The APCAC Business Summit that ACCJ will host March 1 and 2 will be an excellent opportunity to learn what is going on in Japan and around the Asian region. Topics have been designed to give attendees information on a wide range of subjects from disaster recovery and supply chain management to the best ideas of how to stimulate growth in APCAC member economies. A panel of experts will explore what the Trans Pacific Partnership means for Japan and for the future of American business in Asia. ACCJ is in the information dissemination business and you need to be at the APCAC meeting to tap into this rich vein of ideas, trends and insights from Asia’s private and public sector leaders.
Sam Kidder, ACCJ Executive Director
In addition to information, ACCJ also works hard at our second pillar of activity, advocacy. The APCAC Summit provides a very interesting angle in this regard. ACCJ speaks to the Japanese government through many channels. We have our annual Diet Door Knock; we have regular events with Japanese Diet Members and ministry officials. We produce a wide range of Viewpoints and other advocacy documents that we use in our discussions with policy makers. But the APCAC opportunity is more indirect. APCAC will put American business interests in a broader Asian context and thus will present our Japanese colleagues with a window to look beyond our bilateral discussions. The Obama Administration has been talking about a “pivot” towards increased American engagement in Asia this year. The APCAC Summit is an opportunity for American officials to showcase this policy direction.
But perhaps most significant, the APCAC Summit will be a wonderful networking opportunity. Not only will attendees be able to hear from and interact with the best and the brightest from Japan and America but there will also be dozens of people both on the podium and in the audience with wide experience throughout the region. We will be hosting the Senior Commercial Officers from APCAC member countries and you will be able to schedule one-on-one meetings to take advantage of their wealth of local knowledge. In two days in Tokyo you will be able to accomplish much of what you might try to do in several weeks of traveling in the region.
In addition to conversations over meals and networking in the corridors of the conference, Ambassador Roos has agreed to host a reception at the Embassy Residence and there are plans for other social activities that will allow for many mixing opportunities.
But you need to be there, or rather, here. So if you haven’t signed up yet, please take a look at our site at www.apcacjapan.com and register. You’ll want to be part of this crowd.
