GREATER NAGOYA INITIATIVE e-Newsletter Issue No.35

GREATER NAGOYA INITIATIVE e-Newsletter  Issue No.35 (April 2009)

Greater Nagoya Means Greater Business Opportunities

https://greaternagoya.org/

1. Report: Greater Nagoya Initiative Annual Meeting (March 30 ’09)

2. Advancement: Chun Zu Machinery Industry Co., Ltd launches in Greater Nagoya

3. International Communication: Bilbao city & Basque Country Delegation Visits Greater Nagoya (Feb 17 ‘09)

4. Leisure: Linimo to visit Morikoro Park and Rainwater plate to N-th Power in Ai-Park

On March 30th, board members of Greater Nagoya Initiative (GNI), the decision makers of planning direction of the Initiative, held an annual meeting to discuss the current economic situation and share their thoughts about industrial trends in Greater Nagaya area. The members also shared their ideas and proposals to attract more foreign companies that plan to expand and open businesses in Greater Nagoya.

For the fiscal year 2008, 16 foreign-affiliated corporations successfully established their offices in the region with the Initiative’s support. In FY2008, GNI invited 44 overseas companies and promoted activity in four exhibitions within Japan. 372 business matchings were organized for the invitees to meet with local companies who were willing to do the business internationally, and many of those who had the meetings have been keeping and enhancing their relationships afterwards.

During FY 2008, GNI went overseas five times to promotion the region. Membership of the GNI Partners Club has increased to more than 450 corporations and organizations after new 50 organizations applied in FY2008. The Club members consist of those who seek foreign firms to do business with them. GNI plans to focus more on promotional activities to advertise the attractions of the Greater Nagoya area throughout the world. GNI will continue to support not only those planning to establish offices, but also those foreign firms who have already established offices in Greater Nagoya. Staff members will work to support the companies who desire to start their businesses in Greater Nagoya.

OEM manufacturing company in Taiwan, Chun Zu Machinery industry Co., Ltd., established in 1974, expanded their business in Greater Nagoya (Kawagoe-cho, Mie Pref.) in February 10th.

Major products of Chun Zu Machinery Industry Co., Ltd are bolt formers, mini part formers, nut formers, and forming tools. Their goal is to provide satisfactory service to customers through professionalism and innovation in this field.

The new Japanese corporation is a joint venture with a local company, Saito, a bearing processing company. The capital for the new company is 3 million yen to start. The company announced that the reason to pick Greater Nagoya area to do the business was that two companies have been a good business partner from the past. The main service of the company will be sales, after sales and technical services, and after-sales services will be provided to new clients as well as more than 200 machines in factories, which have already used in Japanese companies.

CHUN ZU MACHINERY INDUSTRY CO., LTD: http://www.chunzu.com.tw/chunzu3e/chunzu.htm

Two delegation members from the European seaport city, Bilbao and Basque country Spain arrived in Greater Nagoya on Feb 17. The visitors are Alfonso Martínez Cearra, Director General of Bilbao Metropoli-30 and Mikel Burzako Samper, Director of Foreign Affairs of Basque Government.

Mr. Alfonso and Mr. Samper were given a boat tour of the port of Nagoya. But first, the two were welcomed by Tetsuo Hirayama, a general manager of Greater Nagoya Initiative Center. Alfonso and Samper expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to exchange information on economic situation and regional promotional activities. In the discussion, Alfonso said, “What we need to do is to make a strategic plan for 15 for 20 years later. We do not plan for 5 years later. It should be planned already.”

Alfonso Martinez of Bilbao Metropli 30 spoke about the importance of strategic plan and cultural investment to revitalize and develop the urban area.

They later visited Port of Nagoya and made a courtesy call on Takashi Yamada, executive vice president, Nagoya Port Authority. Two were also escorted to a boat and toured inside the Nagoya bay area,.Yasuhiko Hamano, Captain of Nagoya Port, explained about how the port is operated. Their purpose to visit Greater Nagoya region was to research on the economic and industrial areas in Japan.

Mr. Alfonso and Mr. Samper on the boat to tour inside of the port of Nagoya and receive explanation.

Metropli-30 is the organization aiming to revitalize the area of Bilbao. Bilbao city successfully attracted the region, and in their effort, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was build in 1997. Since then, Bilbao city strategically revitalized the town and as a result, it is one of the hottest tourist spots now.

The revitalization project of Bilbao, Biscay, in the Basque Country region of Spain, represents an encouraging initiative in which all of the Metropolitan Area businesses are involved, including society as a whole, in order to guarantee the project’s success. Bilbao Metropoli-30’s role is to provide a focal point for discussions and co-ordination of all the initiatives for Bilbao’s development.

Bilbao Metropoli-30: http://www.bm30.es/homeage9_uk.html

Basque Governemnt: http://www.euskadi.net/infogv/gobierno_i.htm

The Port of Nagoya: http://www.port-authority.minato.nagoya.jp/english/index.htm

Guggenheim Bilbao: http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/?idioma=en

After the Aichi EXPO 2005, the Park and transportation system have gradually been adapted in the towns of Greater Nagoya. Limino, operated by Aichi Rapid Transit Company Ltd, is the quiet magnetic-levitated train running on an elevated track via nine stations from Fuijgaoka Station (connected to Higashiyama Subway Line) to Yakusa Station (connected to the Aichi Loop Line). It runs on Tobu Kyuryo Line through about 9 km. Linimo plays an important roll as Nagoya citizen’s transportation tool since the train run through the eastern part of Nagoya city, Nagakute-cho area and provides access to center of Business district area of Nagoya city. It also takes people to Aichi Commemorative Park known as Moricoro Park.

Linimo – Aichi Rapid Transit Company Ltd,: http://www.linimo.jp/ (Japanese Only)

Now is the best season to visit Moricoro Park. Cherry trees are blossoming now and peaches are in bloom too. The park still provides places for people to relax even after the Aichi Expo 2005 finished. One attraction is Satsuki and Mei’s House.

Satsuki and Mei are two of the lead characters in the anime movie, “My Neighbor Totoro” by Hayao Miyazaki. This Japanese country house in 1950’s era from the movie was reproduced in the park. People who know that era would be amazed of the smallest details with a delightful bathroom, study room, and garden.

Tel: +81-561 64 1130

Hours: 9.30am-16.30pm

Advanced booking necessary

Admission: 500 yen (adults); 250 yen (children)

To get the park from Nagoya Station, the Nagoya subway to Fujigaoka on the Higashiyama

Line, then change to the Linimo and get off at Ai Chikyuhaku Kinen Koen.

Aichi Commemorative Park (Moricoro Park):

http://www.japan-i.jp/explorejapan/chubu/aichi/inuyama-seto/d8jk7l00000007sl.html

 

Rainwater plate to the n-th power

 

 

A giant ceramic plate, “Tensuizara (or “rainwater plate”) to the n-th power” was exhibited at Seto Site of The Aich Expo 2005, and now the monument is located in Ai-park in Seto City. The plate was produced by Noriaki Kurokawa (Japanese architect) and designed by Katsuhiko Hibino.

Ai-park: http://www.seto-marutto.info/aipark/ (Japanese only)

Resource:  http://www.nagoyawalkathon.com

– The Walkathon is an all-day outdoor festival for charity, open to the public.  It is officially supported by the City of Nagoya and the U.S. Consulate.   It is organized and managed entirely by volunteers from the U.S. business community in Chubu, and Japanese and international friends and associates from all over Japan.