Tom Whitson
ACCJ President
twhitson@accj.or.jp
Hokkaido was the site of the first big APEC-related business event held in connection with the APEC Trade Ministers conference June 5-6. I had not been to Sapporo in the summer and it is clear that everyone in town is absolutely nuts about flowers. From the airport train through clean air under blue skies, every house had pots and beds of brightly colored flowers in great profusion. In Sapporo itself, the Lilac Festival was in full swing and the air was filled with lilac. It recalled childhood visits to Great Aunt Evelyn who greatly favored that strong floral scent. A huge chunk of central Sapporo is occupied by the Hokkaido University Botanic Gardens. Nature seemed to be running amuck everywhere.
Freshly cut grass along the rushing Toyohira River made a morning jog a completely different experience to running along a Tokyo canal whose waters are murky with heavy metals. Sapporo is a post-Tokugawa city laid out in grid square with some charming 19th century Victorian colonial style buildings. The main fire break through the center of the city has turned into Odori Park where the famous Snow Sculpture Festival is held. Maybe Sapporo is covered with snow most of the year, but June was beautiful and there is NO rainy season in Hokkaido!
As in Singapore last year, APEC-related business organizations including the U.S. APEC Business Coalition, the Support Council for ABAC-Japan, Nippon Keidanren and the ACCJ sponsored a business luncheon for the trade ministers following their last session. Nearly 200 ministers, SOMs, officials, and businesspeople attended. The centerpiece was a panel discussion moderated by former Deputy USTR Karan Bhatia with METI Minister Naoshima, MoFA State Secretary Takemasa, Singapore Trade Minister Lim, and Deputy USTR Marantis. The discussions and Q&A were open and interesting. This group has a bias towards free trade so it was nice to hear senior government officials giving vocal support to some of ACCJ’s most strongly held positions.
One thing that most impressed me, and the other supporting organizations, was how the APEC Task Force and the ACCJ Chamber Office drove this event. It was clear that even for (relatively) remote locations, ACCJ event planning and organization capabilities are really superb. I was impressed by the way ACCJ’s “General” Maruyama marshaled the hotel’s troops and deployed them for action. Our coordination with the working level staff of METI and MoFA should pay dividends in future opportunities to work together and to get access to their senior people. At the end of the program we presented each of the panelists with a framed certificate and photo (taken only minutes earlier) which greatly surprised the minister I was escorting. Interested members should contact the APEC Task Force to contribute to and participate in other APEC events through the Yokohama leaders meeting in November.
Government Relations Committee Co-Chair Vivian Tokai has resigned from the ACCJ and changed her name to Yukiko. Actually she is running in the July Upper House election for a seat in Tokyo. We have all appreciated Vivian (Yukiko)’s keen analysis and insight into Japanese government and personalities. The ACCJ doesn’t support parties or individuals, but as a friend and former ACCJ leader, we do wish her well and look forward to hearing about her campaign at a future ACCJ event.
In other election news, the 2010 Nominations Committee Chair William Swinton and Vice Chair Carolyn Gaskins hold their first meeting in July. I am not aware of a strong Tea Party movement in the ACCJ, but elections are a great opportunity to “throw the rascals out.” If you know a member whose judgment, experience, work ethic, and commitment to the ACCJ’s goals makes him/her a good candidate, please let the NomCom know. If you think that ideal governor candidate is you, send in your own name and see if the NomCom agrees with your self assessment. The year 2011 will bring new challenges and opportunities to the ACCJ. It is not too soon to think about who should lead the Chamber into the future.
