The Hamano Bag: Fame Can Come At Any Moment

©iStock/Sean Pavone

The new"'it" bag.

“It,” of course, is the black tote carried by Sanae Takaichi, the new prime minister of Japan. Officially called the Grace Delight Tote, but often referred to simply as the Sanae Tote, it is a leather bag large enough to fit an A4 file. A simple rectangle with a neat silver clasp at the top and handles long enough to carry over one shoulder or in the crook of an arm, it is made by Hamano, a Japanese “leather crafts” company founded in 1880 and based in Nagano (as shown).

Saori Masuda, the editor of 10 Magazine Japan, called it the “Asprey of Japan,” referring to the heritage London leather-goods house beloved of the British aristocracy. It is available in nine different color combinations and retails for 136,400 yen (about $880).

Check it out but you better brush up on your Japanese.

Who Will Be Japan's Next Prime Minister?

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Japan's Prime Minister (PM) Shigeru Ishiba has announced his resignation after less than a year in the role – following two crushing election losses in mid-term elections.

Japan has had three Prime Ministers in five years.  Who will be Japan's next PM?

Ishiba's resignation came a day before opponents in his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) were expected to vote him out.

His departure sets the stage for yet another ruling party leadership contest in Tokyo, the third in five years. That is apart from two national elections, neither of the winners completed their term.

Learn more about why Ishiba resigned and who might be the country's next leader.

Today in Global Small Business: It's a Trump Rodeo Ride So Far

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Most investors knew things could turn turbulent this year given U.S. President Donald Trump's return to power in the world's biggest economy and financial market, but few predicted the kind of a rodeo ride it has been so far.
• Bitcoin demand declines amid global trade wars.
• Quote of the week:  “American bull riding has been called 'the most dangerous eight seconds in sports.'" – general statement
• JP Morgan research:  U.S. tariffs and what the impact will be on global trade and the economy.
• Japan is upset.  An editorial on Trump's auto tariffs.
• Mexico is upset.  They will respond to Trump's tariffs with immediate measures.

Here's Why Japan Could Be a Market For You

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Japan offers a solid population of middle-class consumers with high disposable incomes and a keen interest in new technologies, which makes it ideal for international businesses that offer premium goods, services or innovative digital solutions.

As the he fourth-largest economy in the world after the United States, China and Germany, Japan offers companies eyeing expansion an exciting opportunity to grow their business in a truly unique market.

Interested?  To get started, here are a few things to know before you start moving your business to Japan.

From Japan to Global – a wegginar® with Kaori Shimazaki (2/7/24 at 11 AM CT)

©2024 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Who is Kaori Shimazaki?  Glad you asked because she is wegg's next wegginar® presenter!

Kaori is CEO and founder of SAKE Generation.  Her journey spans diverse corporate landscapes and entrepreneurial milestones.  It goes like this ...

Before entrepreneurship, she held pivotal roles, including Business Planning Lead at Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, P&A Manager at Asurion Japan, and Controller at Credit Suisse.  During her tenure at Coca-Cola, Kaori pursued an MBA at the University of Chicago while co-founding the pioneering SAKE project with an international team. This venture reached the finals of the Chicago Global New Venture Challenge Competition. 

Once she established SAKE Generation in 2019, her initiatives garnered recognition from various prestigious platforms, such as the U.S. Embassy’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, where she secured the Bronze Award in a competitive pitch contest. 

Additionally, she contributed to Tokyo’s NY Expansion Support Program (X Hub Tokyo) and the APTWoman program, which led her to explore Silicon Valley as a cultural envoy. 

Kaori’s commitment to expertise is reflected in her professional qualifications, including a U.S. CPA acquired in 2008, an MBA from the University of Chicago in 2019, and certifications as a Certified SAKE Professional and Sake Sommelier in 2019 and 2021, respectively.

If that doesn't all WOW you, this will.

You can participate in Kaori's upcoming wegginar free of charge on 2/7 at 11 AM CT thanks to wegg's generous sponsors: https://bit.ly/3vx7xik.

