After Back to Japan in April 7

My task as JETRO consultant in Surabaya, Indonesia, had finished in March 31, and I came back to Japan in April 7. Now I stay in Tokyo with my family.

I am now preparing my next activity stage. I will set up my tiny independent consulting company during these two months in Japan. Then, based on this company, I will restart my activities to move among Japan, Indonesia and other countries.

To do so, I have made several my activity bases. Main base is in Japan, Fukushima or Tokyo. Sub bases are Tokyo or Fukushima, Jakarta, Surabaya, and maybe Makassar.

The base in Jakarta and Surabaya had been prepared before back to Japan this time. Yesterday (April 13), I prepared my small work place in a rental office, 10 minutes walk from my home in Tokyo. I will set up my another work place in Fukushima.

Fortunately, the set up cost may be not so high. So, I will be able to come to Tokyo, Fukushima, Jakarta, and Surabaya (and maybe Makassar) in any time. My mobile bases are almost established.

In my plan, I will stay in Indonesia next June 2015, starting in Makassar the first week of June. Please keep in touch.

 

Three Speeches Last Week in Jakarta

Last week, I stayed in Jakarta for one week. I had three opportunities to make my speech. Two were for Indonesian in Bahasa Indonesia and one was for Japanese in Japanese.

In March 2, I was invited by Jakarta Branch of Indonesian Handicraft Exporters and Producers Association (ASEPHI) as a speaker to talk about SME’s export promotion and potentiality of market in Japan.

I explained the change of Japanese market from Yen appreciation to the depreciation that did not so good for export from Indonesia to Japan. However, if the target was clear as goods for the aged, women, and Indonesian original ones. I recommended combination strategy of OEM products from Japanese buyers and Indonesian original ones. To realize this, I suggested the good collaboration between Indonesian side and Japanese side.

In March 4, I talked about current situation of the Jokowi administration for Japanese businessmen in the Indonesia Watch Seminar by JAC Recruitment Indonesia. This was in Japanese and I gave some positive and negative signals of Indonesia.

In March 7, I was invited to do keynote speech by Ikatan Pengusaha Kenshusei Indonesia (IKAPEKSI) or Association of Indonesian Businessmen who were trained in Japan. They were sent to Japan via IMM Japan and became businessmen after coming back from Japan to Indonesia.

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IKAPEKSI was established by their own initiatives without any support from Japanese side. Maybe this is the first organization set up by alumni of IMM Japan trainee in the world. They do not want to get financial support from the government of Japan and of Indonesia, but want to be good business partner to Japanese side.

Under cooperation with Ministry of Labor Force, Indonesia, only no-problem alumni of IMM Japan can be the member. Members of IKAPEKSI were recognized as good graduates from training in Japan and the Government of Indonesia wants to improve the quality of overseas trainee by using the existence of IKAPEKSI.

I became the advisor of IKAPEKSI based on their request. I feel it is very honorable for me as a Japanese because it is the sign of their trust to me. The situation of Kenshusei in Japan will be more complex and has not only positive image but also negative one. I hope ex-Kenshusei in IKAPEKSI will make good reputation of Kenshusei with many success stories to promote more positive image, and will make a role to deepen Indoensia-Japan relationship in all regions in Indonesia (because the member of IKAPEKSI scattered in almost all provinces and regencies/cities) through their activities.

 

Interview Series in Yogya and Surabaya (16-20 January 2015)

After finished our SME Workshop in Jakarta (14 January), I came back to Surabaya first in 15 January. Then, I started to bound for Yogyakarta at 7 am by train. Why must back to Surabaya first? I could not directly go to Yogyakarta from Jakarta because of bureaucratic administration.

Anyway, I conducted series of interview to emerging local companies targeted to middle class or volume zone market in Indonesia. In Yogyakarta, I visited and interviewed Super Wash (laundry franchise chain) in 16 January, and Kemitraan A Swalayan (mini market establishment and management consulting) in 17 January. After coming back to Surabaya, I interviewed Coffee Toffee (cafe franchise chain) in Surabaya in 20 January.

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With Mr. Lidi (President Director) and Mr. Ali (Manager) at office of Super Wash, Yogyakarta, 16 January 2015.

 

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with Mr. Putut, Mr. Sulis and Mr. Danan (Managers) at office of Kemitraan A Swalayan, Klaten, Yogyakarta, 17 January 2015.

