Spotlight Newsletter (2013-10)



INVESTMENT NEWS

Talk to JETRO First!

Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, and Mr. Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, encourage direct investments into Japan. JETRO's new publication "Talk to JETRO First" delivers their messages and features key attractiveness of the Japanese market, business environment and living environment.
If you are interested in doing business in Japan, talk to JETRO USA first!

>> Find the publications hereExternal site: a new window will open. (PDF, 5MB)

>> Contact JETRO USAExternal site: a new window will open..


JETRO CLIENTS TO OPEN AN OFFICE IN JAPAN

Amazon Japan establishes Osaka branch to reinforce sales and support in western Japan


In July 2013, Amazon Japan KK and Amazon Data Service Japan KK, which support the operation of the general online store Amazon.co.jp, established an Osaka branch to further reinforce product sales services and Amazon web services in Western Japan.

To support the company in setting up their Osaka branch, JETRO Osaka's Invest Japan Business Support Center (IBSC) provided temporary office space and information regarding living in Osaka city.

>> Read full news hereExternal site: a new window will open..



Trade Tech Opens Tokyo Office

 The cloud-based logistics solutions provider, Trade Tech, has opened a new office in Tokyo to support customers in Japan and the surrounding region.

The office is specifically intended to provide assistance to non-vessel-operating common carriers, freight forwarders, and shippers that are implementing Trade Tech's compliance solutions for Japan's 24-hour manifest rule.

>> Read full press release here: Trade Tech websiteExternal site: a new window will open.To other site.


MORE COMPANIES TO LAUNCH IN JAPAN

Material ConneXion Opens Its 11th Library in Tokyo in October 2013

Material ConneXion, the world's largest library of innovative, advanced, and sustainable materials with consulting services, announced the official opening of its 11th international library, located in Tokyo, Japan. Material ConneXion Tokyo is licensed to the Japanese printing giant Nissha Printing Co., Ltd.

Material ConneXion Tokyo is located in the Aoyama district, which is the design, architecture, and luxury center of Tokyo, and is hosted in the Minami-Aoyama building, renowned for the presence of numerous designers and architects, including global architecture and design firm Gensler.

>> Read full press release here (October 2, 2013): Material ConneXion websiteExternal site: a new window will open.To other site.



Celtra Appoints Nobukazu Kaneda as Country Manager for Japan

 Celtra Inc. (Cambridge, MA), the industry leader for rich media mobile ad serving and analytics, announced the opening of its Tokyo Office and the appointment of Nobukazu Kaneda as the Country Manager to lead the Japan business.

Celtra already has a growing footprint in the Japanese market and is now, aligned with the growing demand, looking to establish a much stronger presence with efforts to become the leader of mobile display advertising in Japan...

>> Read full press release here (October 8, 2013): Celtra websiteExternal site: a new window will open.To other site.


GAME NEWS

JETROxJOGA B-to-B Events Ended at Tokyo Game Show

JETRO and the Japan Online Game Association (JOGA)External site: a new window will open.To other site hosted business matchmaking events in September to coincide with the Tokyo Game Show 2013. Eleven select publishers from six countries were invited to Japan and spent three days meeting with Japanese gaming companies.

Glu Mobile, Kabam, Kongregate, Pocket Gems, and Z2Live from the U.S. were among the invited publishers. On September 18th, they gathered at JETRO headquarters in Tokyo to meet with JOGA members. They then visited the Tokyo Game Show on September 19th to meet with more Japanese companies at the JETRO booth while touring the exhibition area.

>> Find more about JETRO's business matchmaking eventsExternal site: a new window will open..


booth_1 JETRO Booth at Tokyo Game Show
booth_2 JETRO Booth at Tokyo Game Show



JOGA Share an Overview of Japanese Online Gaming Market Survey

Japan Online Game Association (JOGA), a Japanese game industry networking organization, kindly shares an overview of their annual research about the Japanese online game market. According to the report, the Japanese online games for PCs, games consoles, and smartphones in 2012 was valued at 270.5 billion yen, 28% of the total Japanese gaming market (976 billion yen). Two JOGA member companies, GungHo Online Entertainment and NHN PlayArt represent 50% market share in smartphone games.

>> Find an overview of Japanese online gaming market survey (by JOGA)



Voltage's Romance Simulation Apps Became 6th Top Grossing Publisher on Google Play

According to the App Annie Index dated on September 30, Voltage, a Japanese mobile contents company, "became the first publisher that distributes visual romance novel apps, commonly referred to as romance simulation apps, to join the top grossing publishers on Google Play this year." The games that made the company to the Top 6 were developed in Japan.

Voltage set up a subsidiary Voltage Entertainment USA in San Francisco, driving their business of romance simulation contents for women. The company will soon release a new app, the romance-comedy White Lies & Sweet Nothings (English original). "(Our newest app) throws you into the fast-paced life of a wedding planner in New York. After bluffing your way through an interview at the biggest event planning company in the city, you get the job on the condition that you bring your husband to the company orientation. Without so much as a boyfriend, you have to use every trick in the book to convince one of the many men who stumble into your life to bail you out," said Voltage Entertainment USA.

>> Read full App Annie index report (September 30, 2013): Romance App Publisher Breaks Into Google Play Ranking (App Annie website)External site: a new window will open.To other site.

>> Find more about Voltage here: Voltage websiteExternal site: a new window will open.To other site.


TOPICS IN JAPANESE ECONOMY AND INDUSTRY
    • Foreigners Investing in Japan's Solar, Wind Farms
    • Tokyo Hospitals Aiming for Better Care for Foreigners
    • With Drugs in Pipeline, Biogen Idec Adding to Staff in Japan
    • Large Logistics Centers Springing Up Across Japan