trust this message finds you well as we enter the early autumn season. I should like to express my sincere gratitude for your continued support and patronage.
I am Mari Cecilia Murata, Managing Director of ICPA International Protocol Co., Ltd.
I am pleased to inform you that our company has entered its eighth year of operations. We are deeply grateful for your ongoing support, which has been instrumental in our progress.
Since our establishment in 2018, we have faced various challenges. Beginning with individual lectures and event hosting, we expanded our services to include organisational training and global expansion. In 2021, our core entity, the Intercultural Protocol Academy Japan (ICPA), attained the status of Japan's sole internationally accredited school in this field.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted our operations. We were compelled to make sudden changes to our business plans and undertake unscheduled IT development, experiencing a particularly challenging period. It is thanks to your warm support and understanding that we have been able to overcome these difficulties and achieve our current recovery. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support.
The Japanese market continues to offer significant opportunities for international businesses. According to the World Bank, Japan remains the world's third-largest economy by nominal GDP, presenting a vast market for goods and services. Moreover, the Japanese government's "Open for Business" initiative has streamlined processes for foreign companies, making it easier than ever to establish and operate businesses in Japan.
Recent data from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) shows that 70% of foreign-affiliated companies plan to expand their business in Japan over the next 1-2 years, citing reasons such as high market potential and a stable business environment. This positive outlook is further supported by Japan's ranking as the 5th easiest place to do business among OECD high-income economies, according to the World Bank's Doing Business 2020 report.
However, to fully capitalise on these opportunities, understanding Japan's unique business culture is crucial. The IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2023 highlights that Japan still faces challenges in 'international experience' and 'language skills', ranking 64th and 62nd respectively out of 64 countries. This underscores the value of partnering with local experts who can bridge cultural gaps and facilitate smooth business operations.
Our services at ICPA are designed to address these exact challenges, helping international professionals and companies navigate Japan's business landscape effectively. We offer tailored training in Japanese business etiquette, communication styles, and negotiation tactics, which have been proven to significantly enhance business outcomes for our clients.
Conducting business with Japan, where smooth communication in English can be challenging and etiquette is highly valued, requires a deep understanding of Japanese culture and manners, as well as mastery of Japan-specific communication methods and business negotiation techniques.
The importance of this learning is evident from past survey results:
- According to a JETRO survey, many foreign-affiliated companies operating in Japan cite 'differences in business culture' as a major challenge and recognise the need for education on 'Japan-specific business practices'.
- The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's 'Global Human Resource Development Survey' reports that many Japanese companies place great importance on foreign employees' understanding of 'Japanese business practices and communication styles'.
- The Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) 'Survey on Recruitment and Human Resource Development' indicates that the vast majority of Japanese companies with global operations either implement or plan to implement 'training on Japanese-style management and business culture' for overseas expatriates and foreign employees.
- A study by the International Business Institute (IBI) reveals that many overseas companies doing business with Japan have experienced obstacles due to 'lack of understanding of Japan-specific business protocols' and find 'specialised training in Japanese business culture' beneficial.
These trends suggest that cultural understanding and appropriate training are essential for business success in Japan. ICPA offers comprehensive and practical training programmes designed to meet precisely these needs.
This term, we shall focus on the following activities:
- Continuation of international protocol and global etiquette education
- Expansion of Japanese protocol and business etiquette training for international professionals
- Organisational training for government agencies, embassies, and global corporations
- Expansion of individual lectures through instructor training, certification issuance, and instructor dispatch
- Further development of e-learning content on cross-cultural communication and Japanese business practices
To provide you with a more detailed understanding of our initiatives, we have prepared information and a presentation video about our organisational training. These materials explain the necessity of global skills and our support system, incorporating specific data. An English version of the video will be available on our website shortly.
The private page of our website can be accessed here:
https://icpa-in.com/training-proposal/
Password: icpa202408
Additionally, we have enclosed our latest brochure with this email. We invite you to peruse it for details about our services and achievements.
ICPA_Training__Brochure.pdf
We should be most grateful if you could review these materials. Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We look forward to your continued guidance and support.
