BCCJ - The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan

What does it take to build sustainable talent pipelines in Japan? Yesterday, the BCCJ brought together HR and business leaders for an in-depth look at one of the most pressing challenges facing the Japanese market: talent. With a projected shortfall of over 11 million workers by 2040, the need for effective recruitment and retention strategies is urgent. In this session, speakers tackled key questions around leadership hiring, succession planning, and how to avoid costly recruitment missteps. Special thanks to our fantastic speakers: - Heloise Carnet, Robert Walters Japan - for setting the scene with current market trends and government-led initiatives - Dan Ring, Elevate and Brent Conkle (HRBP), Global Leadership Solutions - for sharing data-backed strategies to hire the right leaders and build resilience into your teams - William Nealy, Jr., Shiseido – for a practical case study on how Shiseido is developing leadership frameworks and successfully investing in long-term retention. From competency-based hiring to inclusive leadership pipelines, the discussion offered real-world insights for companies navigating Japan’s shifting talent landscape. Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation, and please stay tuned for more upcoming events on workforce sustainability and leadership in Japan. #Leadership #TalentStrategy #JapanBusiness #HRJapan #SuccessionPlanning #SustainableLeadership

Last Thursday, the BCCJ, in collaboration with the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, welcomed senior representatives from the UK, US, and Japanese space sectors for a focused roundtable on trilateral commercial collaboration. This session provided participants with behind-the-scenes insights into how leading players are navigating the evolving global space economy, from infrastructure, funding and sustainability to innovation and strategic alignment. Special thanks to Jeremy White and the Morrison Foerster Tokyo team for their generous hosting and continued support. And our sincere thanks to all speakers for sharing their unique perspectives: Naoko Sugita, Advisor to Director, Earth Observation Research Center, JAXA Chris Blackerby, Chief Operating Officer, Astroscale JUMPEI NOZAKI, Director & Chief Financial Officer, iSpace Olivier Farache, Chief Revenue Office, Vast #SpaceEconomy #CommercialSpace #SpaceCollaboration #PublicPrivatePartnership

3 Weeks Left to Secure Early Bird Tickets for the British Business Awards 2025! The countdown to BBA 2025 is on. With just three weeks remaining until the 31 July Early Bird deadline, now is the time to reserve your seat(s)/table at the most anticipated event celebrating UK–Japan business and culture. Taking place on Friday, 7 November at Hilton Tokyo, the BBA gala will bring together senior leaders, innovators, and change-makers for an evening of high-level networking, recognition, and celebration. Early Bird pricing ends soon - book now to secure the best available rates: https://lnkd.in/g-cf_YHC More on the BBA 2025: https://lnkd.in/gypSTnin

Finding Success in Japan | 14 July | 16:00 - 17:30 JST | Zoom Webinar With 125+ million consumers, exacting quality standards, and strong disposable incomes, Japan offers a premium market for ambitious businesses. Yet many hesitate—cultural nuances, geographic distance, and unique business practices can make market entry feel daunting. The question isn’t just why Japan… but how to enter successfully. Join us on July 14th for a focused webinar designed to cut through the uncertainty. ✅ Market reality check – Does Japan align with your product or service? ✅ Strategic entry points – Key approaches to minimise risk and cost ✅ The partner factor – How to identify the right local support ✅ Cultural insights that drive success – Beyond language, what really matters? This session is ideal for B2B SMEs exploring Japan but unsure where to start—or how to make entry both flexible and financially viable. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gTBD5hS9 #Export #JapanMarket #GlobalTrade #SMEs #BusinessGrowth #MarketEntry #Startups Michael Dickinson, Ralf Mayer, Giulia Bonanni, Lesley Robinson, Michael Rivera King, DPhil, FCMI

Today, we were joined by Silver Facilitator Jennifer Shinkai PCC for an #IAmRemarkable workshop around building belief and being seen, which revealed a powerful truth: our achievements deserve to be acknowledged, not hidden. In this workshop, we explored: Why is it so challenging to talk openly about our accomplishments? What makes phrases like "I'm proud of what I've done" feel unnatural? For professionals conditioned to equate humility with silence, this session provided a space to reframe self-recognition—not as arrogance, but as authenticity. Through guided reflection and shared stories, participants learned to move from hesitation to confidence. What began as tentative self-sharing grew into a collective shift—not toward boastfulness, but toward owning the value each person brings. #UKJapan #BCCJ

