* * * * * * * * * T E R R I E 'S T A K E * * * * * * *<br>A weekly roundup of news & information from Terrie Lloyd.<br>(<a href="http://www.terrie.com">http://www.terrie.com</a>)<br><br>General Edition Sunday, May 20, 2012, Issue No. 662<br>
<br>+++ INDEX<br><br>- What's New -- Health Food Boom Continues<br>- News -- Rakuten invests JPY4-5bn into Pinterest.com<br>- Upcoming Events<br>- Corrections/Feedback<br>- Travel Destinations Picks -- Wakayama and Tochigi<br>
- News Credits<br><br>SUBSCRIBE to, UNSUBSCRIBE from Terrie's Take at:<br><a href="http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/terrie">http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/terrie</a><br><br>BACK ISSUES<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/terries_take">http://www.japaninc.com/terries_take</a>, or,<br>
<a href="http://mailman.japaninc.com/pipermail/terrie/">http://mailman.japaninc.com/pipermail/terrie/</a><br><br><br>---------- PBXL TOTAL TELEPHONY SOLUTION (TTS) ------------<br><br>PAYING TOO MUCH FOR MONTHLY CALLING CHARGES?<br>
PBXL's Total Telephony Solution is the answer for unlimited<br>domestic and international calling. With PBXL cloud <br>telephony and TTS, enjoy a fully managed solution with zero<br>variable costs. No office is too big or too small to save <br>
money.<br><br>- Unlimited calling within Japan and 23 countries<br>- Flat-rate calling charges based on number of phones<br>- PBXL will review your current bills and save you money<br><br>Check out our website today at <a href="http://en.pbxl.jp">http://en.pbxl.jp</a><br>
e-mail us at <a href="mailto:info@pbxl.jp">info@pbxl.jp</a> or call us at 03-4550-2557<br><br>------------ PBXL is BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS --------------<br><br>+++ WHAT'S NEW<br><br>This weekend we traveled out to Hidaka town in Saitama, <br>
nestled up against the verdant foothills of the Okuchichibu<br>mountain range. We were there to join dozens of others to <br>celebrate Alishan's 2012 Food Festival, at their wonderful <br>riverside warehouse/home/cafe. For those of you who don't <br>
know, Alishan is one of Japan's leading organic food <br>importers and is run by Jack and Fay Bayles. You might know<br>them for Amy's macaroni cheese, Alvarado sprouted grains <br>breads, Aubrey Organics personal care products, and a bunch<br>
of other natural goodies. You can find their web page at <br><a href="http://www.alishan-organics.com">www.alishan-organics.com</a>.<br><br>Alishan is one of the pioneers in imported natural foods in<br>Japan and chatting with Jack we learned that his business <br>
is booming more than ever. Against a general trend towards <br>vegetarian and organic food, the Fukushima power plant <br>crisis last year accentuated the number of people looking <br>for alternative food sources -- particularly natural food <br>
and ingredients imported from abroad. Right up Alishan's,<br>well, ally...<br><br>It's been a pleasure to watch a business that is bringing <br>obvious benefits to Japanese consumers grow from less than <br>10 staff a few years ago to more than 40 now. The Hidaka <br>
location is really out of the way, but Alishan has become <br>famous enough that during the summer floral festival in <br>that area the cafe can get as many as 800 customers a day. <br>That's a lot of people! The company's wholesale and Tengu <br>
Foods mail order businesses are also doing well, and <br>Alishan now brings shipments in by the container load.<br><br>Another company which is doing well from a renewed <br>awareness in health is Ohio, USA-based Vitamix, the food <br>
blender company. Vitamix has two businesses in Japan -- <br>commercial blenders and consumer-level ones. The commercial<br>business has always been solid, but the consumer business <br>struggled for a while. However, their wholesaler told us that in <br>
the last year their volumes have zoomed up from just<br>hundreds to now thousands of units. It's interesting<br>that retail experts in the past would tell Vitamix that <br>their machines were too big and too expensive, and it is <br>
