SCCJ and BCCJ (British Chamber of Commerce in Japan) co-hosted a panel discussion event on May 21 regarding the future of mobility connected to the concept of ACES - Automated, Connected, Electric and Shared vehicles. Some 70 participants from BCCJ and SCCJ joined to get a glimpse of what the future will bring in terms of personal transportation. Takayuki Kimura, President of Volvo Car Japan and Martin Krantz, Founder and CEO of Smart Eye joined the panel together with Magnus Hansson, President of Jaguar Land Rover Japan. The panel was led by journalist Yumi Kawabata. 

On March 23, SCCJ WIN (Women's Impact Network) organized the workshop with Tove Kinooka, Director, Global Perspective.

This event was for women only, and the limited number of seats sold out very quickly.

With 40 participants, Tove introduced how to redifine "good leadership" including group work and discussions.
How do you define the features of leadership?
Do you believe a quiet person can be a good leader? 

Through a very interactive session, all participants got very useful tips which can be used in their career development. 

On May 16th, Ambassador Magnus Robach hosted the second Ambassador's CEO Advisory Board in his residence.

This time, we were honored to have Mr. Hiroaki Nakanishi, Chairman, Keidanren and Executive Chairman, Hitachi Ltd. join us at the event.

There were 10 representatives from our SCCJ Gold Corporate Members:

Alfa Laval K.K.

Astra Zeneca

Atlas Copco K.K.

Education First (EF)

Epiroc Japan K.K.

Ericsson Japan K.K.

Gadelius Holding Ltd.

Getinge Group Japan K.K.

Munters K.K.

Nishimura & Asahi

On May 17, SCCJ organized SCCJ Academy, where employees can learn know more about Sweden, its culture as well as the lifestyle in Sweden.

We had 30 participants from following companies:

Atos Medical

CellMark Japan

Edith Grove

Höganäs

IKEA

Mölnlycke Health Care

Mycronic

Nord-Lock Japan

Sandvik

Sweden House

UD Trucks

Volvo Car Japan

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean AS

Wexthuset Japan

It was all day event from 9AM to 8PM composed of 5 sessions. Ambassador Robach started the day with sharing his view on the relation between Japan and Sweden. 

There were variety of seminars, i.e. not only learning about the basic of Sweden, but also getting knowledge about its innovation and history.

Some lecturers shared their experience representing Swedish companies in Japan, which inspired the audience.

During lunch, participants tried surströmming, the most smelly food in the world and they also tried Swedish Aquavit singing "Helan Går".

After a full day of sessions, all attendees got a well deserved SCCJ academy diploma to certify this achievement.

<Speakers for SCCJ Academy Spring 2019>

Kenji Suzuki, Dean and Professor, Meiji University

Nigel Asai, Vice Chairman, SCCJ

Dag Klingstedt, President, Koya Group

Yoshiko Buell, President, APEX Co., Ltd.

Keiko Asano, General Manager, Munters

On May 8th, we had an event with Kaori Sasaki from Ewoman to talk about women president in Japan and the diversity index which was develop by herself. 

Around 30 people attended, and the entire session was driven by Keiko Asano, General Manager, Munters.

Ms. Sasaki shared her own experience to start her own company right after her graduation as well as her current business domain.

Guests were very impressed with her career and very interested in knowing more about the diversity index developed for companies, whereby each employee takes an online exam on their knowledge, behaviour and attitude towards diversity and inclusion.

We are happy to announce that we are now able to accept credit cards at events.

You can use VISA, MasterCard, JCB, SAISON Card, American Express, Diners and Discover as well as prepaid IC card such as Suica and Pasmo.

スウェーデン商工会議所ではこの度、イベントにてクレジットカード及び交通系ICカードでのお支払いが可能になりました！

もう会場につく前に銀行に駆け込む心配はありません！

クレジットカードブランドにつきましては、VISA, MasterCard, JCBのほか、セゾンカード、アメリカンエキスプレス、ダイナース及びディスカバーをご利用になれます。

交通系ＩＣカードは以下のカード(Suica, Pasmo 等)でお支払いでできます。

Agreement between Japan and The Kingdom of Sweden on Social Security
The Social Security agreement between Sweden and Japan was signed on Thursday, April 11 in Stockholm by Minister Strandhäll and Ambassador Hiroki, after more than 10 years of negotiations.

The Agreement allows for individuals moving between the countries to keep social security rights, especially pension rights, that they have acquired. Furthermore, companies and individuals will not have to pay social fees in both countries. It also provides for the possibility to send staff to the other country for up to five years while the individual remains in the sending country’s social security system. In short: the Agreement will simplify movement between the countries, both for individuals and for companies.

