kanagawa pref.
3,000 yen
Wednesday, 25 September
９月２５日（水）
Joint Nordic Luncheon Meeting (organizer FCCJ) 北欧合同昼食会FCCJ企画
Speaker: Mr. Pekka Vauramo, CEO, Finnair
Time: 12:00 - 14:00
Venue: Grand Hyatt Tokyo, Tarragon, 3F
Fee: 6,000 yen (members), 8,000 yen (non-members)
スピーカー: ペッカ・ヴァウラモ氏、フィンエアー社長
時間： 12:00～14:00
会場: グランドハイヤット東京、タラゴン (3F)
参加費：6,000円(メンバー)、8,000円(メンバー以外）
Friday, 4 October
１０月４日（金）
The North America - Europe Golf Challenge in Japan
Venue: Atsugi Kokusai C.C. Kanagawa Prefecture
Cost: 24,000 yen
More info:www.dccgolf-japan.com
第11回メルセデスベンツジャパンカップ
北米・ヨーロッパゴルフマッチ
場所： 厚木国際C.C.、神奈川県
参加費： 24,000円
詳細： www.dccgolf-japan.com
For latest information, visit our web site.
最新のイベント情報に関してはウェブサイトをご覧下さい。
The 11th Mercedes-Benz Japan Cup
Office:
Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan
Forest View Meguro 101
5-11-17, Shimomeguro
Meguro-ku, TOKYO 153-0064
Tel. 03-5725-9596, Fax. 03-5725-9597
Executive Director: Clas G. Bystedt
Assistant: Yoko Marukawa
E-mail: fccj@gol.com
Other Board Members:
Masaoki Fujita, tel. 043-259-0151
Tuomo Kuuppo, tel. 03-3239-5271
Pekka Laitinen, tel. 080-5172-5984
Shigeyoshi Noto, tel. 03-5531-5080
Yasuyuki Oda, 03-5456-5191
Sakari Romu, tel. 03-3222-1691
Marko Salonen, tel. 03-6859-6810
Yoshinori Sano, tel. 03-6420-3031
Veli Solehmainen, tel. 03-3266-9610
Hiroaki Sugawara, tel. 03-3456-3933
JP Takala, tel. 03-5474-6400
FCCJ Web Site address:
http://www.fcc.or.jp/
fccj news
Published bimonthly by the
Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan
Edited and printed in-house.
Editors: Clas G. Bystedt and Yoko Marukawa Scandinavian
Christmas Ball 2013
Friday, 13 December 2013 - The Westin Tokyo Hotel
The Greatest Ball in Town!
The Nordic Chambers of Commerce in Japan have organized a joint Christmas party since 1993, started by
the SCCJ, DCCJ, and Norwegian Business Forum (currently the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce). The Finnish
Chamber joined as organizers in 1999 and in 2003 the Icelandic Chamber joined the party, making the Nordic
unity complete.
This is the 21st event, organized for the 8th time at The Westin Tokyo, is expected to attract 320 participants.
For you and your partner, colleagues and clients!
This is the perfect occasion for you and your significant other to start
off the Christmas Season. It is also a perfect opportunity to invite your
business partners to an unforgettable Scandinavian style Christmas
event that they have never experienced before.
The Ball also provides you with a perfect setting for your company’s
Christmas or bonenkai party. No need for you to make any arrangements,
we do it all for you at a cost which is much less (18,000 yen per person)
than you would have to pay for your own party at the prestigious venue,
taking into account what is included.
Also note that normally two-thirds of the participants are Japanese.
Promote your company!
Without the continuous support from a large number of companies
and organizations, we could not have made this event as enjoyable
as it has been throughout the years. As the donations subsidize this
event by approximately 3,000 yen per participant, we strongly urge
companies that plan to reserve company tables to sign up as sponsors,
thereby we can also guarantee you full tables.
The sponsors get prominent visibility on the dedicated web site, in
all printed material and at the ball itself.
Sign up early to benefit more from your sponsorship!
A 5.5 hour Extravaganza!
A Scandinavian style five course dinner a wide variety of drinks to raise
your spirit, great entertainment and lotteries for fabulous prizes
followed by dancing to live music until the lights go out.
All included in the 18,000 yen participation fee.
The best value in town for your money!
For more information and to sign up as participant of sponsor, go to:
www.fcc.or.jp/xmas