The 'JIN' Japan Inc Newsletter<br>A weekly opinion piece on social, economic and political trends<br>in Japan.<br>Issue No. 457 Wednesday March 19, 2008, Tokyo<br><br><br>-------------------HOW PBXL IS DIFFERENT-------------------<br>
<br>PBXL, Japan's leading Cisco hosted telephony provider,<br>is easy to use and understand.<br><br>1) Pick a plan for your office (Knight, Bishop, King)<br>2) Pick your phones (Standard, Advanced, Premier)<br><br>and your ordering is complete!<br>
One week rush orders also available for that 'just-in-time'<br>office setup.<br><br>Get your new phones in three simple steps:<br><a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/plans">http://www.pbxl.jp/plans</a><br><br>Call us today!<br>
03-4550-2557<br><a href="mailto:info@pbxl.jp">info@pbxl.jp</a><br><br>Monthly seminars at Cisco HQ: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/seminarstt">http://www.pbxl.jp/seminarstt</a><br>More about PBXL: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2">http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2</a><br>
<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>The poet WB Yeats was fascinated by Japan. He cherished a sword <br>that was presented to him as a gift by Junzo Sato in 1920 – <br>featured in his poem 'A Dialogue of Self and Soul' – and later, <br>
Zen Buddhism made a significant impact on his writings. However,<br>according to the Ireland in Japan society, people to people <br>links between Japan and Ireland go back to at least 1704, when <br>sailor Robert Hansen was captured off the coast of Kyushu. <br>
Later, in the nineteenth century, John William Fenton from <br>County Cork ended up training the military brass band in <br>Yokohama and is credited with having composed the original <br>melody for 'Kimigayo' – the Japanese national anthem.<br>
<br>In the modern era, the Irish community of Japan is a vociferous <br>and popular section of the foreign community. Last Sunday, St. <br>Patrick's Day, saw the annual parade down Omotesando – a <br>landmark avenue in the heart of the capital's most fashionable <br>
area, closed off for the occasion. There were gigantic <br>inflatable pints of Guiness, riverdancers, bagpipers, singers, <br>lepricorns and sections of the parade representing all manner of<br>Japan-Irish associations and societies, from the 'Shamrock <br>
Ladies' (who put on Irish-themed events) to the local Gaelic <br>football team. It was an enchanting spectacle, with both <br>Japanese and foreigners from all over world celebrating <br>Irishness. There were painted faces, oversize green hats and <br>
the occasional stab at a jig or a song. Other Gaelic communities<br>also managed to get involved – we spotted at least one Scottish <br>flag and the 'Bretons of Japan' also made an appearance in the <br>parade. <br><br>We spoke to Neil Day, General Manager of Paddy Foley's Irish Pub<br>
in Roppongi, who was leader of the parade. He told us that this <br>year was the 17th parade but that it has evolved a lot since it <br>first started – he was there at the first one when there were <br>about 50 people and it took only 20 minutes to complete the <br>
route. Things have certainly moved on since then with Sunday's <br>event attracting thousands and taking up a good chunk of the <br>afternoon. 'Back in the day there were no Irish pubs in Tokyo <br>but today there are about 30 and those, together of course with <br>
the energetic enthusiasm of the INJ (Irish Network Japan), have <br>seen St. Patrick's Day really take off in Japan.' The INJ that <br>Mr Day refers to (<a href="http://www.inj.or.jp/index_e.html">http://www.inj.or.jp/index_e.html</a>) is the key <br>
driving force behind the event and is a hub for many of the 1200<br>or so Irish people living in Japan as well as many others who <br>have some sort of connection to the country. For Day the parade <br>is 'a chance for everyone to have the opportunity to feel Irish <br>
and to celebrate Irish culture – it was an honor to be Grand <br>Marshall. '<br><br>------------------------------------------------------------<br>Is your corporate identity all over the place?<br><br>fusionbureau offers clients the opportunity to present a<br>
consistent, high quality face to their customers.<br>Your web site, visual materials and work environment may<br>be sending mixed signals to your customers and also to<br>your own employees.<br>fusionbureau is a multi-disciplinary design consultancy<br>
