If this bulletin does not appear correctly in you mail reader, go to http://www.fcc.or.jp.com/email/1402.html FCCJ E-mail bulletin: ISSUE 4 * FEBRUARY 14, 2001

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  ISSUE 4

14 FEBRUARY, 2001  
 
Dear !*SALUTATION*! !*LAST_NAME*!

Happy Valentine's Day!
Some estimates say, that 30 % of the annual chocolate consumption in Japan is created on, or because of, this day. Talk about a successfully implemented marketing strategy by the chocolate industry! They even invented the White Day (14 March for those of you not so familiar with Japanese peculiarities), when the guys' should "return the favour" to the ladies' who gave them chocolate on Valentine's Day.

If you think that you have friends and/or colleagues that would like to receive this newsletter, please click the link to the right.

February Luncheon Meeting
 The February Monthly Luncheon Meeting is held as a joint meeting with the Swedish and Danish Chambers and members of the Norwegian Business Forum are also invited.
The meeting is held on Friday 23rd of February at 12:00 at Capitol Tokyu Hotel.

Guest speaker is Mr. Vesa Vainio, Chairman, Nordea (Nordic Baltic Holding).
The theme of his presentation will be:
Consolidation in the Nordic Financial Industries

Nordea is the new name of the financial group formed through the merger of Merita Nordbanken and Danish Unidenmark which will soon be joined by Norwegian Christiania Bank og Kreditkasse.
To learn more about Nordea, click link the logo above.
Please register by Wednesday 21 February, either by faxing us the form sent with the invitation, or by clicking the link to the right.

Taxation Seminar for Expatriates
 It is soon taxation time for most expats. To give you an insight in the Japanese taxation, and some valuable tips, FCCJ organizes a tax seminar were Mr. Yoshinori Sano, Certified Public Accountant, FCCJ member and well known among the Finnish business community, is our expert on these issues.

Seminar content

  1. Classification by resident status
  2. Tax convention (treaty)
  3. Non-taxable/taxable benefits
  4. Deductions from income/Income tax table
  5. Local inhabitant tax
  6. Quasi-income tax return
  7. Stock options
  8. Answer to specific questions
Date & Time: Mon. 5 March 18:00-21:00
Venue: Open (depends on number of participants)
Fee: 5,000 yen (incl. light meal)

We have already 15 participants registered, if you still would like to join, please register at latest Monday 19 February. We will decide the venue early next week, and inform participants after that.

FCCJ NEWS February Issue
The FCCJ News has been mailed out to members and associated organizations. Click the logo above to access the web version of it.
In case you have not received the paper version, or need additional copies, click the link to the right.

From other Chambers

  • The Swiss Chamber organizes a Breakfast Workshop in Japanese on Tuesday, February 20 at Okura Hotel. Guest speaker is Ms Ishii from Nippon Ericsson who will talk about "How to get good personnel to work for your company and how to keep them".
    For more, click here>>.
  • Congress on Exceeding Customers' Expectations in Japan for Foreign Companies
    Organized by the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Japan Held at the Embassy of Sweden on 24 of April.
    For more, click here>>.

News from Finland
Record export year
Finnish exports hit record levels last year, rising to more than FIM 290 billion, according to preliminary Customs Board figures.

The figures were so preliminary they did not actually add up, but it appears exports soared by 26 pct or about 57.7 billion. Imports rose by 23 pct to FIM 217.6 billion, to produce a record trade surplus of FIM 76.1 billion.

December exports also hit a new record, rising by 18 pct to FIM 25.3 billion, while imports rose by 15 pct to FI 18.5 billion, giving a trade surplus of FIM 6.7 billion, again on a preliminary count.

For the latest trade startictics between Japan and Finland, click link to the right.

For more news, click link to the right.

Grin of the Week
 "The Invisible Killer"
Dihydrogen monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and kills uncounted thousands of people every year. Most of these deaths are caused by accidental inhalation of DHMO, but the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide do not end there. Prolonged exposure to its solid form causes severe tissue damage. Symptoms of DHMO ingestion can include excessive sweating and urination, bloating, nausea, vomiting and body electrolyte imbalance. For those who have become dependent, DHMO withdrawal means certain death. Dihydrogen monoxide is also known as hydroxyl acid, and is the major component of acid rain.

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:
--as an industrial solvent and coolant.
--in nuclear power plants.
--in the production of styrofoam.

Governments have refused to ban the production, distribution, or use of this chemical compound due to its "importance to the economic health of nations."

OK - For those of you who slept during high school chemistry, "Dihydrogen Monoxide" (H2O) is ordinary water...

..now I have a piece of chocolate....

Best regards

Clas G. Bystedt

If you have any comments, rumors, gossip and inside information,
send it to to: fccj@gol.com

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ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
This bulletin is published by the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan (FCCJ) and distributed to over 200 persons among its members and related organizations.
FCCJ was established in April 1999 to promote trade and economic exchage between Japan and Finland and has today 71 corporate members.