true that their machines sell for 3 times the price of the <br>next most expensive blender. But in the current market, <br>consumers are so focused on staying healthy, they are <br>willingly paying for products that offer clear advantages.<br>
<br>[Continued below...]<br><br>-- NAGAMINE & MISHIMA - Securing Your Success in Japan ---<br><br>Starting a new company in Japan? Looking to streamline<br>your current operations?<br><br>The team of bilingual experts at Nagamine & Mishima is able<br>
to provide high quality accounting, payroll and tax<br>services that both exceed expectations and fit your budget.<br>Our services help customers improve their operations and<br>bottom line results.<br><br>To find out more about our services and how we can help<br>
your business in Japan succeed, please visit our website<br><a href="http://www.nagamine-mishima.com">www.nagamine-mishima.com</a> or reach us directly by telephone<br>at 03-3581-1975 or by email at <a href="mailto:info@nagamine-mishima.com">info@nagamine-mishima.com</a>.<br>
<br>---------- YOUR BOTTOM LINE IS OUR TOP PRIORITY------------<br><br>[...Article continues]<br><br>The growth that the folks at Alishan and Vitamix are <br>witnessing is being repeated across the country in a <br>variety of other companies that have created base <br>
followings for diet, anti-aging, and general health. <br>Talking to people in the health food and health devices <br>industry, the biggest demographic groups of customers are <br>people in their 40's and 50's who want to keep looking <br>
good, followed by younger mothers who are concerned about <br>food safety after Fukushima. Health awareness is not a new <br>trend, but the internet and availability of products means <br>that awareness is high, people are finding value in efficacy <br>
and not just price, and companies in the sector are making<br>money.<br><br>Actually, we find it interesting that this boom in health <br>is juxtaposed with another trend of people cutting <br>expenditures and trying to live more cheaply. The two are <br>
obviously not mutually compatible, and so there appears to <br>be a polarization in the food (and devices) market, with <br>staples going ever lower in terms of pricing, but at the <br>same time new supplements and specialty foods moving up <br>
the value chain due to high buyer demand. Thus bread prices<br>go down while maca, aojiru, and other supplements go up in <br>desirability and price.<br><br>The rise in demand for functional foods is happening across<br>the board and is having a strong positive effect on the <br>
sales volumes of companies involved. Kagome is best<br>known for ketchup, but is also a big player in vegetable<br>juices and probiotics. The company has announced <br>that it is going to double the output of both drinks due to <br>
surging demand. This means that they will be producing <br>about 7.5 megaliters of mixed juice and 12m bottles of <br>probiotic drinks a month.<br><br>Kagome is fortuitously in the middle of another <br>mini-boom as well. After a finding in February by <br>
researchers at Kyoto University that tomatoes contain a <br>fat-burning compound, sales of anything related to tomatoes <br>has started soaring. Supermarkets around the country are <br>reporting sales are up by 20%, while Yahoo Japan's shopping <br>
site merchants dealing in tomato beverages are saying their <br>sales are up 32 times over last year. This level of demand is <br>surprising, given that tomatoes are currently 30% more <br>expensive than they were last year...<br>
<br>Yoghurt is another hot area for development. After a TV <br>program in January claimed that Meiji's R-1 yoghurt, which <br>has a high concentration of exopolysaccharides in its <br>Bulgarian strain lactobacillus, stimulates the immune <br>
system, Meiji said that sales quintupled for the rest of<br>that month and stayed as high in February and March as <br>well. As a result, competitor Morinaga is now releasing a <br>lactoferrin product which is derived from colostrum, the <br>
first milk produced by cows for their calves after birth, <br>and which also stimulates the immune system.<br><br>Yoghurt is a big business in Japan and was worth around <br>JPY250.8bn in FY2011, up 1.9% over the previous year. Given<br>
