Having watched HMA David Warren's regular reports on TV on the situation in Japan during March, always delivered with calm and precision, even at the height of the crisis, I decided to attend a briefing he gave in London at the beginning of last week.
The crux of his message is that Japan remains open to business and is keen to do business with its partners. There is a disconnect, as is often the case, between the reality and how events have been reported outside Japan. Some people have the impression that Tokyo is not safe to visit. This is absolutely not the case and even during the crisis, health risks could be kept to a minimum as long as certain precautions were taken.
Of course, it has taken time for many to overcome their enormous grief, and the reconstruction process is not yet under way. But in Tokyo, things are back to normal despite the need to save energy as a result of power shortages in some areas. There has been a decline in consumer sentiment but Japanese politicians are spreading the message that self-restraint “jishuku” is in fact hurting the economy and that consumers should start spending again.
The UK is helping business get back to normal, and closely on the heels of the Secretary of State Vince Cable’s high level visit next month, UKTI is planning a number of trade missions. Among those is an asset management seminar at the British ambassador's residence in Tokyo on 1 November. A similar event has been held last year and was very successful because it gave UK-based asset managers (who were part of the trade delegation) the opportunity to present their investments style to an audience of 100 guests, consisting of Japanese fund management companies, pension consultants, institutional investors (insurance companies and larger public and corporate pension funds), banks and press. Just like last year, the seminar will be followed by a networking reception.
Tailored visits and one to one meetings with key investors can also be organised for those delegates who wish to benefit from UKTI’s excellent contacts with local financial institutions.
Japanese investors have traditionally been very conservative, investing most of their savings in Japanese government bonds. However a rapidly ageing population and low interest rates have led them to look at alternatives in order to generate higher returns. This event will be an opportunity for delegates to meet financial institutions which serve as gatekeepers to managing Japanese assets and are looking for new ideas and solutions.
Please register your interest in being a presenter or just part of the business delegation by contacting philippe.gautier@uktispecialist.com or naomi.takegoshi@fco.gov.uk.
1 comment
Comment by kuno-cpa posted on
Awesome word...Love this post! Very insightful, I look forward to more on these topics.I hope all enjoyed here like me.Keep it up.