based in Minami-Aoyama. We will work with you to develop<br>websites, logos, business cards, brochures, stationery and<br>interiors that communicate to customers and employees alike,<br>exactly what your business is all about.<br>
<br>For more information visit <a href="http://www.fusionbureau.com">www.fusionbureau.com</a><br>or email <a href="mailto:greg@fusionbureau.com">greg@fusionbureau.com</a><br>------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>Last year, Ireland and Japan celebrated 50 years of diplomatic <br>relations and Tokyo Tower was lit up green. This year the theme <br>is 'another 50 years' and to mark this the two governments have <br>introduced an work exchange visa that will make it easier for <br>
Irish people to work in Japan and visa versa. In terms of <br>business, both countries enjoy a growing relationship; the Japan<br>Ireland Economic Association was founded in 1973 and this <br>January re-established itself as the Ireland Japan Chamber of <br>
Commerce. Among its corporate members are financial planners <br>IFG Asia, IT outsourcing unit EIRE systems and MHD Diageo along <br>with Japanese members Astellas pharmaceuticals (who have a plant<br>in Killorglin) and Fujikin technology (who have a production <br>
unit in Waterford); this illustrates a genuinely cross-industry <br>level of involvement and interaction.<br><br>Culturally, as well as Yeats' interest, James Joyce apparently<br>met some Japanese writers in Paris and words such as 'kaminari'<br>
(thunder) found themselves woven in to the rich linguistic <br>tapestry of 'Finnegan's Wake.' (<a href="http://winki.co.uk/~0X2m">http://winki.co.uk/~0X2m</a>)<br>Meanwhile Irish dancing is very popular in Japan and one of<br>
the Riverdance show cast members Takayuki Hayashi quit his job<br>as an IT consultant in Tokyo to pursue his dream of starring in <br>the show after he saw it performed in Japan in 2000. Needless<br>to say, the Japan Irish Dancing Association was out in force on<br>
St Patrick's Day.<br><br><br>For readers wishing to find out more about Japan-Ireland <br>relations we recommend the following sites:<br><a href="http://www.irishembassy.jp/">http://www.irishembassy.jp/</a><br><a href="http://www.inj.or.jp/index_e.html">http://www.inj.or.jp/index_e.html</a><br>
<a href="http://www.ie.emb-japan.go.jp/">http://www.ie.emb-japan.go.jp/</a><br><a href="http://www.jiea.org/">http://www.jiea.org/</a><br><br>By Peter Harris<br>Editor-in-Chief<br><br>------------ Translation/Marketing Service ----------------<br>
<br>The J@pan Inc Translation/Marketing team now offers<br>translation and marketing services for companies to help<br>them enhance their performance internationally.<br><br>Our services include:<br>- Professional translation<br>
- Catchy copy writing<br>- Strategic design<br>- Effective PR<br>- Direct marketing<br><br>Recent projects have included:<br>- Corporate report translation and desktop publishing<br>- In-house magazine translation and desktop publishing<br>
- Annual report translation<br>- Company legal document translation<br>- Government PR brochure copy writing and design<br>- DM service targeting senior executives<br><br>Please contact at <a href="mailto:marketing@japaninc.com">marketing@japaninc.com</a> for more details.<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>++Events<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>Marcus Evans Events - Supported by J@pan Inc<br><br>-Customer Relationship Excellence<br>
15th - 16th April 2008, Hilton Tokyo<br><a href="http://www.marcusevans.com/html/eventdetail.asp?eventID=13548">http://www.marcusevans.com/html/eventdetail.asp?eventID=13548</a><br>This event features leading speakers from Daihatsu Motor,<br>
Daimler Japan, General Motors, Honda Motor, Nissan Motor,<br>Mitsubishi Motors, Toyota Motor and Johnson Controls<br>Automotive Systems Corporation. Don't miss this out!<br><br>-Compensation and Benefits<br>27th - 28th May, Tokyo<br>
This event provides Japanese firms the understanding and<br>'how-to' of investing in their employees for the purpose<br>of sustaining their businesses Corporations nowadays need<br>to formulate a business-driven compensation policy that<br>
leverages human capital to drive corporate growth.<br><br>'J@pan Inc readers are entitled to a 10% discount upon<br>registration with Ms. Esther Wong.'<br><br>For further details and brochures, please contact:<br>
Ms. Esther Wong<br>Tel No: +603 2723 6736<br>Fax No: +603 2723 6699<br>Email add: <a href="mailto:estherw@marcusevanskl.com">estherw@marcusevanskl.com</a><br><br>----------------------------------------------------------<br clear="all">
<br>