Viewing Change as Opportunity

SUN 8 OCT - TUE 10 OCT, 2017: Tokyo, Japan

55th Annual Joint Business Conference

Viewing Change as Opportunity

Held Sunday 8 October – Tuesday 10 October, 2017

The 55th Annual Joint Business Conference was held in an environment of a number of significant changes and issues occurring world wide, politically, economically and socially. What is the impact of these on Australia Japan business? Faced with growing uncertainty and heightened risk, how do companies adjust to working in the current environment? Moreover, changes accelerated by rapidly developing technology, government policy variations, and altering geopolitics are all being thrown into the mix. Rather than focusing on increased business risk, are there opportunities presenting themselves as a result of the dynamics of these changes? What do they look like and how can companies in the bilateral relationship exploit these?

Program Overview

SUNDAY 8 OCT, 2017

Afternoon: Half – day session (only for delegates who are on the AJBCC Future Leaders Program[FLP] – to be joined by JABCC Future Leaders)

Conference Eve:

High Level Private Briefing by Australia’s Ambassador and Panel (AJBCC members, Additional Representatives and Future Leaders Program members)

Networking Reception and Welcome (AJBCC members – all delegates and partners together with JABCC members and partners)

MONDAY 9 OCT, 2017 – SESSION THEMES

Opening Ceremony 
Keynote Speech: “The Japan-Australia relationship in a world of rising protectionism?”

Morning Tea

Foreign Direct Investment between Australia and Japan: 
Case Studies

Networking Luncheon hosted by JABCC

Resources and Energy:
Increasing efficiency in resource development; Renewable and alternate energy
Afternoon Tea

Finance Sector
Part 1: Mainstream financial opportunities
Part 2: Emerging financial services –impact of disruption

Coffee Break

Emerging Opportunities – Management Challenges
– This session has been devised by the Future Leaders Program members.

Official Conference Dinner
(All Delegates and Partners)

TUESDAY 10 OCT, 2017 – SESSION THEMES

Special Presentation : Innovation and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Future Prospects of Australia-Japan Business (panel discussion)

Morning Tea

Closing Ceremony
Lunch hosted by AJBCC

Delegates depart on site tour (optional)

ABOUT OUR BACKGROUND PHOTO ABOVE

Tokyo Station: “Gateway to the capital”

In 2014, Tokyo Station “gateway to the capital” celebrated its 100th anniversary a little while after the completion of its restoration. The photo, courtesy of Japan National Tourist Organisation, shows the old and the new – a skyline of tall buildings. According to the Japan Times: “For decades, opinion was divided over the “temporary” state of Tokyo Station between those who wanted to build a brand new skyscraper over the terminal and those who wanted to return the historic landmark to its original structure. Ultimately, the voices of those who wanted to protect the original building prevailed and Tokyo Station was designated as an Important Cultural Asset in 2003.”

The history: “Franz Baltzer, a German engineer who was invited to oversee development plans for the new line between Shinbashi and Ueno, drafted the initial design of Tokyo Station. However, his design was rejected for being “too Japanese,” as the country was in the middle of a period of Westernization following the Meiji Restoration. Instead, the job went to Kingo Tatsuno, an architect who designed the nearby Bank of Japan building and who later became known as the “father of modern Japanese architecture.” – Japan Times 2014.