Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan

FCCJ Luncheon Meeting 25 May 2007

Guest Speaker: Ms. Pauliina Ahokas, Director, Music Export Finland (Musex Finland)

Theme: Finnish Popular Music in Japan"

RECAP

Music Export Finland (Musex Finland) is an export association that is owned by and represents the entire Finnish music industry. It was started up in December 2002 as an export group of 12 founding member companies and organisations to initiate and facilitate the marketing, promotion and sales of Finnish popular music abroad.

Over 50 Finnish artists are licensed to Japan within the last couple of years. Finnish artists in specialist genres (especially metal) have an extreme fan loyalty and high consumer activity, fans travel to Finland for their artist and many Finnish artists have their most active fan clubs in the world in Japan.

The key factors behind the success of Finnish music lies in the internationalization, versatility and originality of Finnish culture, geopolitical and econmic changes, education (general and musical), increased traveling and an increasing expertise of music business professionals.
Breakthrough artists (i.e. Hanoi Rocks, Children of Bodom, Statovarius) lead to increased interest in the Japanese music market in Finnish artists and their representatives.

The Finnish music export amounted to about 29 million euros in 2005. The main export markets are Germany (25%), Sweden (12%), USA (11%), Japan, UK and Russia (all 8%). The music export to Japan equals that of our furniture export.

IMAGES FROM THE MEETING

FCCJ President Mika Mäkinen opens the meeting.	..and introduces the guest speaker.
Introducing Mitsutoshi Kera of Benelic Co., Ltd., a new FCCJ member.	Pauliina Ahokas starts her presentation.
Talking about the role of Musex....	...and the Japanese music market.
From left; Quentin O'Mahony, AMT Group K.K., Tuomas Tiirinki,Tamglass Japan Inc. and Petteri Niska, Finpro.	From left; Miika Heiskanen, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Erik Ullner, Konigstedt Ltd., Harry Linnarinne, Finpro, Eero Tammila, Finnair and Quentin O'Mahony.
From left; Hiroaki Sugawara, Finn Corporation, Isao Nishimura (partly hidden), Nishimura & Associates, Kari Kerttula, UPM-Kymmene Corporation, Satoshi Sakashita and Timo Varhama, UPM-Kymmene Japan KK, Masaoki Fujita, Coil Center Fujita Co., Ltd. and Jukka Viitanen, Tekes.	Pauliina Ahokas
The meeting was attended by 25 members and guests.
A music video was shown featuring some leading Finnish bands...	...including the 2006 Eurovision Song Conmtest winner Lordi.
H.E. Thordur Aegir Oskarsson, Ambassador of Iceland to Japan asks a question.	..and Timo Varhama another. Front Kalevi Lehikoinen, TeliaSonera, who attended his last FCCJ meeting (for this time...) as he will leave Japan.
Mika Mäkinen thanks the guest speaker...	.. and presents her with a small gift.