Since 1987, more than 600 companies across Europe have benefited from the knowledge and concrete tools for better approaching the Japanese market provided by the Centre’s training programmes.
The 2-week ‘Get Ready for Japan’ scheme offers EU managers the unique opportunity to experience and understand both the cultural and economic elements which define and explain Japan's business and technological achievements. You can find below a testimonial and an interview with two participants to the 2022 session, which was held in a digital format due to the pandemic. The Centre is pleased to announce that physical sessions in Japan will resume in 2023!
 

Interview 

Interview of Dr Maja Leszczynska, Project Manager AKTYWATOR, Wroclaw University, Department of Information Systems

Why did you decide to take part in this programme?
My main priority was to learn about Japanese customers' environment. I wanted to prepare for my research as well as possible and get an overview of Japanese culture and particularly Japanese business culture.

Did the online version of the programme meet your expectations?
It was my first contact with Japanese culture, and I felt safer getting to know it online. Now I am ready to visit Japan, but I think that this first contact was better via online meetings for me.

What did you like the most during the course?
The programme exceeded my expectations primarily because of its holistic attitude towards presenting knowledge, and it fulfilled all my goals: different enterprises’ case studies, macroeconomic point of view, regional point of view, and a perspective on the economy in case of COVID and the Ukraine crisis… I got a lot of practical experience during this part of the programme, but the most interesting for me was the workshop on communication and negotiations with Japanese businessmen and businesswomen. It was the most engaging and practical activity in the programme. The interactions with Japanese colleagues were the most beneficial. 

Would you recommend this programme to other EU companies and why?
I would highly recommend this course to EU companies, because it helps to better prepare for cooperation with Japanese companies and gives great business opportunities.

TESTIMONIAL 

This programme is full of interesting lectures, interactive workshops

“The invitation to participate in the ‘Get ready for Japan’ programme came exactly at the right moment. This two-week intense programme gave me lots of insight into doing business in Japan, as well as more understanding of the culture and rich history of Japan, even after having been to Japan several times. History, macroeconomics, business communication, and company visits were all part of the programme.

Every day I gathered takeaways which I will definitely use in my communications and relations with Japanese business partners.

This programme is full of interesting lectures, interactive workshops, and the other participants coming from all over Europe made the programme that much more insightful and useful for the future of doing business in Japan. 
I would recommend this programme to everybody who wants to make the first step towards doing business in Japan, and even to those who are already doing business in Japan. I was honoured to be one of the participants of the ‘Get ready for Japan’ programme.”
 

By Nicole Vermeer, CEO, Sunday Brush