Tokyo (SCCIJ) – Almost 50 members and guests of the SCCIJ came to listen to the core message of March Luncheon speaker Mr. Hiroyuki Ishige, Chairman and CEO of the export and investment promotion agency, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO): “We will support you in Japan and Switzerland.” Mr. Ishige gave a short keynote speech on the progress of the economic integration and free trade agreements in Asia and focused on new issues surrounding the future of trade. He also spoke about Japan’s strategy for the expansion of global trade and investment and answered questions of the audience in an extended Q&A session.
Support for both directions
“Talk to JETRO first – about business in Japan”. This call to action was printed on the front page of a JETRO pamphlet which was distributed to the guests of the Luncheon.
At the Luncheon, Mr. Ishige introduced several successful cases of business collaboration between Japanese and Swiss companies both in Japan and Switzerland. After that, he expressed an identical message for Swiss companies in Japan and Switzerland. “Whether you are partnering with Japanese companies in Japan or in Switzerland, JETRO can support you,” the JETRO head said. JETRO would help to introduce Japanese companies to the Swiss market, but also support Swiss companies to succeed in Japan.
SCCIJ March Luncheon
SCCIJ March Luncheon speaker Mr. Hiroyuki Ishige, Chairman and CEO of the export promotion agency, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
Mr. Jean-François Paroz, Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan (left) with Luncheon speaker Mr. Ishige (second from left) with members and advisors of the SCCIJ Executive Committee
Biography of the speaker
Mr. Hiroyuki Ishige, born on December 8, 1950, graduated from the University of Tokyo with a degree in Economics in 1974 and entered the then Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). Mr. Ishige spent the three years from 1989 to 1992 as First Secretary and Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva (Switzerland). From there, he rose further through the ranks of MITI, later renamed as METI, until he reached in 2008 the position of Vice-Minister for International Affairs. In 2010, he became an advisor of Sompo Japan Insurance and in 2011 was named Chairman and CEO of JETRO.
Text and photos: Martin Fritz for SCCIJ
