Why the Europe Japan Centre is perfect for Japanese clients
The Europe Japan Centre was set up as part of Osaka Gas' London office in 1989 and has provided a wide range of research and other services to Japanese clients for over a decade. One of our strengths is that we understand Japanese clients' needs. Many of our researchers are able to communicate fully in Japanese - receiving research requests and providing reports in Japanese. We are able to use our experience and knowledge to provide our Japanese clients with cost-effective high quality results combined with smooth communication, which means our results are exactly what our clients need and no time is lost because of language or cultural misunderstandings. Proof of our success is that virtually all of our business from Japanese clients is repeat business or via recommendation.

Additional Japanese focused services

Integrated on-site service
Sometimes research reports alone are not enough: clients would like to visit markets, assess the situation on the ground and talk to the people who make the decisions. The Europe Japan Centre is happy to arrange a full programme, covering:

• Background research and material collection
• Identification of appropriate contacts and organisations for meetings
• Meeting arrangements
• Interpretation from European and Asian languages
• Meeting attendance by Japanese-speaking researchers
• Note-taking and report writing based on meetings
• Translation of reports into Japanese

Group discussions/field research
Where desk research needs to be supplemented by quantitative or qualitative research, we can organise consumer interviews and group discussions. Working with regular partners in the UK, continental Europe and Asia we can ensure high quality results whatever the target audience. Reports can be produced in Japanese and simultaneous interpretation arranged for clients who wish to attend discussions themselves.

Cultural training and advice
Smooth multi-cultural working is essential for the success of Japanese companies. Not only has the Europe Japan Centre published guides to best personnel practice, we also undertake cultural training for both local and Japanese staff, alerting them to differences in business practices, in attitudes and in expectations.

Business introductions
For companies which want to find and work with business partners overseas we can arrange introductions to suitable companies. We act as the European Secretariat for Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Global Venture Forum, every year introducing new hi-tech businesses to Japan. We also work, both ourselves and in co-operation with governmental bodies, to find suitable partners in Europe for Japanese companies which want to expand here.

Publications for Japanese companies in Europe
In the course of the last ten years, our annual surveys of salaries and benefits for local staff in Japanese companies in Europe, produced in conjunction with Nihon Keizai Shimbun Europe Ltd., have become an indispensable tool for Japanese companies in Europe. Our Personnel Handbooks for Japanese companies in the UK and Germany are also well-known.