BCCJ hosts “Welcome Wednesday” event for new members

The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) has welcomed new members with a “Welcome Wednesday” event, designed to provide a platform for them to present their respective businesses and initiatives, while fostering greater collaboration and networking opportunities among its diverse community. 

The first speaker, John Camilleri, managing partner at NEO Search Partners K.K., began by describing his company’s tailored recruitment services focused primarily on roles from managerial to C-suite levels. He said the firm’s unique selling point is its focus on strong engagement and networks, something that he believes the BCCJ also offers.

“It’s not just all about the business, it’s about the contacts and the network, and that’s what we try and build for our clients,” he said. “So when clients come to us, we’re not just showing them a resume, we’re showing them what the market thinks of them. And despite Tokyo or Japan being quite a large market, it’s actually quite a small network, especially in the foreign capital business bilingual market, which is essentially 5% of the market,” he said.

While the firm works across most sectors, Camilleri said it has a strong technology practice, with consumer products, automotive and digital transformation also key areas.

Next, Alfonso Asensio, managing director of Jellyfish’s Japan office, introduced the digital transformation agency, which supports companies in their online activities, ranging from data management and generating insights to media strategies. 

The UK-based firm has about 2,000 employees across 30 countries, including around 20 staff in Japan, forming part of the larger New York-based Brandtech Group. 

“Because of the nature of the company, it makes sense for us to be part of this community [at the BCCJ] … we’re looking for a place where we can fit and engage with the market,” he said.

Ascensio added he will be speaking at an upcoming BCCJ event on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on consumer behaviour, including insights on harnessing AI-driven insights to shape brand identity and marketing strategy.

The next speaker was Kevin Newman, VP of business development APJ at Singapore-based INCITE Consulting, which has a strong presence in Japan. The company focuses on specialised AI consulting services, particularly assisting CIOs with integrating advanced technologies and managing legacy systems. 

Newman said being a member of the BCCJ is really important for the company, because it operates “at the C suite, and you have got to have good relationships.”

Sonali Joshi then introduced her distribution, sales and production firm Not That Films, which was established in Japan in 2024 with the aim of connecting the UK and Asia through movies. 

“Our work essentially is about connecting films with audiences, enabling films to start their international journeys, reaching international audiences at major film festivals,” Joshi said.

“Alongside that, we’ll also be representing filmmakers internationally and facilitating international co-productions. Not That Films also works with audiovisual content across a range of platforms, providing translations and subtitles for “all manner of content.”

Joshi and her colleague Chonpel Tsering stressed the value the BCCJ community provides through networking and opportunities to meet like-minded people, which is especially critical for their new firm.

The next speaker was Shigeharu Miwa, business development director at Reframe Japan. Miwa stressed the flexibility of Reframe’s “flex apartment” service, offering fully furnished rental units equipped for flexible stays ranging from one month to a year. 

With its wholly owned buildings in Tokyo, the company targets expatriates and international businesses, eliminating traditional real estate practices such as “reikin” (so-called “key money,” a non-refundable gift to the landlord), as well as lengthy tenant reviews.

“In the traditional real estate market in Japan, reviews for new clients are done by the real estate company. That review is very unknown and unfriendly to people from overseas, but we do only a very basic review … I think it will be a very good thing for people from foreign countries,” he said.

Euisung Lee of Asuene Inc. then shared insights about the ESG-friendly firm’s “carbon-hunting” software, designed to visualise and report corporate carbon emissions. 

Lee detailed how Asuene’s system integrates corporate utility data through APIs to calculate emissions, emphasising its capability to support multinational corporations across varying markets. Operating locally in Japan, Lee said Asuene’s biggest market is in Europe, with the company planning its first London office in April.

“We are Japanese but trying to expand in the UK and Europe … the BCCJ is a good chance for us to connect with you all,” he said.

Sebastian Smith, partner at global law firm K&L Gates, introduced his firm, which has 45 offices globally. In Japan, there are about 35 staff and his key role is to connect clients with the firm’s extensive network. 

Smith said he sees the BCCJ as offering a supportive community in Japan for British expats and businesses. “Life’s a two way street ... It will be nice to have that support network that I would certainly have liked the first time [I was based in Japan several years ago],” he said.

The next speaker was Anthony Gardner of Rugby School Japan, who discussed his role as admissions manager, responsible for increasing enrolments at the newly established British international boarding and day school in Chiba Prefecture. 

Currently serving 250 students from 21 nationalities, Rugby School Japan aims to increase its student population to 400 across a range of nationalities. 

The last speaker was Dr Ikuya Aizawa of Oxford EMI, which focuses on internationalisation and English medium instruction (EMI), consulting to international high schools, universities and governments.

“In Japan, over 400 universities offer some form of English medium courses. So it’s increasingly important for university lecturers to go through and teach training programmes, and we currently deliver courses around the world,” he said.

Aizawa said his firm works with leading Japanese universities including Keio, Meiji, Waseda and the International Christian University, while also creating programmes for high school teachers.

It was noted that Aizawa has come “full circle” in his current UK-based role with BCCJ member Oxford EMI, having previously interned for the BCCJ in Tokyo.