Last week, to mark World Refugee Day, the BCCJ was proud to co-host a special leadership workshop with Refugee Empowerment International and Global Perspectives KK on the theme of Contextually Intelligent Leadership. Using a real-world case study from REI’s work with refugees on the Thai–Myanmar border, participants explored how leaders can better navigate cultural and geopolitical complexity, and how deep contextual understanding can lead to more thoughtful, inclusive and effective decision-making. Key takeaways included: - Making time to process, not just react - Embracing learning from unexpected places and people - Recognising that individual needs and motivations vary widely Huge thanks to facilitators Tove Kinooka, Jane Best OBE and Faïna Ramdani, and to our partners at the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan, The Danish Chamber of Commerce in Japan DCCJ and The Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan SCCJ for their support. Thank you for all who joined us for this important and timely session - and we welcome you to continue learning from the work REI is doing to create sustainable, community-led change around the world. #WorldRefugeeDay #LeadershipDevelopment #ContextualIntelligence #BCCJEvents #REI #UKJapan

Yesterday, the BCCJ was pleased to welcome a visiting delegation from Greater Manchester, led by Mayor Andy Burnham, for a strategic dialogue on strengthening trade and investment ties with Japan. Discussions spanned a range of collaborative opportunities across sectors including advanced manufacturing, green energy, healthcare, digital innovation, and education. The delegation also explored key factors for successful UK market entry into Japan, such as navigating regulatory landscapes, understanding local business culture, and building sustainable, long-term relationships. We look forward to supporting ongoing engagement between Japan and Greater Manchester, and to fostering meaningful partnerships that drive innovation and growth in both regions. #UKJapan #GreaterManchester #AndyBurnham #TradeAndInvestment #BCCJ #MarketExpansion Philomena Chen Richard Lyle Sarah Backley

Last night, the BCCJ welcomed members and guests for a timely discussion on how Artificial Intelligence is transforming talent acquisition and HR. With talent strategies under pressure across industries, our expert speakers shared insights into how AI is being integrated into current recruitment processes, the measurable productivity gains it brings, and the legal and strategic considerations that leaders must now navigate. Thank you to our event sponsor, Robert Walters Japan for making this important conversation possible. And sincere thanks to our speakers for sharing their time and expertise: 🔹 Faye Walshe 🔹 Christopher Snow 🔹 Harold Godsoe 🔹 Ilya Kulyatin 🔹 Nicola Vote We look forward to continuing the conversation as AI continues to reshape the world of work. Please keep an eye out on the BCCJ for future events: https://lnkd.in/g_yC9TFq Photo credits: Raymondo Pasquale Rinaldi #AI #TalentAcquisition #HRTech #WorkforceStrategy #BCCJ

Today, the BCCJ DEI Working Group met under the leadership of our DEI Champion, Junko Kubokawa, to continue building momentum behind meaningful inclusion across the UK-Japan business community. This session focused on concrete steps we’ll take in the months ahead, including: - Creating a shared portal of DEI resources across BCCJ member companies - Sharing data to track progress and identify common goals - Introducing training initiatives and events to build capacity and awareness - Exploring approaches to engage senior leadership in driving DEI forward Huge thanks to all members who joined us today and contributed their insights (not everyone is pictured, but your contributions were very much appreciated!). We look forward to working together to create more inclusive, equitable, and forward-thinking workplaces. If you’re a BCCJ member and want to get involved in this work, we’d look forward to hearing from you.

On 28 May 2025, the BCCJ was pleased to take part in the annual Kansai International Meishi Exchange (KIME) at Conrad Osaka, alongside the American, Canadian, French, German, Italian, Kobe, Belgian-Luxembourg, Osaka, and Ukrainian Chambers of Commerce in Japan. Thank you to everyone who attended this joint-chamber networking event - a valuable opportunity to connect across industries, share insights, and explore new business opportunities in the Kansai region. We look forward to continuing to build relationships and strengthening engagement with the business community in Kansai in the months ahead. Thank you again to all who made this event possible: American Chamber of Commerce in Japan Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (AHK Japan) Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BLCCJ) Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry UCCJ Japan-Ukraine Conrad Osaka コンラッド大阪