Important ‘bonds’ that tie together ASEAN and Kansai Holding the 35th Kaikenren ASEAN Management Seminar(Nov., 2014)

We implemented the Kaikenren ASEAN Management Seminar in fiscal 2014, with a schedule running Nov. 17-21. This time two Japanese companies participated, in addition to nine ASEAN countries (excluding Brunei) and Mongolia. The seminar’s densely packed schedule wrapped up after company visits and lectures by experts, on the theme of “sustainable development in Asia and the ASEAN market of the future,” in the context of a joint management body of the ASEAN Economic Community to be formed at the end of 2015.

First-time participation from Japanese companies

The latest seminar welcomed people from Japanese companies participating for the first time, in light of accelerating globalization at companies in Kansai. We kindly received participation of middle level executives at Okudaya Giken Co. (based in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture) and Daiichi Kigenso Kagaku Kogyo Co. (based in Osaka City), who gave us a lively exchange of opinions and exchanges with managers from a variety of countries. Two of the participants seemed nervous at first. But as the schedule progressed, during the seminars and while going out, they opened up with conversation and communication and fully experienced five days of international exchange. The group visited outstanding companies in Kansai and companies that were expanding their exchanges and active businesses in emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere. They also learned about management philosophy, business strategies, production and quality control and human-resource development. In addition, during exchanges with Japanese companies at a reunion with small and medium-sized enterprises after visiting Monozukuri Business Information-center Osaka (MOBIO) and a roundtable on the final day, there were lively debates and opinion exchanges regarding information availability in various countries and regions and issues, solutions, methods, etc. related to management, as the activities of the companies and organizations of the participants were introduced. During the company visits and exchanges, they were also able to cover the possibilities for cooperation from the standpoint of business linked to the theme of sustainable development in Asia. Everyone had plenty of opportunities to forge human networks.

Asian Business Study Society

Kankeiren established the Asian Business Study Society in July 2013 as one of its activities for its International Committee. It has drawn up measures that can contribute to Asian development in areas where Kansai has strong points. Each of the themes is explained in pamphlets. Based on these efforts, proposals are carried out when Asian countries are visited or when VIPs from Asia visit Kansai. 
As part of its efforts in this seminar, the participants visited and inspected Hitachi Zosen Corp. in connection with tsunami and flood countermeasures that use standalone gates for urban disaster preparedness. The countries of the participants, who represented organizations of different nations, suffer from varying degrees of disaster damage. So indeed, there were many questions and requests for further information due to their high-level of awareness toward risk.

Fiscal 2014 marked the 35th time for this seminar to be held. To date, 371 people have participated. A symbiosis, through appropriate and active business cooperation, has become key for grabbing business opportunities in the ASEAN countries that have seen remarkable economic growth, just as competition among companies becomes more intensified. 
Exchange activities that have occurred in this business seminar have been building up to become a precious asset of this tradition and history. We look forward to tighter bonds between Kansai and ASEAN.

Shogo Asanuma, International Department

Seminar summary