that the number of kids is falling, the growth can mainly <br>be attributed to women in their 50's, who are concerned <br>about losing bone density as they age, and this is the <br>exact demographic that Danone is targeting.<br>
<br>From the examples above, we think that the market for<br>health food is nowhere near saturated and that there are<br>plenty of opportunities for new players, especially those<br>with imported products. How long will this boom last?<br>
Well, so long as it is the older age groups, who tend to<br>have the most savings and who are doing the buying, <br>probably to boom will run for some time to come.<br>However, we imagine that when the consumption tax <br>
goes up in 2014, this will put a crimp in all luxury goods<br>for a couple of years, so now is the time to establish a<br>beach head with products that are efficacious and <br>build a loyal following.<br><br>...The information janitors/<br>
<br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>-------------------- Delta Air Lines ----------------------<br><br>MORE REASONS TO BOOK AT <a href="http://DELTA.COM">DELTA.COM</a><br><br>Enjoy exclusive online savings by planning your next <br>
vacation with Delta this year. You'll get 3% savings for <br>flights from Japan to the US, Hawaii, Asia, or Micronesia <br>by simply booking online at <a href="http://delta.com">delta.com</a>. All you have to do <br>is book your Economy Class or BusinessElite® flight <br>
following the steps below, and complete your travel by <br>December 31, 2012.<br><br>Here's how to redeem this exclusive online offer:<br>1. Go to <a href="http://delta.com">delta.com</a> "Redeem Certificate" page and enter <br>
WYAVE4GD into the Certificate Number field.<br>2. Enter Redemption code ADFH9EBHQ when prompted.<br>3. Search for your flights. Search result will show <br>Certificate Applied when the discount is applied. Then, <br>complete your booking.<br>
<br>Remember you can make your travel plans anytime by <br>visiting <a href="http://delta.com">delta.com</a>.<br><br>Terms and conditions apply.<br>Please visit <a href="http://delta.com">delta.com</a> for full details.<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>+++ NEWS<br><br>- Rakuten invests JPY4-5bn into Pinterest.com<br>- Sumitomo buys NZ forestry resource<br>- Runners fitness boom good for business<br>- Consumer Agency rules against Gree, DeNA on games<br>
- Solar cell sales up in Japan<br><br><br>=> Rakuten invests JPY4-5bn into Pinterest.com<br><br>Rakuten has invested an undisclosed amount, but which is <br>speculated to amount to around JPY4bn-JPY5bn, in fledgling <br>
US SNS operator, Pinterest.com. The Rakuten investment was <br>part of a US$100m tranche that now values Pinterest.com at <br>around US$1.5bn. The 2-year old company had 12m unique <br>users earlier this year, and this number is expected to <br>
double by year-end. Rakuten says that it will create a <br>Japanese version of Pinterest.com and use it to increase <br>traffic to Rakuten's other sites. ***Ed: We started using <br>Pinterest.com a few months back -- not sure whether we like<br>
it or not, but the idea of letting people collect images <br>certainly makes it visually appealing...** (Source: TT <br>commentary from <a href="http://redorbit.com">redorbit.com</a>, May 18, 2012)<br><br><a href="http://bit.ly/KmbSmu">http://bit.ly/KmbSmu</a> <br>
<br>=> Sumitomo buys NZ forestry resource<br><br>While politicians argue about whether Japan should restrict<br>foreign purchases of forest land here, a misguided <br>discussion in our opinion, they should look at the freedom <br>
Japanese companies have in other countries. Sumitomo has <br>just announced that it has bought for JPY8bn a forest <br>management company that will give it control of 36,000 <br>hectares of trees in the north island of New Zealand. <br>
Sumitomo bought the rights to the forests from Wood One, a <br>wooden housing materials company. Sumitomo says it will <br>export the harvested timber to buyers in China and India. <br>(Source: TT commentary from <a href="http://e.nikkei.com">e.nikkei.com</a>, May 17, 2012)<br>