 

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with Mr. Odi (President Director) at Coffee Toffee, Klampis, Surabaya, 20 January 2015.

I could get many interesting information from them and some key points why they have emerged their business in local areas. I will compile the interview results for survey reports to JETRO Jakarta.

SME Workshop in Jakarta (14 January 2015)

Last week, we conducted a Workshop on SME policies in Indonesia at Gran Melia Jakarta in 14 January 2015. This workshop was held to feedback the results of our survey (JERI team) on 17 local SMEs on automotive parts supplier in October-November 2014, and to discuss about policy implication for SME development in Indonesia.

This Workshop was attended by about 40 participants including Ms. Euis, Director General of Small & Medium Industry, Ministry of Industry, Mr. Meliadi Sembiring, the 7th Deputy Minister of Cooperatives and SME, other two Deputy Ministers of Cooperatives and SME, a member of KIKO (Cooperatives of Automotive Parts Industry), Yayasan Darma Bakti Astra, KADIN Indonesia, APINDO, Bank Indonesia, Jakarta Japan Club (JJC), JICA, and JETRO.

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Based on our survey, we tried to focus on two main issues on SME development challenge. Those are marketing from SME to big companies, and needs of financial support by the government. We threw our two points to participants for further discussion and we could get much new information and many kinds of opinion about SME development in Indonesia in the near future.

We hope this Workshop will be useful for participants and especially government officials to deepen ideas for SME development policy in Indonesia.

 

Something starts from Old House in Fukushima

During my coming home to my hometown, Fukushima, I visited an old Japanese traditional house in 4 January, supported by my friend. This house was built in 1874, about 10 minutes from my parent’s house.

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We sat around an irori, a hearth in this house and talked many things. Owners told the history of the community since Edo era, how to utilize this house until now, how to conserve this house for the future, and so on.

I visited there not for just sightseeing.

I want to start something from this old Japanese traditional house in Fukushima.

 

“Connect, Learn and Action” starts

A Happy New Year 2015 !

The year 2015 has just started. In transition from 2014 to 2015, we memorized 10 year after the Earthquake and Tsunami in Aceh/Sumatra/Thailand/SriLanka, an accident of AirAsia from Surabaya to Singapore, and will be 20 years after Kobe/Osaka Earthquake. Our life is just lucky. Deeply understood.

This year, I want to create and do ‘true’ works as an independent consultant, facilitator and catalyst.

I will set up my individual small consultant company this year. I try to connect people, regions, resources, technologies, and community beyond borders. I try to promote deep learning and more another learning among those connected ones. Through such deep learning, I promote them to create something new and valuable for the future.

Since this year, I will not be fixed only in Indonesia. Maybe one year will be divided among Japan, Indonesia, and other countries. I will be moving one to another.

Why will I be moving? Because I want to be ‘wind’. Not one-directed ‘wind’, but mutual-directed or multi-directed ‘wind’, I mean. I do not teach anything. I just support to make them find something by themselves, and to make them start to create something new and valuable. As a ‘wind’, I will tell and inform what they do to others. So, I will be moving one to another.

‘Wind’ must not be main actor. Main actor is people there as ‘soil’. I want to be professional catalyst.

For my self input to think new ideas, I will start my new private blog called “Connect, Learn and Action” this year. As an independent consultant, I want to write my own opinion without any intervention from any organization.

Thank you for your reading and I welcome your comments.

 

Sudden Lecture in IEU, Surabaya

It was four days before. Suddenly I was requested to give a lecture at IEU, Surabaya. The theme is Business Communication with Japanese Businessmen.

I gave the lecture in 8 December night. At first, only 4 students were presented, even though I heard 15 students. At last, 8 students participated my lecture.

This is very impressive and good opportunity for me to learn the diversity of university students in Indonesia, maybe as same as in Japan.

They are very charming students and I got many friend request by Facebook and LINE after my lecture.

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Lecture and Others in Jakarta (3 Dec 2014)

In Japanese, December is called “Shiwasu”, which means that teacher is very busy because he/she must always run. As it means or not, I will do business trip almost every week to Jakarta in this December 2014. 2-4 December, 9-10 December, 15-16 December, and 21-22 December. Maybe before leave to Tokyo in 27 December, I will be in Jakarta.

