************************************************************************* Issue 15 [July 2007] OCCI e-Magazine http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/e/index.html ************************************************************************* [CONTENTS, July 2007] 1. Kansai International Airport, RUNWAY (2) Starts Operating Aug. 2, 2007 --- Japan's first fully 24-hour major intnl. airport 2. Osaka Business Investment Center (O-BIC) announces 24 cases of success for FY 2006 3. Participation in BIO 2007 --- now developing more into a 'business-oriented' event 4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors ========================================================================= 1. Kansai International Airport (KIX) --- RUNWAY (2) opening Aug. 2 makes KIX Japan's first fully 24-hour major international airport With the opening on August 2 of RUNWAY (2), the Kansai International Airport makes great strides forward as 'Japan's first fully 24-hour-operating major international airport'. In the field of cargo-handling particularly, the convenience of landing in in the nighttime will take effect and major international distributors welcome this, because "freer competition in international cargo transports will also bring benefits to Japanese customers". On RUNWAY (2) that opens at 6:00 a.m. Aug.2, JAL 728 will arrive at 6:25 from Bangkok as the first passenger flight, and Federal Express 5773 will arrive at 7:30 from Subic Bay (the Philippines) as the first cargo flight. For the departing ones, ANA 951 at 10:35 a.m. for Hangzhou (China) is the first passenger flight, and North-West 905 at 12:35 for Guangzhou (China) is the first cargo flight. DHL Japan, Inc. (of DHL EXPRESS) has opened on the Airport its state-of-the-art express base facilities. Expanding the total area more than 5 times and cargo-handling capacity about 3 times, it now has one of the largest exclusive sets of facilities among the airports in Japan. It has also brought in the most advanced auto-sorting equipment enabling it to hourly sort out 7,500 cargoes and 2,000 mails. Function's of the Kansai International Airport as a hub-airport for international cargoes are being duly consolidated with 9 sets of such facilities successively established in these 3 years. * Contact: (Kansai International Airport) http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/index.asp ======================================================================== 2. Osaka Business Investment Center (O-BIC) announces 24 cases of success for FY 2006 Established by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City with its Secretariat based in OCCI International Div., O-BIC invites foreign companies to join the Osaka/Kansai markets and gives support for setting up a base of operations. For fiscal 2006(April 2006- March 2007), O-BIC has announced 24 cases of success, more than half of which are from Asia with 10 companies from China standing out. For the lines of business, 9 cases are high-tech related (IT, bio, etc.) and another 9 companies aim to open up their market in Osaka. NC soft, Inc. of Korea (introducing "Lineage" the online game software) set up their Japan corporation in Osaka in May 2006 to 'localize' their products for Japan, for the reasons as mentioned; " international recognition and brand image of Osaka, more convenient traffic access with Kansai International Airport and Shin-Osaka Station on Shinkansen, and lower costs overall than Tokyo." O-BIC provides foreign companies with up-to-date information on business environment, cooperating companies and geographical conditions as well as with guidance for making various procedures. With continued emphasis on inviting foreign companies in the fields of 'engine' industries likely to contribute to revitalization of Osaka economy such as bio/robotics/IT-related ones, O-BIC intends to invite more companies from Asia as well as to encourage foreign companies already based in Tokyo to set up a base in Osaka for expansion of business in the Kansai region. * Contact: (Osaka Business and Investment Center) http://o-bic.net/ ======================================================================== 3. Participation in BIO 2007 --- now developing more into a 'business-oriented' event Co-sponsored by OCCI and the Embassy of the United States of America in Japan (Commercial Sector), the Delegation to BIO 2007 with 29 members participated in this event on a week-schedule starting May 7th. BIO is the world's largest bio-event annually held in one of the major North American cities, consisting of seminars, exhibitions and business meetings. BIO 2007 was held this year in Boston known as a leading 'GENETOWN' the center of bio-clusters. Renewing previous records again, it was attended by 22,366 participants from 64 countries. With elaborate programs worked out as usual, many reports again were made on active movements in the bio-energy-related industry, leaving the impression that in the U.S., in just a year or so, business must have come into bloom in this field, too. The trend overall is toward more business to be done in the partnering session discussions. Where promotion for countries or regions used to be emphasized, now actual business is counted on for the BIO that is now developing more into a business-oriented event. Looking at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the workings of their cooperation with industry are so extensive and thorough, from what observers can see. It is no wonder that many mega-pharmas and corporations want their operations based in Boston. * Contact: (BIO 2007) http://www.bio2007.org/index.html ========================================================================= 4. OCCI International Division report on VIP visitors * July 4 (Wed) Mr. Faisal H. Trad, Ambassador Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Japan * July 5 (Thu) Mr. Akylbek A. Kamaldinov, Ambassador Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Japan * July 12 (Thu) Mr. Leonid Batyanovsky, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Embassy of the Repuclic of Belarus in Japan ***** yNoticez There will be NO August issue due to holiday season. We appreciate your kind understanding, and look forward to sending out our next issue in September 2007. ****** =========================================================================