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April 2015

Japan Society Hosts Yoshihiko Miyauchi, Senior Chairman of ORIX Corporation

Recently, staff had the opportunity to hear a famed Japanese company executive talk about the changes that are occurring in Japanese management styles. This talk was timely, coming as it did after one by a senior manager at Ajinomoto about selling Japanese products overseas. Mr. Miyauchi, like most company executives from that time period, in 1960, went to work straight out of college. At that time, Japan was going through an economic renaissance. Just a few years after regaining its sovereignty and beginning to rebuild after World War II, Japan was everything about risk-taking. Companies made huge bets on the future and for the most part they paid off –… Read More »Japan Society Hosts Yoshihiko Miyauchi, Senior Chairman of ORIX Corporation

Center on Japanese Economy and Business, Columbia Business School – Zadankai

Thursday 23rd April 2015 Gyoza, Rice and Noodles for the U.S. Mainstream Market Recently, staff from the Japan Local Government Center had a unique opportunity to listen to a high level Japanese corporate executive talk about how his company intends to gain access to the mainstream U.S. consumer market. Mr. Hiroshi Kaho, general manager for business strategy and development at Ajinomoto Company, Inc., gave a short talk in English followed by an interesting question and answer session. What is really significant about this opportunity is the chance to hear from an insider what strategy is needed to market Japanese products in a mainstream market like the United States. As Japanese… Read More »Center on Japanese Economy and Business, Columbia Business School – Zadankai

Build It Back Audit Details Failures & Recommends Future Actions

The New York City Comptroller’s Office issued an audit report on March 31st detailing the failings of the city’s Build It Back program for single-family homes, begun by Mayor Bloomberg in 2013 and continued, with major changes, by Mayor de Blasio. Based on an audit of the program and information from six public hearings conducted by the Comptroller’s Office, the report is damning in its assessment of the ongoing failure of the city’s Housing Recovery Office (HRO) and the Mayor’s Office to properly monitor and oversee the program, resulting in unnecessary hardship for homeowners affected by Hurricane Sandy and millions of dollars of waste and improper payments. Broad Channel, Queens,… Read More »Build It Back Audit Details Failures & Recommends Future Actions