In the first business trip in 3 December, I gave a lecture about Indonesian economy to Japanese guests from Tokyo, based on request from JAC Indonesia. They are young and want to make a business of financial service in Indonesia.

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Take a picture after my lecture

After that, I met a consultant of energy business venture to discuss about new technology application to Indonesia. It is very fruitful and I got much implication on direction of Indonesia-Japan cooperation to create new innovation together. Fortunately, we could meet Prof. Dr. Ir. Bambang Subiyanto, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Science Academy (LIPI), to continue our interesting discussion with having dinner together.

After interesting dinner, I went to a hotel located in North Jakarta with Prof. Kozano from Aichi Prefectural University to meet our students of Gadjah Mada University (participants of Japan on Track Program) who have started their intern activities in Japanese companies. They were fine and very positive to participate the intern program. I hope they will get much meaningful experience to prepare their working life in the near future.

With JoT participated intern students of UGM

With JoT participated intern students of UGM

JoT Program in UGM again (27 Nov 2014)

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Try to take picture ‘selfie’ with participants of JoT Program

After one month ago, I had a chance again to meet participants of Japan on Track, a re-education program of Japanese language, in Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Yogyakarta, in 27 November 2014.

This time, I conducted a discussion workshop on “For what you study in UGM?”. After this simple question, participants discussed and made presentation, for related several other questions, too. Even if only seven students were present, their discussion was very interesting and maybe they could get opportunity to think about relative deeper consideration on relation between theory and experience, between managers and workers, and company and workers on job-hopping phenomena.

Unfortunately because of time limitation, another discussion theme as “Work for What?” and “Live for What?”. I hope next opportunities.

In the afternoon, they learnt basic of business manner in Japanese company, instructed by a Japanese HRD company in Jakarta, with practice of standing, sitting and bowing.

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I remembered many same way in politeness and courteousness seen in Indonesia, as in business manner in Japan. Participants looked like fun and enjoyed this lesson.

Today (28 November), we had farewell lunch with JoT participants at the Hikari Japanese restaurant in Yogyakarta, with Prof. Kozano from Aichi Prefectural University. Thank you and see you next time, my good friends.

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BizComm Seminar on Entrepreneur @ Universitas Ciputra

Today (22 November 2014), I became a speaker in BizComm Seminar on Entrepreneur at Universitas Ciputra, Surabaya.

I made simple presentation about comparison of young entrepreneurs in Indonesia and Japan in Bahasa Indonesia. Other than me, there were three speakers to give good motivation to university students who tried to be entrepreneurs.

This is very good opportunity for me to communicate many business motivators and business-minded university students in this seminar.

I hope my presentation will give something good to them even if just a little.

 

Two-days Study Tour of KAIL from Japan (19-20 November)

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With Mr. Hashida (Chairman of KAIL), and Mr. Junanto (Bank Indonesia Surabaya). Taken by camera of Mr. Junanto.

Kyushu Asia Institute of Leadership (KAIL) conducted the study tour to Surabaya in 19-20 November 2014.

KAIL is a NPO and training institution, built by local government, academics, and private business men to create prospective leader of Kyushu’s business world. 37 participants of this tour were around 40 years old.

Kyushu Asia Institute of Leadership (KAIL)

Overseas study tour is included in its 11-month curriculum and this year KAIL chose to visit Indonesia (Jakarta 2 days and Surabaya 2 days).

During two days staying in Surabaya, they visited to House of Sampoerna, Surabaya City Government (DKP Pemkot Surabaya), Garbage Processing Unit and Compost Center managed by Surabaya City Government and Nishihara Corporation from Kita-Kyushu City, Japan, Consulate General of Japan in Surabaya, and East Java Chambers of Commerce (KADIN Jatim).

In Consulate General of Japan in Surabaya, Mr. Noboru Nomura, the Consul General, gave comprehensive lecture on Indonesia and East Java. After that, I gave a lecture on business climate of East Java and Surabaya. In addition, Mr. Nishi, president of East Java Japan Club (EJJC) and the factory head of Ajinomoto, gave a lecture on activities and challenge of Ajinomoto in Indonesia.

I became the coordinator/interpreter of this study tour for two days including dinner party with invited guests as Mr. Noboru Nomura, the Consul General of Japan, Mr. Lili Soleh Wartadipradja, Head of Investment Board of East Java Province, Mr. Cipto Wibowo, Director from External Cooperation Office of East Java Province, Ms. Liri Lestari Idham from Industry and Trade Office of East Java Province, and Mr. Junanto Herdiawan, senior economist of Bank Indonesia Surabaya Office.

