Guest Speaker
Business Seminar
For Osaka Innovation Hub: Expanding startup businesses in Singapore
Sep 2018
20 startup entrepreneurs and students from Osaka Innovation Hub visited WASABI Creation as part of their one week study tour in Singapore. Tong (Founder, CEO), together with Yuta Morita (Intern, SMU MBA student) conducted a seminar for the group on how they can expand their businesses from Japan to Singapore. They covered topics such as incorporation in Singapore, Singapore's demographic, consumer behaviour, influencer marketing, popup store marketing, etc. The participants were very interested in these topics and asked many questions such as "What are the common difficulties and errors Japanese companies have when doing business in Singapore." Tong was glad to have shared his experiences and expertise in these areas.
Japanese Lessons
For foreign domestic workers & caretakers
Sep 2018
WASABI Creation was requested by a nursing training school to conduct Japanese lessons to its students comprising of foreign domestic workers and caretakers. The students are attending the school to step up their skills in nursing care for the elderly. As Japan is seriously facing the hit of aging population, and lack of manpower in providing care to the elderly, they have opened up working opportunities in Japan to foreign caretakers.
In view of this, these foreign domestic workers are trying out learning Japanese to equip themselves with the language skill that will enable them to work in Japan in the future.
Guest Speaker
Seminar to Ryokoku University: How Singapore's policies have shaped a multiracial and international society.
2 Sep 2018
A group of 40 students from Ryokoku University, Japan visited WASABI Creation as part of their educational tour in Vietnam and Singapore. WASABI Creation founder, Tong conducted a seminar on Singapore policies that have shaped the country's multiracialism, and built an international society.
More and more Japanese companies realise the need to venture overseas market as its domestic market continue to string due to aging population and depopulation, however there is a lack of talent within Japan who has the experience, skills, and know-how to bring business across boarders. We hope the seminar will be able to share with the students some ideas and tips on how to be a global talent.
Guest Speaker
Seminars to Business Schools in Delhi, India
Aug 2018
WASABI Creation was invited by our partner, Intraversity in Delhi, to conduct talks to students of various business and management colleges in India. Over the week, we visited and met students from Jaipuria School of Business, JK Business School, Institute of Technology And Sciences, and Accurate Institute of Management & Technology. We shared with the students about our business, market trends in Japan and Singapore, and answered the students' questions on entrepreneurship.
WASABI Creation is also in talks with the schools to work with our partner in bringing students to Singapore for educational tour and internship.
Guest Speaker
"How SMU MBA Students can prepare themselves in working with the Japanese?"
6th Jul 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong was invited by SMU MBA Class to speak at "Japanese Business Night". Tong shared about his experiences when he was working as a fresh graduate in Japan, and talked about Japanese business culture that is unique and special to non-Japanese people.
Tong also talked about basic Japanese business etiquette, such as exchanging business cards, and seating positions for Japanese business meetings. The MBA students shown great interest with many questions.
The event ended with a party serving Sushi for everyone.
Entrepreneurship Training Camp 2nd edition
"Partnership with SAI International College Bubhneshwar, India"
June 2018
WASABI Creation hosted 8 Indian students from SAI International College Bubhneshwar over 4 days for an intensive Entrepreneurship Training Camp at WASABI Creation's office. The students worked in groups of 2 on various topics such as coworking space business, India market entry, Japanese F&B market research, as well as overseas travel trends for India.
An extensive research in in these were done by the students, who also came up with creative proposals to implement new business into the fast growing market. Many presentations and discussions were held with the students to finalise the proposal.
At the end of the program, each student received a certificate of participation for their enthusiasm during the program.
WASABI Consulting
"What can Japanese students do to become international professionals?"
16th Mar 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong was contacted by a group of students from Tokyo University, who are interested to learn about doing business internationally, as they planned their self-funded trip to Malaysia and Singapore. A sharing session was conducted over web conference, where Tong answered questions from the students, shared his own experiences, and gave advises to the students what they can do to groom themselves into international professionals.
Here are the reviews and comments from the students.
WASABI Insight vol.10
Business in Japan~
"Japanese Business Culture & Manners"
1st Mar 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong held a seminar sharing his experiences and insights on doing business in Japan, in particular on the topic of "Japanese Business Culture & Manners".