<br><a href="http://e.nikkei.com/e/ac/tnks/Nni20120517D1705N02.htm">http://e.nikkei.com/e/ac/tnks/Nni20120517D1705N02.htm</a><br><br>=> Runners fitness boom good for business<br><br>The current running boom is having a beneficial effect on <br>
the nation's top three sporting goods companies. Mizuno <br>said its net profit jumped 11% to JPY3.1bn, with running <br>shoes growing 12% to 8.4m pairs. Asics net profit was also <br>up 14% to JPY12.6bn, and Descente profit was up 18% to <br>
JPY3bn. All three companies are predicting further gains <br>for FY2012 as well. ***Ed: When can we as consumers get <br>wide-toed running shoes here? Oh, and big sizes as <br>well...** (Source: TT commentary from <a href="http://e.nikkei.com">e.nikkei.com</a>, May 17,<br>
2012)<br><br><a href="http://e.nikkei.com/e/ac/tnks/Nni20120517D1705N03.htm">http://e.nikkei.com/e/ac/tnks/Nni20120517D1705N03.htm</a><br><br>=> Consumer Agency rules against Gree, DeNA on games<br><br>The practice by Gree, DeNA and other successful online <br>
games companies, of selling consumers lucky tokens that if <br>matched can be exchanged for online tools and weapons that <br>allow the player to be more successful in their game <br>playing, may soon be a thing of the past. The Consumer <br>
Affairs Agency has ruled such token sales are too close to <br>gambling and are unjustifiable premiums and misleading <br>representations. The Agency says it will set new rules <br>governing online incentives for gamers from July. As a <br>
result, the stock prices of both DeNA and Gree have been <br>falling recently, Gree in particular, which is down a <br>cumulative 49% this year. (Source: TT commentary from <br><a href="http://bloomberg.com">bloomberg.com</a>, May 18, 2012)<br>
<br><a href="http://bloom.bg/K3LJuz">http://bloom.bg/K3LJuz</a> <br><br>=> Solar cell sales up in Japan<br><br>The Japan Photovoltaic Association has issued data <br>showing that the demand for PV cells rose 32.1% in FY2011 <br>
over the year earlier. The demand of 1,404MW is mainly <br>being driven by private consumers who are outfitting their <br>houses with alternative power sources. Sales in <br>January-March alone apparently jumped 38.1% over the <br>
previous year. (Source: TT commentary from <a href="http://reuters.com">reuters.com</a>, May<br>18, 2012)<br><br><a href="http://reut.rs/JGD43U">http://reut.rs/JGD43U</a> <br><br><br><br>NOTE: Broken links<br>Many online news sources remove their articles after just a<br>
few days of posting them, thus breaking our links -- we<br>apologize for the inconvenience.<br><br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>+++ CANDIDATE ROUND UP/VACANCIES<br><br>=> BiOS, a Division of the LINC Media group, is actively<br>
marketing the following positions for customers setting up<br>or expanding in Japan, as well as other employers of<br>bilinguals.<br><br>** HIGHLIGHTED POSITION<br><br>BiOS is urgently looking for a Data Center Salesperson to <br>
work for a global data center services provider in Tokyo. <br>The candidate will be responsible for directly negotiating <br>with both domestic and international clients within Japan <br>for the company’s bilingual data center facility and IT <br>
outsourcing services, as well as coordinating between <br>clients and internal engineer teams to schedule <br>installations, maintenance, etc. You will also be <br>responsible for attending internal sales meetings for <br>
revenue forecast.<br><br>Due to the technical nature and demanding work environment,<br>this position is suitable for someone with more than 3 <br>years of experience selling Data Center Services or IT <br>Infrastructure services. In addition, since this role <br>
requires direct coordination with both regional and global <br>IT teams, native-level Japanese and business-level English <br>will be required.<br><br>Remuneration is JPY5m – JPY8m depending on your experience <br>and skill level.<br>
<br>** POSITIONS VACANT<br><br>- Sales/Recruitment Assistant, BiOS, JPY2.5M – JPY3.5M<br>- Project Mgr (Network), global telco, JPY5.5M – JPY7M<br>- Data Center Engr (Tape Change), global ibank, JPY3M–JPY4M<br>- Senior Support Engineer, BiOS, JPY5M – JPY6M<br>
