BCCJ: Helping members promote and build their businesses in Japan

The British Chamber of Commerce is one of the oldest and most active foreign chambers of commerce in Japan. Established in 1948, the BCCJ has about 200 member companies and 800 individuals. The BCCJ’s mission is to strengthen business ties between the UK and Japan, support the business interests of its members, and encourage new British business into the Japanese market as well as Japanese investment into the UK.

Current president of the BCCJ is David Bickle, who assumed the post in April. A tax director at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Bickle previously worked for Kobe Steel and played rugby union for them in the 1990s. He was also selected to play for Japan in 1996.

Japan Today editor Chris Betros visits Bickle at the BCCJ office in Akasaka to hear more about the chamber’s activities.

What is the makeup of your membership?

We have about 200 member companies and 800 individuals. Our aim is to help these companies promote and build their businesses in Japan.

What about Japanese members?

About 10% of our corporate members are Japanese. A lot of Japanese companies have operations in the UK and there are many senior Japanese executives who have spent time in the UK. For many of these people, it’s been a key time in their career. Once they come back to Japan, they want to maintain their lifelong interest in the UK, not only with business but also friends, and the chamber is a good way for them to do that.

Do you do much with smaller UK businesses wanting to enter the Japanese market?

Yes. A lot of smaller UK companies are looking to get involved in Japan. One of our key objectives is to help increase the visibility of smaller niche companies. Often, these companies start off by working closely with UKTI (UK Trade & Investment) and the British Embassy. What the BCCJ can do is provide introductions to people in the marketplace, including via networking events, so that new companies can build relationships.

Has the situation improved for British companies wanting to do business in Japan?

There is a lot of guidance and support now available in the UK for companies who wish to come to the Japanese market. By the time they contact us, they have already had a lot of support on how to think about business culturally, manage their expectations, and how to position their product so that it will be attractive to the Japanese market. In the 1980s and 1990s, many companies came without that knowledge and struggled to succeed.

Are you optimistic about the Japanese economy?

Yes, I believe Japan has huge potential. I would say the outlook is positive. There are great opportunities for companies in the service sector, especially with the 2020 Olympics, Paralympics and Rugby World Cup in 2019. There are a broad range of consulting services involved relating to these events, where many British companies have developed specialist skills that can be offered in Japan if they can establish the right relationships.

What sort of events does the BCCJ organize?

The BCCJ is a platform for business interaction and exchange. One way is to have a good pipeline of high-profile speakers; another is to increase the depth and breadth of the pool of members attending these events. Networking events for members to meet visiting British politicians are always popular. Confirming the schedule of such events can sometime be hard, as the speakers can have quite a fluid schedule, but we have got used to the reality of putting events together at very short notice.

Most events have a business purpose. Our Banner Events feature high-profile speakers discussing topical issues; Inside My Company events involve CEOs talking about how they or their companies have succeeded here; and our Toolbox events focus on functional topics, such as HR, recruitment or SME-related issues. In addition, we host purely social events, such as the 51 Night held once a month. We also collaborate with other foreign chambers, often centered around key business issues, such as the Olympics, for example.

Tell us about the British Business Awards.

This event is now in its 7th year and will be held on Nov 14. It has really grown. Last year, we had 220 people attend and more than 50 nominations in several award categories. The ambassador presents the awards. The purpose is to promote British companies and celebrate the success of British companies, but we are pleased to see that the event is also starting to see increased attendance from the Japanese business community as well.

What charity activities is the BCCJ involved in?

After the March 11, 2011 disaster, we started a back-to-business program in Tohoku. Since then, we have shifted to supporting business issues. Beyond that, we have Books for Smiles, where we work with an NPO called Bridge for Smile. We collect books from all over Japan and all proceeds from the sale are used to provide tuition for youngsters leaving welfare facilities in Japan so they can go into higher education.

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