I hope this study tour has success with good and deep impression of East Java and Surabaya, to connect next step of business communication in the future between Indonesia and Kyushu, Japan.

 

Tokyo, Higashi-Matsushima, and Jakarta

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I stayed in Japan this time only for 4 days. 2 days in Tokyo and 2 days in Higashi-Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture.

In Tokyo, I attended the Business Matching Event in Indonesian Embassy in November 7 as the Advisor of Trade Marketing Japan Co., Ltd., that promotes trade and marketing of Asian companies including Indonesia to Japan.

After that, I had a meeting with the Japan Foundation to discuss the idea of cultural collaboration activities in Asia, especially in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

In November 8, I met my old friend, a journalist of one of famous newspaper in Japan, and enjoy Kita-Otsuka Ramen together. He ordered special ramen full of Char Siu.

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And I bought a noise canceling earphone of BOSE. This is very good and enjoyed music more deeply.

I visited Higashi-Matsushima city in 9-10 November based on request from JICA Tohoku to give some inputs about local autonomy and village system of Indonesia for Higashi-Matsushima City Government. Higashi-Matsushima city has a cooperation program with Banda Aceh City Government of Indonesia which has the same experience of Tsunami disaster in 2004.

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Nobiru Station. Rail road has not been operated until now.

Before the discussion in the City Hall, I had chance to get several stories about current rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts of communities in Higashi-Matsushima city, including many stories from the owner of small inn I stayed.

No beautiful stories. Many real and unbelievable stories on human relation in their communities. But they must overcome them as the community members.

Discussion with Higashi-Matsushima City Government was very fruitful and maybe I felt their sincere attitude for their cooperation program with Banda Aceh City.

Lunch in November 10 was oyster ramen at a small restaurant named “Enman-tei” (Enman means harmony), owned by a victim family of Tsunami in 2011.

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After lunch, I must bounded for Sendai to ride on Tohoku Shinkansen “Hayabusa” to Tokyo. Then, ride on Keisei Skyliner to Narita Airport to catch the JL729 to fly to Jakarta. Very tight schedule in November 10, and at last I arrived at Jakarta at 1:30 am in November 11.

In November 11, I had a chance to be speaker in Nikkei BP Asia ICT Conference at Intercontinental Hotel Jakarta about economic policies of Jokowi’s new government.

After it and two another appointments, I came back to Surabaya at midnight, November 11.

Tough days still to be continued……

Survey on Local SMEs of Automotive Components

From 27 October, I have stayed in Jakarta. I have joined the study team on local SMEs of automotive components in Indonesia, mainly in Jakarta Metropolitan Area (Jabotadebek). Everyday, we visit and interview at those local SMEs to get information for making recommendation report to Indonesian and Japanese governments.

We will visit 10 local SMEs and conduct Focused Group Discussion with 10 local SMEs during these two weeks until 6 November 2014.

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I must continue to concentrate my attention as an interpreter in interviews, navigator to search for the location of SMEs (often difficult to get the SME’s address in the map), and guide to search for good place to have lunch.

I hope our survey will give some useful information to build appropriate strategies for the development of local SMEs related to the development of automotive industry in Indonesia.

JoT Program in UGM

I have assisted “Japan on Track (JoT)” Program at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) by Aichi Prefectural University since last year.

This is re-education program of Japanese language for UGM students who learned it before but no chance after entering UGM. I am requested to give a lecture about “Japanese corporate culture and Japanese companies in Indonesia”, and to interview and do counseling with the participants.

This time I did them in 23-24 October 2014 at UGM. They are very good students and I could get their thought about relation to Japan and work career expectation in the future.

Before back to Surabaya, we had lunch together at a restaurant in Yogyakarta. I hope they enjoyed the lunch, laugh, and relaxed conversation. Thank you for our good students!

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About New Website

Since October 18, 2014, I had started to use my new website with my own domain.

I will inform my activities, my opinion and travel records in this new website.

Also, you can see my schedule here.

So, my other websites and blogs in Japanese and non-Japanese will be integrated in this site.

Very welcome if you give me some comments about this site.

Thank you for your attention and please keep in touch with me through this new website.

 

 

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