Find out how she accomplished all of the above when she presents: "From Japan to Global:  Exporting the new SAKE Experience!"

Cherry Trees in Full Blossom in Japan 2021

According to Professor Keita Shibayama, a New Financial Crisis Looms

©iStock/Richie Chan

Since the 1980s, leading nations have relied on the twin pillars of the promotion of globalization and fiscal consolidation.  However, the coronavirus crisis is bringing about a major change of direction. 

Below Keita Shibayama, a professor at Kyoto University (Japan) and a polemicist who has always spoken out about globalism talks about a post-COVID-19 world.

Quick snippet here:

In the economic crisis now unfolding, it will be difficult to find any escape routes overseas. The impact of the pandemic will go on for quite a while. Greater international friction will further impede trade, cross-border investment, and the movement of people. As uncertainty levels not seen in the past prevail, corporations, investors, and even governments will be pressed hard to rethink their existing approaches.

Authored for Nippon.com, Shibayama goes on to say that a new financial crisis looms.

USA Fruit Exports Expected to Increase

©iStock/szefel

The chances for USA fruit exports to Japan are expected to increase due to the decline in domestic cultivation in Japan due to the aging of fruit growers.

Japan imports a third of its fruit, with the United States taking second place among exporters. The United States is the main supplier of oranges, lemons, grapes and cherries. 

Read more about the greater opportunities for fruit imports to Japan due to aging of local growers.

Visit the USDA Exporter Guide to Japan

How a Umami Burger Is Taking the World By Storm

©iStock/Shalith

Umami Burger has 28 locations globally with 18 locations in the U.S., with most in California, with two in sweet home Chicago and one in New York.  Of that number in the U.S. only two are franchised.

You might ask yourself what Umami stands for.  Umami is a Japanese rooted word that means savory.

What's causing the burger to take the world by storm?

Fueled by its CEO Sam Nazarian who runs SBE, a multifaceted brand of hotels, nightspots and restaurants, and now controls 95% of Umami, with founder Adam Flieshman owning the rest, it’s expanding overseas, particularly in Japan and Mexico.

Learn more about a U.S. product that resonates globally.

Today in Global Small Business: Why Japan Is Doubling Down on E-Commerce Fashion

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Roughly 70% of the 4,505 worldwide small businesses polled in the GoDaddy Global Entrepreneurship Survey said they expected their prospects to grow by at least 25% in the next three to five years.  
• Quote of the week: “The limits of my language means the limits of my world.”— Ludwig Wittgenstein
• Canadian small businesses may benefit by thinking globally.
• Who are the top 25 global e-commerce power players?
• The ever-changing global payments landscape.
• Why Japan is doubling down on e-commerce fashion.

Today in Global Small Business: Why America's Economy is So Healthy

©iStock/Kagenmi

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Why America's economy is so healthy (a lot has to do with the global economy's own resurgence).
• Learn the secrets to acquiring a million (1 million) followers on Twitter and more than six-five thousand (65,000) Instagram followers.  Yes, it takes perseverance but we all know persistence pays off.  Presenter CamMI Pham will educate us on how to be bold in 2018 and get the world to notice you in the next WEGGinar™ held on Wednesday, February 7 at 11:00 a.m. Central time. The WEGGinar™ is no charge but you must sign up to attend: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2297562974983287811.
• Global leaders need to listen more and talk less.
• Small and medium-size businesses – those with fewer than 250 employees – are going to be the biggest beneficiaries of emerging markets growth, industry executives believe.  Find out why.
• Few SMEs export in Japan, having found it much more difficult to make global connections: In manufacturing, only 25 percent of SMEs are exporters, in comparison to 60 percent of larger firms. This means that a great potential source of profitable trade goes untapped.  Find out what Japan is going to do about it.
• Small business has long been held as a key driver of the global economy, but these businesses often don’t have access to large multinational companies who could use their services.  Find out who plans to change that paradigm.