Tong shared from his own personal experience overs the years while he has been working in Japan, and doing business with Japanese companies. As he grew up and went through the education system in Singapore, knowing the language didn't seem to have prepared him enough to work in Japan as a fresh graduate. Tong talked about the episodes he had encountered all these years, and cover some of the basics about "Japanese Business Culture & Manner".
Topics:
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Japanese business culture 101, how are the Japanese thinking?
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Exchanging business cards
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Visiting & hosting a Japanese company
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Useful Japanese expressions for business
More information: Business in Japan~ "Japanese Business Culture & Manners"
Guest Speaker
The Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Singapore (CLAIR, Singapore)
Feb 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong was invited by The Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Singapore (CLAIR, Singapore) to share about WASABI Creation's business and its expertise in helping Japanese companies go global
Tong shared about his past, present, and future projects on how WASABI Creation is bridging Japan, Singapore, and the rest of Asia in terms on Business, Culture, and Tourism. In particular, Tong talked about his observation of how many Japanese companies are facing difficulty in presenting their products to the local markets overseas, and what could be so the solutions to better communicating with local consumers and making online connections for building relationships.
About CLAIR, Singapore
In the Press
SBFが大阪で初セミナー、東南ア進出促進
シンガポール最大の経済団体、シンガポール事業連盟（SBF）は6月1日、大阪で初めてビジネスセミナーを開催する。東南アジア諸国連合（ASEAN）市場への参入を目指す上でシンガポールに拠点を設立するメリットや多くのビジネスチャンスがある同市場の重要性などを説明。日系企業の相談に個別に対応する初の試みも実施する。
「より多くの関西企業に潜在的なビジネスチャンスがある東南アジアを知ってほしい」と話すオン・ディレクター（左）とトン代表＝シンガポール中心部（NNA撮影）
セミナーのタイトルは「アクセスアジア＠シンガポールセミナー2016関西セミナー 日系企業向けASEANでつかむビジネスチャンス」。SBFが主催し、大阪商工会議所がプログラムパートナー、日本とシンガポールを結ぶビジネスコンサルティングを手掛けるシンガポールのワサビ・クリエーションがセミナープロデュース、NNAがメディアパートナーを務める。
幅広い業種の参加見込む
セミナーに出席するSBFのジョシュアナ・オン・ディレクター（グローバル・ビジネス部門）によると、SBFはこれまで、日本では東京、福岡で日系企業向けセミナーを開催したが、大阪では初めて。中小企業を中心に幅広い業種からの参加を見込む。
オン氏は、「14年以来、シンガポールで会社を設立する外資系企業を国・地域別に見ると、米国、オーストリア、日本、中国が特に多い」と説明。「今回のセミナーでは、ビジネス環境等を含めてシンガポールが外資系企業にとって進出しやすい企業であることや、ASEANに多くの商機がある事を紹介したい」と話した。
SBFはセミナーで、◇ASEANでのビジネス機会◇多様性に富むASEAN市場に進出する上での事業戦略策定の重要性◇外資系企業に助言サービスを提供するSBFの「ワンツーワン・ビジネスクリニック」サービスの3点を中心に説明する予定だ。
オン氏は、「ASEAN地域を一つの経済圏と捉えれば、同地域全体の国内総生産（GDP）は世界で7番目に大きく、世界でも特に急成長を遂げている地域。インフラ、小売り、ヘルスケア、製造など多くの分野で商機が見込める。こうした点をより多くの関西企業に伝えたい。」と意気込みを語った。
日本で初めて個別相談サービス提供
SBFは、海外企業がシンガポールを通じてアジア市場へ参入することを支援する「アクセスアジア＠シンガポール」プログラムを推進している。銀行取引や法務・税務、人事等に関する専門家の助言サービスを提供するものだ。セミナーでは、同プログラムに沿って税務、ビジネス環境、不動産、ブランディング戦略などの専門家が講演する。
また同プログラムの一環として、日系企業向けに「ワンツーワン・ビジネスクリニック」サービスも提供。東南アジアでの事業展開について日系企業の相談に個別に乗るもので、要望に応じて特定分野の専門家が対応する。希望する企業は、セミナー当日あるいは翌日に相談することが可能。SBFが日本で同サービスを提供するのは初となる。ワサビ・クリエーション代表のトン・チョッフォン氏は、「セミナー参加登録時に相談内容などを事前に知らせてもらえれば、よりスムーズに対応できる」と話している。
起業家精神息づく関西企業に期待
オン氏は関西地方について、「古くから商人の町として栄え、起業家精神が息づいている。製造をはじめ、飲食、バイオ、エネルギー、環境など多様な産業が集まり、職人も多い地域だ」とコメント。「水や食品など時給自足できる経済構造を持つとも言われているが、だからこそ海外にも目を向けてほしい。長い歴史と伝統によって育まれた商品・サービスをASEANにも持ち込んでもらいたい」と期待を示した。
今後については、年内に東京でもセミナーを開催する予定という。
■社名：株式会社エヌ・エヌ・エー の記載
■ＵＲＬ http://www.nna.jp/ の記載
■この記事は、アジア経済ビジネス情報を発信するＮＮＡ（株式会社エヌ・エ ヌ・エー）の許可を得て掲載しています。
■当該記事の日付 2016年5月24日
SBF organizes their first seminar in Osaka, promoting to expand business in South-East Asia.
