Delivering “Japan” ThroughTraining and Interaction

J A P A N C E N T E RCambodia / Vietnam / Myanmar / Laos / Mongolia / Uzbekistan / Kyrgyz Republic / Kazakhstan / Ukraine

* Results of a telephone questionnaire survey conducted (in 2015) of persons who completed the major business courses of Japan Centers in various countries

Did the knowledge you acquired in the business courses help increase your company’s profits?

Did the knowledge you acquired in the business courses help improve your career?

Yes 74%Yes 69%

No 17% No 13%

No Answer 14% No Answer 13%

The Japan Centers for Human Resources Development (commonly known as Japan Centers) were established in Central and Southeast Asia which were in transition from planned economies to market economies. The centers aim to become hubs to develop business personnel and to enhance the relationships between the host countries and Japan. At present, there are 10 Japan Centers established in 9 countries. Among these, JICA is currently supporting 8 centers in 7 countries through technical cooperation projects.

We build new relationships for the future by supporting people’s understanding on Japan.

The number of young personnel who will lead next-generation businesses in emerging countries and in Japan is rapidly increasing.

We support individuals learning Japanese-style business management and the Japanese language for deepening future relationships between the host countries and Japan.

What are Japan Centers?

Human Resources

Development

Providing business courses:We provide practical knowledge on Japanese-style business management (including business administration, production/quality management, and personnel/resource management) to people who will be engaged in future nation building, such as business executives and entrepreneurs.

Offering Japanese language courses:In collaboration with the Japan Foundation, we provide systematic curriculum on Japanese language covering introductory and advanced levels for individual participants, thereby expanding opportunities to understand Japanese culture as well as to work and study in Japan.

Promoting mutual understanding between the host countries and Japan:We provide opportunities for exchange, including organizing events that enable participants to mutually introduce their respective countries’ cultures and traditions.

Achievements of Japan Centers in various countries (opening until FY2015) (Accumulated total No. of persons)

*1: The No. of participants in LJI's Japanese language and international understanding promotion courses are cumulative totals for the periods up to FY2012. *2: Ended in FY2012. *3: Ended in FY2011.

Achieve-ments

Project Overview

No. of participants in business courses

No. of participants in Japanese language

courses

No. of participants in international understanding

promotion projects

Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC) 20,720 4,793 178,996Vietnam-Japan Human Resources Cooperation Center Hanoi (VJCC-Hanoi) 22,598 18,211 92,723Vietnam-Japan Human Resources Cooperation Center Ho Chi Minh City (VJCC-HCMC) 16,108 11,466 41,109Myanmar-Japan Center for Human Resources Development (MJC) 6,536 0 0Laos-Japan Human Resource Development Institute (LJI)*1 13,899 6,550 48,556Mongolia-Japan Center for Human Resources Development (MOJC) 15,595 25,321 164,586Uzbekistan-Japan Center for Human Development (UJC) 12,284 8,077 73,715Kyrgyz Republic-Japan Center for Human Development (KRJC) 11,532 3,257 61,642Kazakhstan-Japan Center for Human Development (KJC)*2 8,224 5,666 41,180

Ukraine-Japan Center (UAJC)*3 5,651 1,766 62,696

Total 133,182 85,182 780,956

Collaboration with Nobeoka City:Myanmar-Japan Center for Human Resources Development (MJC)

Miyazaki Prefecture's Nobeoka City hosted incoming exchange from MJC and prompted business exchange among executives in Myanmar and Nobeoka City. In August 2015, Nobeoka City’s mayor visited Myanmar and, through business exchanges, the friendship continues to this day.

Accepting intern students from Kwansei Gakuin University:Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC)

To support Kwansei Gakuin University's international contribution program, CJCC has been accepting intern students for five months twice a year since April 2015. The students supported various programs including cultural exchange programs and contributed to the center for becoming a major hub for exchange between Japan and Cambodia.

Holding Study Abroad Fairs:Fairs held at five centers in FY2015

Utilizing the networks with ministries of education and universities in the host countries, we organize Japanese Study Abroad Fairs through all-Japan collaboration such as embassies, the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), Japanese universities and private companies.

We provide business courses based on practical Japanese-style management philosophies and approaches in accordance with individual countries’ needs to develop local executives and entrepreneurs.

By utilizing the network that we have built over the years, we promote exchanges and networks between Japanese companies that are extending its business operations abroad and local business personnel

We support overseas business development by Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Japan, including the enterprises supported by overseas SME development support programs implemented by JICA independently from Japan Center.

More and more practical human resource development and promotion of business personnel exchanges

We develop projects for facilitating exchanges with emerging countries to meet a variety of needs.

Networks that expand through exchanges between the host countries and Japan are full of future possibilities.

Exchanges

1.

2.

3.

