Activities Report for FY2018
1. Projects on export promotion
(1) The fairs, events, business meetings to promote the prefectural products
① Thailand
a. Inviting Thai medias to Fukushima prefecture
Date | July 24, 2018 |
Venue | Fruit farm and direct sales store in the prefecture, Fukushima Agricultural Technology Center |
Detail | In working with JETRO, we invited members from several Thai medias to Fukushima, taking them for an observation tour of the prefecture’s peach production and inspection system, in the aim of promoting the safety of the agricultural products produced in the prefecture. |
b. In-store promotion by Vice governor and FUKUSHIMA PEACH MATCH
Date | August 6 to 8, 2018 |
Venue | (a) Siam Paragon (a department store) (b) Thupatemi Stadium |
Detail | (a) The Vice governor Hata, together with the football players from Fukushima United FC, performed in-store promotion of Fukushima peach. (b) Fukushima United FC and Air Force Central (a football team in Thailand) had a friendly match in the aim of promoting Fukushima peach. Over a thousand peaches were presented to the Air Force Central as well as to the 1,200 audiences gathered at the stadium. |
c. Emperor’s birthday reception
Date | November 21, 2018 |
Venue | Athens Hotel (Bangkok) |
Detail | At the Emperor’s birthday reception held by Japan Embassy in Thailand, we served the prefecture’s agricultural products and processed foods, promoting its excellent taste and quality. |
② Malaysia
a. In-store promotion of Fukushima’s wash-free rice
Date | (a) January 25 to February 24, 2019 (b) February 15 to 17, 2019 |
Venue | (a)AEON Malaysia Mid-valley (b)ISETAN Kuala Lumpur |
Detail | We performed in-store promotion of Fukushima’s wash-free rice packed in the new-designed bag. |
b. Emperor’s birthday reception
Date | November 29, 2018 |
Venue | Japan Ambassador’s Residence in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) |
Detail | At the Emperor’s birthday reception held by Japan Embassy in Malaysia, we served Fukushima’s agricultural products and processed foods, promoting its excellent taste and quality. |
③ Indonesia
a. In-store promotion of Fukushima peach
Date | August 18 to 19, 2018 |
Venue | AEON Mall BSD City |
Detail | We carried out two-day in-store promotion of Fukushima peach with the prefectural government members together with the local sales staffs. |
b. Emperor’s birthday reception
Date | November 22, 2018 |
Venue | Hotel Mulia (Jakarta) |
Detail | At the Emperor’s birthday Reception held by Japan Embassy in Indonesia, we served Fukushima’s processed foods, promoting its excellent taste and quality. |
④ Singapore
a. Food Expo “FOOD AND HOTEL ASIA 2018”
Date | April 24 to 27, 2018 |
Venue | Singapore Expo |
Detail | We joined, as a Fukushima prefecture booth, the largest Food Expo in Asia where the buyers from over 100 countries and regions gather, along with 9 entrepreneurs from the prefecture, providing them with business opportunities for overseas promotion. |
b. In-store promotion of Fukushima Peach
Date | August 11 to 12, 2018 |
Venue | Meiji-ya Singapore (Local Japanese supermarket) |
Detail | Along with “Fukushima Peach Fair” held at Maiji-ya Singapore on 10th to 19th August, we, together with the prefectural government members, promoted Fukushima peach at a specially prepared booth in the store for two days. |
⑤ The United States
a. “Sakura Matsuri” reception
Date | April 10, 2018 |
Venue | The Japan Ambassador’s residence in Washington DC |
Detail | We promoted Fukushima sake at the “Sakura Matsuri” Reception held by the Ambassador of Japan Mr. Sugiyama and his wife. |
b. Fukushima sake promotion by Governor/FUKUSHIMA Night in New York
Date | May 30, 2018 |
Venue | One World Trade Center 102th View Floor |
Detail | The Governor Uchibori, joined by Fukushima’s sake brewers, promoted Fukushima Sake and local cuisines at the FUKUSHIMA Night held by Fukushima Prefectural Government in the New York. |
c. Opening of “FUKUSHIMA’S SAKE Challenge Shop”
Date | December 1, 2018 |
Venue | New York |