The Slowing Machinery of the Global Economy

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A dispute between Japan and China over tiny islands threatens to "throw one more (big) monkey wrench into the slowing machinery of the global economy."

The origins of the dispute date back centuries but came to a head last month after Japan nationalized the tiny islands, called Senkaku in Japan, the world's No. 3 economy, and Diaoyu in China, the world's No. 2 economy. The move set off violent protests in at least two dozen Chinese cities. Angry mobs torched a Panasonic factory, looted several Japanese retail outlets and burned Toyota and Honda car dealerships.

Learn what the long term effect is here.

Inspiring School Design: Fuji Kindergarten in Japan

Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock

If you are a designer or architect, you can take your brilliant ideas global. In this case, Fuji Kindergarten (completed in 2007) provides a learning environment that fosters the individual development and expression of all its pupils in Japan.

This ethos has been created through a building that doubles as a huge piece of play equipment. The Montessori pedagogy on which the design is based creates a building with no walls. Classroom spaces, play areas, and support facilities merge into one, offering a landscape for children to explore and adapt to suit their needs.

Project facts here.

The architects (courtesy photo above) behind the project can be found here. 

Fuji Kindergarten website here.

Our Thoughts and Prayers Are With the People of Japan

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Considered the worst quake (8.9) in Japan's history ... we are heartbroken and send our hope and prayers to the victims of this devastating episode.

I am so glad to hear that the United States is sending Navy ships with supplies and aid to help the quake-ravaged Japan.

How a Foreign Company Can Gain a Bit More Presence in the American Market

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Japan's largest cosmetic company, Shiseido, is set to acquire the American make-up company Bare Escentuals Inc. (products pictured) for $1.7 billion, marking the largest acquisition in its 83-year history.

It goes to show you the price companies are willing to pay to boost and capture a market.

Read all about it here.

To expand your reach, what's your global acquisition target in 2010?

Japan: Why Some Companies Are Hot in a Down Market

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Not all companies are performing poorly in Japan.

Take a look at these:

Toyo Suisan Kaisha -- Japanese site (profile snapshot)
Nitori (Japanese site) -- Reuters stock quote
Fast Retailing (parent of Uniqlo)
Ryohin Keikaku (parent of Muji -- pictured is a Muji house)

Find out why (value is a large part of it) a select few, such as those noted above, are doing better than others at The Economist, "Winner's In Japan's Recession: Gloom and boom."

Goodbye Kitty?

Hemera/Thinkstock

In a bid to raise its international profile, Tokyo has appointed three young women as cultural envoys because they represent Japan's long-running craze for all things cute.

Does that mean Hello Kitty (pictured above) is history? Let's hope not.

Read more here.

Designer Labels Are Losing Their Appeal in Japan

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Considered the world's leader in luxury goods, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, canceled plans to rent a 10-story building in central Tokyo for a new flagship store. It shows how the global economic downturn has hit Japan, one of the most important markets for the luxury-goods industry.

What struck me is this:

Emerging markets make up about 15% of the luxury-goods sector's overall sales and had in some places been reporting double-digit growth. But as the global financial crisis has knocked down Chinese and Russian stock and property markets, wealthy consumers are under pressure to cut spending.
Japan, meanwhile, makes up 12% of the luxury sector's global sales of €175 billion ($240 billion), according to a Bain & Co. study released last month. But the Bain study said Japan's luxury sales are expected to decline 7% in 2008, after a 2% decline in 2007. LVMH reported that in the first nine months of 2008 Japan sales were down 7%, as its world-wide sales grew 4.5% in the period to €11.6 billion.

Who would think that emerging markets would be snatching up expensive luxury goods?

Read the entire article here.

What's Ahead in Our Brave New Cyberworld

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Here's a post I did for the Small Business Trends blog which focuses on social media tools, globalization and what's ahead in our brave new cyberworld.

... My interest has always been to track trends before they affect us. I like to be way out in front, and that’s why I follow closely anything that has to do with global small business trends.

Let me know what you think. Direct link here.