On-Going Initiatives

Project Examples

Mongolia-Japan Center for Human Resources Development (MOJC)B. Bumabayar First-year student, National University of Mongolia

My dream is to work as an engineer who can create innovative products with my own hands. I visited the Japan Center with many questions about scholarships and admission procedures. Though I went there on a Sunday, the Center was already filled with people, making me wonder whether I had missed something important. Time flew by while I asked questions and received advice. Of 14 universities, I found 2 that suited my interests. This year's study abroad fair bustled with many visitors and I am pleased I could find out what I wanted to know.

VOICEVoices of

participants

Yangon

I participated in an LJI business course on production management in 2007 and an MBA course in 2012. I was very impressed by the Japanese instructor's comment that we should not focus merely on quantity to increase sales; instead, our efforts to improve quality would eventual ly cause sales to increase. LJI also provided on-site work training at our company (a sewing company). Through these courses, I could learn what my company needed to do. Because I put my knowledge into practice, I could increase the number of employees as well as sales. In the future, I aim to further expand business by developing my company's brand products and by exporting products to Thailand.

Business course overview:In addition to the MBA program and the practical business course, the center also provides tailor-made courses to meet individual companies’ needs.

Fashion show at the Laos-Japan Culture Festival

Participants discussing in groups

Japan Center in Yangon, Myanmar (12th Floor)

Country profile◉ Population: 7.02 million◉ GDP growth rate: 7.5%◉ GDP per capita: 1,785 US dollars◉ Major industries: Services,

manufacturing, and agriculture◉ No. of Japanese companies'

business sites: 114◉ No. of Japanese nationals residing in

Laos: 677

Country profile◉ Population: 51.84 million◉ GDP growth rate: 8.5%◉ GDP per capita: 1,268 US dollars◉ Major industry: Agriculture◉ No. of Japanese companies'

business sites: 259◉ No. of Japanese nationals residing

in Myanmar: 1,330

MJC is attached to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), which counts more than 30,000 companies as members. The center provides business courses for business managers, mainly those in middle management. In addition to developing personnel who play pivotal roles in industries that support Myanmar's economy, MJC also serves as a hub of business information and business networks that can enhance the economic relationship between Japan and Myanmar.

Since it was opened inside the National University of Laos in 2000, LJI has provided an MBA course under joint management with the university's Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. The center contributes to the development of business personnel in Laos by providing a two-year Master's course on Japanese-style business management.

Business course overview:In addition to business courses on p roduc t i on managemen t and strategic marketing, MJC also provides special courses for entrepreneur training and networking.

http://myanmarjapancenter.com/

http://www.lji.edu.la/

Myanmar-Japan Center for Human Resources Development (MJC) (Yangon)

Laos-Japan Human Resource Development Institute (LJI) (Vientiane)

Japan Center in Vientiane, Laos

Myanmar

Laos

In Southeast Asia, which is becoming a global production hub, many individuals who have learned practical Japanese-style business management will bridge

Japanese companies’ overseas business development and economic development of the host countries.

◉ Population: IMF 2015 population estimate◉ GDP growth rate: IMF 2015 estimate◉ GDP per capita: IMF 2015 estimate◉ Major industries: Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (January 2015)◉ No. of Japanese companies' business sites: Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Annual

Report of Statistics on Japanese Nationals Overseas Summary, 2015 Edition◉ No. of Japanese nationals: Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Annual Report of

Statistics on Japanese Nationals Overseas Summary, 2015 Edition

Sources

Laos-Japan Human Resource Development Institute (LJI)Seefon Dabisai President, Daosavanh Corporation

VOICEVoices of

participants

Phnom Penh

Vientiane

Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh

As an engineer, I had the valuable opportunity to learn what is required of a business manager as part of a business administration program. Specif ical ly, I learned a lot by participating in training in Japan, where I experienced the business operations of Japanese companies firsthand. In addition to this business administrat ion program, I also participated in a variety of business courses to acquire knowledge of production management and personnel development, which helped me to develop my own company (which does ground development and construction of underground structures). I now believe that personnel development is the key to developing my company. To that end, I send my company’s executives and managers to VJCC training programs to develop human resources.

Business course overview:In addition to entrepreneur training programs and courses on the basics of Japanese business manners and business management mentoring services, CJCC also provides training programs that meet individual companies’ needs.

Japan Center in Hanoi, Vietnam

Japan Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Group presentation in a lecture course on customer service at AEON

Job fair

Japan Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Business course overview:VJCC provides courses mainly on production management and human resource development for local and Japanese companies in Vietnam. VJCC also offers a long-term training program called “Keieijuku” to develop personnel for advanced business management skills.