Detail | We have opened the prefecture’s antenna shop “FUKUSHIMA’S SAKE Challenge Shop” in New York of the United States, the Fukushima sake’s major export destination, aiming at promoting Fukushima sake that had won the most gold awards in the Annual Japan Sake Awards for the 6th consecutive year, as well as expanding sales routes and informing the people more about “Fukushima ‘s now”. |
d. Emperor’s birthday reception
Date | (a) December 6, 2018 (b) December 11, 2018 |
Venue | (a) Japan Consul General’s residence in New York (b) Japan Ambassador’s residence in Washington DC |
Detail | Emperor’s birthday receptions were held both in New York and Washington DC, where we joined and served Fukushima sake to promote its excellent quality. |
⑥ Switzerland
a. Reception at “World Economic Forum Annual Meeting” in Davos
Date | January 23, 2019 |
Venue | Central Sporthotel in Davos |
Detail | Continued to the previous year, we joined “Davos, Japan Night 2019” this year again and served Fukushima sake at a booth, distributing the souvenir bags packed with the prefectural products from Fukushima to the visitors. |
⑦France
a. NHK “Fukushima’s sakura blooming in France” Reception
Date | March 26, 2019 |
Venue | Paris Japan Cultural Institute (Paris) |
Detail | In the reception held by NHK and Paris Japan Cultural Institution, we served Fukushima sake and promoted its excellence and quality to the guests. |
⑧ Other
a. Launching EC business
Date | February 22, 2019 |
Detail | We have opened online stores “FUKUSHIMAPRIME” on both Ippin Mall and eBay, launching online selling and global shipping of the prefectural products. |
(2) Financial aid to overseas business promotion
① Assisting expenses for participating in overseas business meeting
We assisted a part of expenses for our members to participate in the overseas business meeting and promotion.
Number of cases: 17 (aid up to 75,000 yen per case)
② Assisting expenses for acquiring certification, compliance with regulations.
We assisted a part of expenses for our members to acquire required certification, to comply with regulation of the region or country for their overseas business.
Number of cases: 1 (aid up to 100,000 yen per case)
(3) Organizing the prefecture’s trade promotion system
In order to organize the prefecture’s trade promotion system, we continued to assign a specialist called “overseas market development manager” to coordinate with trading companies, to have business meetings.
(4) Strengthening overseas market development of the prefectural products
We continued to assign temporary staffs and promoted export survey on the prefectural products, cooperation with JETRO Fukushima, holding of several seminars on trade promotion. Also, we continued to assign a foreign staff to promote Fukushima products overseas and support overseas market development.
2 Developing human resources, disseminating information
(1) Disseminating information on overseas economics
We disseminate helpful information on exhibition events, trade system, regulations of each country received from JETRO Fukushima and other economic organizations, to our members through our website and emails.
(2) Seminars
① Overseas business seminar
Date | 22 May, 2018 |
Venue | Corasse Fukushima, 401 meeting room |
Attendance | 60 |
Theme | Business frontier in Thailand |
Speaker | Mr. Akashi Kanno (Joined JETRO Bangkok until March 2018) Medical Industry Cluster Promotion Unit, Commerce, Industry and Labour Department, Fukushima Prefectural Government |
② Trade strategy seminar
Date | 30 November, 2018 |
Venue | Fukushima Agricultural Technology Center |
Attendance | 36 |
Theme | EC Market (Global online selling) |
Speaker | Mr. Akihiko Yamada (President of j-Grab Inc.,) |
* Co-sponsoring seminars of Fukushima Trade Promotion Council
5/25 | JETRO Fukushima “International business seminar” |
6/7~7/5 | JETRO Fukushima “Trade business basic lectures” (a series of 5 lectures) |
7/17 | Toho Bank “TOHO overseas business support seminar” |
8/23 | JETRO Fukushima “Japan-EU EPA promotion seminar” |
9/13 | JETRO Fukushima “Trade business advanced lecture ” |
11/13 | JETRO Fukushima “Business matching in Fukushima 2018” |
2/5 | Toho Bank “The 12th TOHO Asia business seminar” |