- Bilingual Desktop Support Engr, global telco, JPY3.5M–4M<br><br>** BiOS Job Mail<br><br>Every 2 weeks BiOS sends out a regular communication to its<br>job seeking candidates, called BiOS Job Mail. Every edition<br>carries a list of BiOS's current and most up-to-date<br>
vacancies, with each entry featuring a short job<br>description and a direct link to the main entry on the BiOS<br>home page. Regardless of whether you are unemployed and<br>searching, thinking about a career change, or just curious<br>
to know if there is something out there that might suit you<br>better, the BiOS Job Mail newsletter is an easy and<br>convenient way for you to stay informed. If you would like<br>to register for the BiOS Job Mail, or to find out more,<br>
please email <a href="mailto:jason.kisling@biosjp.com">jason.kisling@biosjp.com</a>.<br><br>Interested individuals may e-mail resumes to:<br><a href="mailto:jason.kisling@biosjp.com">jason.kisling@biosjp.com</a><br><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>--------- BIOS - Bilingual IT Systems and Support ---------<br><br>BiOS full-service IT solutions does Data Centers.<br><br>Now the largest independently owned bilingual IT support<br>company in Tokyo, BiOS offers some of the most competitive<br>
services available to multinationals whether large or<br>small.<br><br>Data Center staff and managed services, Help Desk, desktop,<br>and network support. Server virtualization, cloud computing<br>hosting and solutions, general software development.<br>
<br>For more information on these and other SI and IT services,<br>in English or Japanese:<br><br>Phone: (03) 4588-2220, Email: <a href="mailto:solutions@biosjp.com">solutions@biosjp.com</a><br>Web: <a href="http://www.biosjp.com">www.biosjp.com</a><br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>+++ UPCOMING EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS<br><br>---------------- Start a Company in Japan -----------------<br>
<br>Entrepreneur's Handbook Seminar 2nd of June, 2012<br><br>If you have been considering setting up your own company,<br>find out what it takes to make it successful. Terrie Lloyd,<br>founder of over 17 start-up companies in Japan, will be <br>
giving an English-language seminar and Q and A on starting <br>up a company in Japan.<br><br>This is an ideal opportunity to find out what is involved,<br>and to ask specific questions that are not normally <br>answered in business books. All materials are in English <br>
and are Japan-focused.<br><br>For more details:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar">http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar</a><br><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>+++ CORRECTIONS/FEEDBACK<br><br>In this section we run comments and corrections submitted<br>by readers. We encourage you to spot our mistakes and<br>
amplify our points, by email, to <a href="mailto:editors@terrie.com">editors@terrie.com</a>.<br><br>=> No feedback this week.<br><br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>----------- Experienced Biz Dev/Interpreter --------------<br>
<br>Ex-investment banker, venture capitalist and current biz<br>dev expert seeks part-time work as interpreter and market<br>development consultant. Knowledgeable in finance, web,<br>technology, and media sectors, with additional experience<br>
in other areas. Good at analyzing problems, creating<br>strategies to get into target firms, and just getting the<br>job done. Native Japanese, high-level English, competent<br>presentation skills.<br><br>Based in Tokyo, available for immediate assignment, OK <br>
with short-term projects. Contacting me for a preliminary<br>meeting and quotation for services is free.<br><br>For more information, contact: <a href="mailto:bigred461696@gmail.com">bigred461696@gmail.com</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>+++ TRAVEL DESTINATIONS PICKS<br><br>=> Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trails, Wakayama-ken<br><br>Pilgrimage – "a long journey or search of great moral <br>
significance", according to Wikipedia, is usually <br>associated with religious or spiritual quests. The Kumano <br>area, a mountain range full of scenic beauty, tradition and<br>mystery, is often referred to as the spiritual heartland of<br>
