JETRO Spotlight USA

Welcome to the latest edition of JETRO Spotlight USA, JETRO USA's national e-newsletter featuring the latest articles and events on our website. Each month JETRO brings you relevant and timely articles highlighting business opportunities between the United States and Japan along with updates on JETRO seminars and events.

Contents in this newsletter:

• JETRO Press Release
• 123 Overseas Firms Utilized JETROs Services to Set up a Business in Japan During FY 2008
• News Update
• Companies making progress in Japan
• Updated Information
• How to Set Up a Business in Japan
• Upcoming Events
• 2009 BIO International Convention
• Japanese Monozukuri Practices for the Automotive Industry

JETRO Press Release

123 Overseas Firms Utilized JETROs Services to Set up a Business in Japan During FY 2008

April 2009 – In FY 2008, ending March 2009, a total of 123 overseas firms utilized JETRO’s support and services to either set up a business in Japan or expand their business within Japan...The companies that came from North America operate mainly in business services and software (10), ICT (4), healthcare (3), and automotive (3), among other industries. The following is a list of all 31 firms from North America...
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News Update - Companies making progress in Japan

Keep an eye on what other companies are doing in Japan with this monthly news update. (Links lead to company press releases.)

Mitsubishi UFJ, Morgan Stanley To Form Securities Joint Venture in Japan
New Industry Leader Will Offer Clients in Japan Unmatched Retail and Institutional Platform
March 26, 2009

"Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. ("MUFG") (NYSE: MTU) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) today announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") to form a securities joint venture combining Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co., Ltd. and Morgan Stanley Japan Securities Co., Ltd.

"The signing of the MOU is a significant step forward in one of a number of areas of planned cooperation, reflecting the two companies' goal of maximizing the strategic benefits of a global alliance formed in October 2008. The proposed joint venture will create a new industry leader in Japan offering a large domestic retail brokerage network, a full range of institutional businesses and significant global reach."

Source: Company press release

Diageo [maker of brands including Guinness, Smirnoff Ice, Captain Morgan] and Kirin agree to form Joint Venture in Japan
April 6, 2009

"Diageo plc (Diageo) and Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd. (Kirin) today announced an agreement to form a joint venture in Japan to expand distribution of Diageo products and contribute to the growth objectives of both companies…The Diageo premium brands to be sold by Kirin and distributed through Kirin’s nationwide distributor network will include Guinness, Kilkenny and Smirnoff Ice, plus brands already handled by Kirin, namely Captain Morgan rum, Crown Royal, Gilbey’s Gin, Gilbey’s Vodka, Godiva, Myers’s rum, Seagram's Seven Crown and Seagram VO."

Source: Company press release

PPD Opens Office in Tokyo, Japan; Expands drug development services in growing Asian market
April 21, 2009

"PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) today announced the opening of an office in Tokyo, Japan, expanding its Phase II-IV clinical development services in response to growing client demand in East Asia. PPD will provide clinical management services in key therapeutic areas from this location...'Japan offers competitive timelines for site startup and patient enrollment, and the government is making major improvements to streamline drug development, bringing Japan's regulatory timelines more in line with the rest of the world,' said Fred Eshelman, chief executive officer of PPD. 'With our clients increasingly including Japan in their global drug development programs, having a base of operations in Tokyo will enable us to better meet their growing needs.'"

Source: Company press release

Vitrolife Starts a Company in Japan
April 24, 2009

"Vitrolife (STO:VITR) establishes a market organization of its own in Japan to strengthen its position in this market, the next largest in the world with regard to the number of infertility treatments…Demand for infertility treatments continues to be very high in Japan, not least due to the fact that people there are planning to have children later and later in life, which means an increased risk of infertility and a better financial capacity to pay for infertility treatments."

Source: Company press release

See how you can use JETRO's free services to establish your company's office in Japan.

Updated Information

How to Set Up a Business in Japan

Get the updated overview of the laws, regulations and procedures related to setting up a business in Japan, as well as an easy-to-follow Flowchart outlining the basic steps and a Model Case showing approximate start-up costs.
>> Read more

Upcoming Events

See all JETRO Events

We welcome your comments or suggestions for future article topics. Feel free to contact us at www.jetro.org/contact