Country profile◉ Population: 91.57 million◉ GDP growth rate: 6.5% ◉ GDP per capita: 2,170 US dollars◉ Major industries:

Primary industries, mining, and light industries◉ No. of Japanese companies' business sites: 1,452◉ No. of Japanese nationals residing in Vietnam: 13,574

Both VJCCs provide practical business training courses for corporate executives and middle management as well as long-term training courses for future business managers. In recent years, supported by proactive business development by Japanese companies in Vietnam, the centers have provided opportunities for exchanges between Vietnamese business personnel and Japanese companies. In addition, the centers are developing projects that contribute to building networks between Vietnamese companies and Japanese economic organizations, and they also actively support Vietnamese students in studying abroad in Japan.

CJCC provides business courses for a wide range of participants, including business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs. In addition to generating employment and promoting entrepreneurship in Cambodia, the center also facilitates exchanges and cooperation between Japan and Cambodia by collaborating with educational institutions in Japan and by organizing various events.

Hanoi ：http://www.vjcc.org.vn/Ho Chi Minh City ：http://vjcchcmc.org.vn/

http://www.cjcc.edu.kh/

Vietnam-Japan Human Resources Cooperation Centers (VJCC) (Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City)

Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC) (Phnom Penh)

Vietnam

Cambodia

Country profile◉ Population: 15.54 million◉ GDP growth rate: 6.95%◉ GDP per capita: 1,139 US dollars◉ Major industries: Services, agriculture, and manufacturing◉ No. of Japanese companies' business sites: 182◉ No. of Japanese nationals residing in Cambodia: 2,270

Vietnam-Japan Human Resources Cooperation Center Hanoi (VJCC-Hanoi)

Fam Viet Hoa President, Fecon Corporation

VOICEVoices of

participants

Tashkent Bishkek

Kiev

Almaty

http://uajc.kpi.ua/

Although European and American companies are extending their business operations in Kazakhstan at an accelerated speed, and there are graduate schools that provide MBA degrees in the country, Japanese-style business management taught by the Kazakhstan-Japan Center for Human Development has attracted much public attention as a new business management approach.

UJC’s mission is to improve mutual understanding between Japan and Uzbekistan and to enhance the two countries’ friendship. To this end, the center works to train experts who can promote the development of corporate activities in Uzbekistan and to provide a variety of information as well as to introduce the Japanese language and culture to Uzbekistan’s people, who have a strong interest in Japan. UJC provides business courses to develop business personnel mainly for SMEs, which are the basis of a market economy. Approximately 10,000 people have participated in these courses.

Business course overview:The Professional Management Program (PMP), which forms the core of UJC's business course, has been highly recognized as an abbreviated MBA course that enables participants to acquire practical business skills.

UAJC engages in activities with the aim of serving as a hub to develop personnel who can contribute to Ukraine's economic growth and to promote social, economic, and cultural exchanges between Ukraine and Japan.

Country profile◉ Population: 17.68 million◉ GDP growth rate: 1.5% ◉ GDP per capita: 11,028 US

dollars◉ Major industries: Mining,

agriculture, metallurgy, and metal processing

◉ No. of Japanese companies' business sites: 43

◉ No. of Japanese nationals residing in Kazakhstan: 155

Country profile◉ Population: 42.74 million◉ GDP growth rate: -9.1%◉ GDP per capita: 2,108 US dollars◉ Major industries: Services, mining

and manufacturing, primary industries, and construction

◉ No. of Japan-based companies' business sites: 42

◉ No. of Japanese nationals residing in Ukraine: 189

http://www.kjc.kz/

http://www.ujc.uz/

Kazakhstan-Japan Center for Human Development (KJC) (Almaty)

Uzbekistan-Japan Center for Human Development (UJC) (Tashkent)

Ukraine-Japan Center (UAJC) (Kiev)

Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan

Ukraine

* Although support for management of the Ukraine-Japan and Kazakhstan-Japan Centers through a JICA technical cooperation project has ended, UAJC still continues its activities in Ukraine, including the JF course (Japanese language course) by the Japan Foundation.

Country profile◉ Population: 30.97 million◉ GDP growth rate: 6.8%◉ GDP per capita: 2,129 US dollars◉ Major industries: Cotton textile, food

processing, machine manufacturing, gold, petroleum, and natural gas

◉ No. of Japan-based companies' business sites: 17

◉ No. of Japanese nationals residing in Uzbekistan: 110

Traditional Japanese folk dance performance at a Central Asia Japanese Speech Contest

Japan Center in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Personnel development seminar class taught by an expert

Business course lecture

My name is Gurbahor and I work as a receptionist at the Uzbekistan-Japan Center. As a university student, I came to know of UJC and started learning the Japanese language. I thus became interested in Japan. I have participated in a variety of UJC events and business seminars over the past few years, and I found a job at UJC after completing graduate school. In 2015, I did two weeks of training under the Japan Foundation program. I found Japan more wonderful than I had imagined. Now, I work each day to make my favorite UJC an important place for others as well.