Japan.<br><br>For over 1,000 years Kumano has attracted Japanese <br>worshippers and seekers. Old trails, more or less intact, <br>cross-cross the Kii-Peninsula, leading to some sacred sites <br>well-worth a detour from the well-trodden “Golden Route” <br>
between Hiroshima and Tokyo that most visitors travel on. <br>Both the Nakahechi trail and the Kohechi trail lead to the <br>Hongu Taisha, the Hongu Grand Shrine, which is one of the <br>Kumano Sanzan, the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano -- which<br>
are all sacred sites for the Japanese.<br><br><a href="http://bit.ly/Jprt9i">http://bit.ly/Jprt9i</a> <br> <br>=> Tosho-gu Shrine’s Secret Magic, Tochigi-ken<br><br>Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate <br>
and his political power continued for 260 years, passing to<br>his descendants. Ieyasu was born in 1542 and died in 1616 <br>in Shizuoka. He left precise instructions concerning his <br>burial service, directing that his body be buried at <br>
Shizuoka, but that the funeral ceremony should be held in <br>Edo, and that a shrine be built in Nikko one year later. <br>Why have three different rituals in three different places? <br><br>Apparently this was a secret magical technique created by<br>
Ieyasu to assure the continuation of the Tokugawa <br>Shogunate. In the ancient days, Polaris was believed to be <br>the King of Stars in the Eastern world and all the other <br>stars moved around it. Ieyasu was really well informed <br>
about asian beliefs such as Shintoism, Buddhism, <br>Confucianism, Taoism, and Onmyo-do (way of Yin and Yang). <br>Making full use of these religious learnings, he sought to <br>immortalize his own soul and protect the Shogunate by using<br>
special lines to connect his birthplace, his burial place, <br>Mt. Fuji, the Edo Castle and his place of enshrinement.<br><br><a href="http://bit.ly/KGbcbm">http://bit.ly/KGbcbm</a> <br><br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br>
<br>***********************************************************<br>END<br><br>SUBSCRIBERS: 8,057 members as of May 20, 2012<br>(We purge our list regularly.)<br><br>+++ ABOUT US<br><br>STAFF<br>Written by: Terrie Lloyd (<a href="mailto:terrie.lloyd@japaninc.com">terrie.lloyd@japaninc.com</a>)<br>
<br>HELP: E-mail <a href="mailto:Terrie-request@mailman.japaninc.com">Terrie-request@mailman.japaninc.com</a><br>with the word 'help' in the subject or body (don't include<br>the quotes), and you will get back a message with<br>
instructions.<br><br>FEEDBACK<br>Send letters (Feedback, Inquiries & Information) to the<br>editor to <a href="mailto:terrie.lloyd@japaninc.com">terrie.lloyd@japaninc.com</a>.<br><br>ADVERTISING INFORMATION<br>For more information on advertising in this newsletter,<br>
Contact <a href="mailto:ads@japaninc.com">ads@japaninc.com</a>.<br><br>SUBSCRIBE<br>Get Terrie's Take by giving your name and email address at<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/free_sign_up">http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/free_sign_up</a>, or go<br>
straight to Mailman at:<br><a href="http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/terrie">http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/terrie</a><br><br>BACK ISSUES<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/terries_take">http://www.japaninc.com/terries_take</a><br>
or, <a href="http://mailman.japaninc.com/pipermail/terrie/">http://mailman.japaninc.com/pipermail/terrie/</a><br><br>Copyright 2012 Japan Inc. Communications Inc.<br><br>----------------- Japan Inc opens up Japan ----------------<br>
<br>J@pan Inc is Japan's only independently published English-<br>language business website. Authoritatively chronicling<br>online the business trends in Japan, each posting brings<br>you in-depth analysis of business, people and technology in<br>
the world's second largest economy.<br><br>Visit <a href="http://www.japaninc.com">www.japaninc.com</a> for the best business insight on<br>Japan available.<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br><br>