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Issue 38       [November 2009] 
                           OCCI e-Magazine
                http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/e/index.html
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[CONTENTS, November 2009]
1. 'OCCI Mission to the U.S.' (OCCI Chairman A. Nomura as the Leader and 
     Vice Chairman M. Kato as the Deputy Leader) visits New York, Minneapolis and Chicago

2. OCCI sends representative to join Delegation 
     to St. Petersburg (Russia) and Hamburg (Germany)

3. Trends this autumn - Reflected in the Activities of OCCI International Div.

4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors
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1. 'OCCI Mission to the U.S.' (OCCI Chairman A. Nomura as the Leader and 
      Vice Chairman M. Kato as the Deputy Leader) visits New York, Minneapolis and Chicago

   OCCI Mission to the U.S. was dispatched (with 13 members led by the above Leader 
and Deputy Leader) during October 17 - 25 to visit New York, Minneapolis and Chicago 
where members met with business leaders of local and Japanese companies to grasp 
firsthand status quo of the U.S. economy in various phases. In Minneapolis, 
the Mission strengthened cooperative relations with the state of Minnesota, home to 
a world-class cluster of medical devices, instruments and appliances, and in Chicago, 
the Mission focused on promotion of the Kansai International Airport and related issues.

   The Mission members had opportunities in New York and Chicago to visit JETRO centers and 
Japanese companies to gain firsthand information on the up-to-the-minute conditions of the U.S. economy 
and business trends, as well as to meet with the Japanese Ambassador and 
Consul General S. Nishimiya in New York and also Consul General G. Hisaeda in Chicago.

   Through all these meetings, it was pointed out that while the U.S. economy seems 
to have tided over the worst part of the crisis, conditions generally remain rather severe 
with unemployment rate exceeding 10% in the states where many manufacturers are based and 
the construction sectors' turnover reaching only about 50% of the previous year.

   In Minneapolis, the Mission joined forces with OCCI's 'Fact-finding Delegation to Minnesota' 
to visit the largest North American medical supply display exhibition called 
"Medical Design & Manufacturing MINEAPOLIS", and explored opportunities for cooperation 
between Osaka/Kansai and Minnesota. More specifically, those concerned in Minnesota will probably 
be invited to the "World Forum for Bio/Medical Device in Kansai" to be held in February 2010.

   In Chicago, Chairman Nomura and President Fukushima (Kansai International Airport Co., Ltd.) 
visited the United Airlines head office and introduced the great potentials of Kansai supported 
by the concentration of new industries in the Bay Area and also the incentives in landing charges etc. 
to request resumption of once reduced Kansai - San Francisco flights.


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2. OCCI sends representative to join Delegation to St. Petersburg (Russia) and Hamburg (Germany)

   A section manager was sent to represent OCCI in the 'City of Osaka Delegation for the 30th Anniversary 
of Osaka - St. Petersburg Sister City Affiliation and the 20th Anniversary of Osaka - Hamburg Friendship 
City Affiliation' visiting these cities during October 19 - 28.

   At the Osaka Business and Networking Seminar held there, the OCCI representative called out 
to participants for their and other companies' participation in the OCCI - sponsored 
"Digital Concept Partners (DCP)". DCP was organized by OCCI to function as a system to facilitate 
development of new products by introducing Japanese and foreign companies' new technologies or 
business plans to the Osaka / Kansai's major corporations engaged in manufacturing, or dealing 
in household electronic / electrical appliances, IT, telecommunications etc. Some of them having been 
introduced in the past from those in business or governmental organizations in the U.S., Canada 
and the U.K. are now at the final stages to be developed into new products.


   For any inquiry, please contact: 
      DCP: http://www.neocluster.jp/dcp/eng/e_index.html

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3. Trends this autumn - Reflected in the Activities of OCCI International Div.

   One of the main functions of the OCCI International Div. is to receive delegations and visitors 
from around the world and to conduct meetings and organize seminars or other events 
for requested purposes. Trends this autumn reflected in such activities show marked increase in 
those from Europe, over the past years. Since September this year we have been conducting mostly 
investment seminars for countries like Lithuania, Italy, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech, France etc., 
bringing about responses from seminar participants; "---firsthand information through direct voices 
of those in charge in the country or those of Japanese companies locally operating proved helpful 
in making decision on investment", "---these seminars help us make sure of the preparedness 
of the country inviting investments", "---quite useful in deciding on the countries for long or 
short-term investments". These responses are leading to more specific inquiries for actual investments.

   We have been honored by the visit (Oct. 8) of Vice President Doris Leuthard of Swiss Confederation 
with whom Japan's Economic Partnership Agreement came into effect on September 1st. Quite noticeably, 
business exchange relations are deepening between the Osaka / Kansai region and European countries.

   For Asia, seminars have been held for China, Thailand, Vietnam as well as for the Philippines, 
Malaysia and Sri Lanka. To be held very soon on December 1st is "2009 Japan-China Business Forum in Kansai" 
which, as the succeeding event after 'Japan-China Economic Conference' that was annually conducted 
for 8 years (2001-2008), will be held with more business-oriented programs. For the event this year, 
not only a seminar with Osaka's  favorite theme 'Environment and Energy-saving' but also 
one-to-one meetings for business talks will be conducted for business-matching between about 30 companies 
participating from China and appropriate Japanese companies.


   For any inquiry, please contact: 
      International Division, OCCI : [Tel +81-6-6944-6400]

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4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors

*  October 29 (Thu.)  Mr. John Key, Prime Minister
                      New Zealand

*  November 5 (Thu.)  Mr. Jaromir NOVOTNY, Ambassador
                      Embassy of the Czech Republic in Japan

*  November 16 (Mon.) Mr. John Victor ROOS, Ambassador
                      Embassy of the United States of America in Japan

*  November 18 (Wed.) Mr. Noor Muhammad JADMANI, Ambassador
                      Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Japan


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