Ms. Gurbahor with Mr. Kondo, former Japan Foundat ion senior expert in the Japanese language

Uzbekistan-Japan Center for Human Development (UJC)Gurbahor Tangabaeva

VOICEVoices of

staff

◉ Population: IMF 2015 population estimate◉ GDP growth rate: IMF 2015 estimate; * 2014 estimate for Ukraine◉ GDP per capita: IMF 2015 estimate◉ Major industries: Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (January 2015)◉ No. of Japan-based companies' business sites: Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Annual Report of Statistics on Japanese Nationals Overseas Summary, 2015 Edition◉ No. of Japanese nationals: Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Annual Report of

Statistics on Japanese Nationals Overseas Summary, 2015 Edition

Sources

Ulan Bator

MOJC provides training for future SME executives based on Japanese-style business management. More than 6,000 people have participated in this training. In recent years, the center has also been highly recognized for its model company diagnosis and guidance services for major and mid-ranking companies.

http://www.japan-center.mn/

Mongolia-Japan Center for Human Resources Development (MOJC) (Ulan Bator)

Mongolia

Management strategy course seminar

Japan Center in Ulan Bator, Mongolia

I participated in a three-month business course in 2010, when the business I had launched had hit a dead end. The following year, I participated in a practical training course on Japanese-style business management and visited Japan. My experience in Japan led me to believe that if technologies for producing high-quality products can be exported overseas, using such technologies in different industries can increase the opportunities for exporting domestic products. This greatly impacted my business strategy. Today, my company (a snack food manufacturer) produces high-quality, competitive products b a s e d on Jap ane s e - s t y l e bus ine s s management.

Since the 2013 economic downturn, I had been looking for an opportunity to learn business management theory and acquire practical knowledge. However, I had no time for an ordinary university curriculum or night course, and I could not acquire sufficient knowledge through occasional consulting services. Then, I came to know of the Japan Center's business courses, which suited my needs in terms of training period, tuition, and learning environment. The practical training programs enabled me to work together with the instructors to think about how to solve the various problems that I face in my daily business operations. In addition, instructors visited our factory (which does clothes manufacturing) in person to provide valuable advice about our problems and wasteful operations.

Business course overview:In addition to general business courses on management strategies and marketing, MOJC also provides tailor-made courses as well as model company diagnosis and guidance programs tailored to individual companies’ needs.

Country profile◉ Population: 2.96 million◉ GDP growth rate: 3.5%◉ GDP per capita: 4,179 US dollars◉ Major industries: Mining, livestock farming, logistics, and light industries◉ No. of Japanese companies' business sites: 356◉ No. of Japanese nationals residing in Mongolia: 439

Country profile◉ Population: 5.97 million◉ GDP growth rate: 2.0% ◉ GDP per capita: 1,197 US dollars◉ Major industries: Agriculture, livestock farming, and mining◉ No. of Japanese companies' business sites: 6◉ No. of Japanese nationals residing in the Kyrgyz

Republic: 156

Business course overview:In addition to the practical business management course, customized training programs, and training courses for company managers, the center also provides seminars for course graduates who work in organizations.

KRJC engages in activities with a focus on the business course, the Japanese language course, and the program for promoting mutual understanding between the Kyrgyz Republic and Japan. The business course provides training in practical business management methods based on Japan's experience. To enable people in the Kyrgyz Republic and Japan to understand each other's culture and economy as well as to promote mutual friendship, the center also develops activities to promote business relationships between the two countries as well as to help enhance their academic and educational relationships, such as by facilitating collaboration between educational institutions and by increasing the number of students who study abroad in the two countries.

http://www.krjc.kg/Kyrgyz Republic-Japan Center for Human Development (KRJC) (Bishkek)

Kyrgyz Republic

Japan Center in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic

Customized training session on marketing

Practical knowledge on Japanese-style business management is expected to promote

the host country’s future development by benefitting from its human and natural

resources.

Mongolia-Japan Center for Human Resources Development (MOJC)B. Boldbaatar Director, Altai Zaya Corporation

VOICEVoices of

participants

Kyrgyz Republic-Japan Center (KRJC)Jamila Savitaknova Solo entrepreneur

VOICEVoices of

participants

◦ Contact for inquiries about Japan Centers:

Industrial Development and Public Policy Department, Private Sector Group, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Nibancho Center Building, 5-25 Nibancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8012Phone: 03-5226-6698; Fax: 03-5226-6332;

Email: japancenter@jica.go.jp

https://www.jica.go.jp/english/our_work/types_of_assistance/tech/projects/j_center/Inquiries via phone are accepted between 9:30 and 12:30 and between 13:30 and 17:30except for Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, and the year-end/New Year holidays.

March 2016