カテゴリー: English

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

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……

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.

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.

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!