The agreement can be found in its entirety here https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/000467544.pdf
 

日・スウェーデン社会保障協定の署名

1. 1　4月11日（現地時間同日），スウェーデンのストックホルムにおいて，「社会保障に関する日本国とスウェーデン王国との間の協定」（日・スウェーデン社会保障協定）の署名が，廣木重之駐スウェーデン大使とアンニカ・ストランドヘル・スウェーデン社会保障大臣（H.E.Ms. Annika Strandhäll, Minister of Social Security of the Kingdom of Sweden）との間で行われました。

   2　現在，日・スウェーデン両国からそれぞれ相手国に一時的に派遣される企業駐在員等については，日・スウェーデン双方の年金制度に二重に加入を義務付けられる等の問題が生じています。日・スウェーデン社会保障協定は，これらの問題を解決することを目的としており，この協定の規定により，派遣期間が5年以内の一時派遣被用者等は，原則として，派遣元国の年金制度にのみ加入することとなります。また，両国での保険期間を通算して年金の受給権を確立できることとなります。

   3　この協定の締結により，企業及び駐在員等の負担が軽減され，日・スウェーデン間の人的交流及び経済交流の一層の促進が期待されます。

   ［参考］
   （1）この協定は，ドイツ，英国，韓国，米国，ベルギー，フランス，カナダ，オーストラリア，オランダ，チェコ，スペイン，イタリア，アイルランド，ブラジル，スイス，インド，ハンガリー，ルクセンブルク，フィリピン，スロバキア，中国に次いで，我が国が署名する22番目の社会保障協定。
   （2）スウェーデンの在留邦人は，4,217名（平成29年10月1日現在，外務省・海外在留邦人数調査統計）。
   （3）我が国がこの協定を締結するためには，国会の承認を得る必要がある。
   
   全文はこちらからご覧になれます。https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/000467543.pdf
    

Avtal mellan Konungariket Sverige och Japan om social trygghet
Avtalet samordnar de svenska och japanska allmänna systemen för ålders-, efterlevande- och förtidspension (för svensk del sjuk- och aktivitetsersättning) och styr om en person ska vara försäkrad för dessa förmåner i Sverige eller Japan. Genom att avtalet samordnar de svenska och japanska regelverken så undviks att en person förlorar sina intjänade socialförsäkringsrättigheter, i huvudsak pensionsrättigheter, när han eller hon flyttar mellan länderna.

Läs hela avtalet här: https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000467547.pdf

SCCJ organized the third CEO Roundtable on April 8 at the Embassy of Sweden. 

This time we invited Mr. Dale S. Cook, President of Autoliv Japan as a main speaker.

Also we had 9 companies' representatives from:

ABB

Alfa Laval

Atlas Copco

Climeon

Elekta

Etrion

Höganäs

SKF

Vitrolife

There were 6 nationalities (Sweden, USA, Germany, Luxembourg, Holland, Japan) at the meeting.

First Mr. Cook gave a presentation regarding his company, participants discussed various topics or issues which are in common among Swedish companies doing business in Japan.

We are happy to organize this kind of interactive session and to see the companies from various industries actively join the discussion.

SCCJ organized Sakura party at the new venue, Togo Kinenkan (東郷記念館) in Harajuku last Wednesday, April 3, which around 60 people attended.

This year, we invited Fukagawa Geisha (深川芸者) as special guests.

During the party, they were walking around to talk with guests, and many guests took photos with them.

Guests also enjoyed their beautiful dance performance and playing game together with them. Some of the guests played one of typical Ozashiki-Asobi (playing games with Geisha), Konpira Fune Fune (金毘羅船船). They got excited about the game as you need to drink up the glass of alcohol if you lose the game.

There was also very nice Japanese garden as well as shrine, people enjoyed the great view from the balcony next to the room or walk around the garden.

We are happy to announce that we welcome two new Corporate members SCCJ!

1. APEX Co., Ltd.

New Corporate Member, import business and whole selling for Scandinavian products. The office is located in Gunma.

2. Smart Eye Japan Co., Ltd.

New Associate Member, sales of software for driver monitoring and vehicle safety. The office is located in Roppongi.

Please extend a warm welcome to APEX and Smart Eye Japan.
Contact SCCJ Secretariat if you would like to get introduced to any of our member companies. You can also find contact information by logging in on sccj.org 

We are also pleased to inform that Munters has upgraded to SCCJ Gold Corporate Membership. Contact us to find out how your company can benefit from being a Gold Corporate Member. 

Thank you for your great support!