On July 1st, SBF, Singapore’s largest economic organization had had their first business seminar in Osaka. In the seminar, they explained the advantages of having their base in Singapore and the importance of the Singapore market in terms of the many business opportunities it possesses. They are also going to take into action, the attempt to give advice individually to the Japanese companies for the first time.
“I want more companies in Kansai to get to know about the potential business chances that exist in South- East Asia” says Director Ong on the left and CEO Tong on the right.
Center part of Singapore (picture taken by NNA)
The title of the seminar is “Access Asia@ Singapore 2016 Kansai Seminar ASEAN Business opportunities for Japanese companies”. SBF hosts the seminar, The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry works as program partner, WASABI Creation, which works on business consulting that connects Japan and Singapore, produces the seminar and NNA works as media partner.
Expecting participation from various fields
According to Director Joshua Ong (Global business sector) from SBF, who is participating in the seminar, SBF has held seminars for Japanese companies in Tokyo and Fukuoka for Japan until now, but never before in Osaka. This time, they are expecting participants from various fields.
Mr.Ong explains, “When we look at foreign companies that was founded in Singapore since 2014 by region and country, many of them came from the U.S., Australia, China and Japan.” Furthermore he claimed “ This time we want to introduce Singapore as a ideal country for foreign companies to expand their business into and that there are a lot of business opportunities in the ASEAN region.
Business opportunities in the ASEAN region◇The importance of project strategy formulation in order to expand business into the diverse ASEAN market◇SBF’s “One-to-one business clinic” service, which provides foreign companies with advising services – These are the three main topics that will be explained in the seminar.
Mr. Ong shared with us his enthusiasm for the up-coming seminar saying, “ If we think of the ASEAN region as one economy, the GDP will be the seventh biggest in the world. In addition, this region is one of the most rapidly developing region in the world. We can expect many business opportunities in various fields such as inflation, retail, health care and manufacturing. I want to show these points to more and more companies in Kansai.”
The first to provide individual advising service in Japan
SBF promotes “Access Asia @ Singapore”, a project in which they support foreign companies expand their business into the Asian market through Singapore. In this project they provide professional advising service on matters such as banking, judicial affairs, tax and human resources. In the seminar, experts from the fields of tax, business environment, housing and branding strategies will give lectures.
As a part of the same program, SBF provides “One-to-one Business Clinic” service for Japanese companies. In this service, Japanese companies can get individual advice on expanding business into South East Asia, and if needed they can also get advice from an expert from the specific field. Companies who wish to get this service can do so on either the day of the seminar or the next day. It will be the first time for SBF to provide this service in Japan. CEO of WASABI Creation, Mr. Tong Cheuk Fung says, “If those who wish to get this service could tell us about what they want to get advice on when registering for the seminar, we could correspond much more smoothly.
Expectation for companies with entrepreneurship from Kansai
Mr. Ong commented about the Kansai region, “It is a place that flourished as a merchants’ town and where entrepreneurship has remained vibrant until today. Various industries including manufacturing, F&B, biotechnology, energy and environment gathers in this region and there are also a number of mechanics here.” He showed his expectation saying, “It is said that the Kansai region has its own economy structure and it can produce and consume food and water for it’s self. However, that is all the more reason why I want them to think about expanding into other countries. I want them to bring the products and services that they have fostered through the long history and tradition into ASEAN.”
As for future plans, SBF is planning to host another seminar in Tokyo this year.
