Big Turnout for the 2004 All Foreign Chamber Meishi Exchange Party

The ACCJ hosted a record turnout of 199 members and guests at the All Foreign Chamber Meishi Exchange Party on November 19, bringing together members from three other foreign chambers: the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ), the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (CCIFJ), and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI). Generous sponsorship from United Airlines, Costco Wholesale, Servcorp, and Shamaim Corporation added to the event with exciting prizes and party favors. The ACCJ looks forward to hosting more meishi exchanges in 2005!

Hirokazu Ishii of United Airlines (right) presents the grand prize of round trip business class tickets to Hawaii to Chigusa Maruyama of Kirin Beer Co. Ltd., the winner at the All Foreign Chamber Meishi Exchange Party.

Held at the SwissOtel Nankai Osaka Hotel in Namba, the All Foreign Chamber Meishi Exchange Party provided a perfect opportunity to expand business networking in a fun and casual setting.

Eli Lilly Japan President and GM Newton Crenshaw on Intrapreneurs

Over seventy members and guests attended Newton Crenshaw's November 17 presentation "Intrapreneurs: How Do You Make Them?" held at P&G's auditorium on Rokko Island. Crenshaw talked in detail about the strategies imbedded in e.Lilly, an internal venture fund utilizing the Internet and network technologies to develop new business models for Eli Lilly. He explained that the primary value drivers behind e.Lilly were adequate R&D and effective sales and marketing, and also mentioned innocentive.com, which is an online forum that allows science-based companies to access a global network of scientists.

To conclude his presentation, Crenshaw articulately explained the lessons he learned from his experience working with e.Lilly in terms of 1) driving innovation/exploration, 2) imbedding change in large organizations, and 3) becoming an innovative business leader. The final point he made for the night was delivered with a subtle quote: "Provide the spark . . . let the others shine."

Eli Lilly Japan President and GM Newton Crenshaw makes a point.

Kansai Chapter Celebrates Its Fiftieth Anniversary in Style

On January 16, over eighty members and guests celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the ACCJ's Kansai Chapter. The highlight of the evening was finding out who would win the evening's grand prize, a luxurious trip to Hawaii worth well over a million yen. The owner and founder of the extremely successful Benihana Restaurant Group, Rocky Aoki, made a surprise appearance and donated a teppanyaki full course to the grand prize winner Shinichiro "Larry" Yoshihara.

The ACCJ would like to thank the event's sponsors: Cafe Sauvage, The Century Club, Hawaii Visitor's and Convention Bureau, Outback Grill, The Ritz-Carlton Osaka, Seattle's Best Coffee, Starwood Resorts, Toyo Beverage, and Universal Studios Japan. A special thanks goes to United Airlines, Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa, and The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.

Setsuo Fukuda of United Airlines (left) presents the grand prize to Shinichiro "Larry" Yoshihara, the winner at Kansai's 50th Anniversary New Year's Party.