Activities

As more Japanese companies expand their business into East Asia and beyond, JETRO—with a global network of over 70 offices in more than 50 countries—is positioned to help these companies develop activities in overseas markets. Advisors with considerable private sector experience in trading, manufacturing and accounting are available at 14 offices in nine countries in East Asia to offer consultation on a wide range of management-related issues, including legal, taxation and labor matters. JETRO offices in Bangkok, Singapore, Manila, New Delhi and Mumbai operate Business Support Centers that provide temporary offices and other support services to newly arriving Japanese firms. The JETRO Shanghai Business Consultation Center offers consultation on the unique features of doing business in China and how to deal with problems peculiar to the country. The center also makes recommendations to local governments and public organizations towards improving the business environment.

An increasing number of Japanese firms are suffering large losses due to the counterfeiting and pirating of their products in China and the ASEAN region. In cooperation with locally operating Japanese companies, JETRO surveys situations in local markets, proposes countermeasures and works with local governments to realize improvements in protecting intellectual property.

The International Intellectual Property Protection Forum (IIPPF) was set up in April 2002 as a body to help combat piracy and counterfeiting of goods.
The forum is engaged in a range of activities, from dispatching missions to conducting PR programs and information exchange with related organizations in Japan and abroad.
JETRO has acted as the IIPPF Secretariat since 2006 and also operates the forum’s website.

To maximize local parts procurement by Japanese companies operating overseas, JETRO holds "reverse exhibitions" worldwide, in which Japanese manufacturers exhibit samples of parts and products they wish to procure from local suppliers.

To help further the pace of economic integration in East Asia and to facilitate business alliances between firms from Japan, China and the Republic of Korea (ROK), JETRO, together with relevant organizations from China and ROK, holds an annual three-nation industrial fair, which includes a reverse exhibition and a business alliance symposium. Participating countries send missions made up of company representatives and government officials to take part in the fair.

JETRO organizes and sends missions made up of representatives from Japanese firms/organizations to foreign countries to study local investment environments and market conditions. The missions receive strong support from governments and businesses in destination economies and are accompanied by experienced JETRO advisors who help them maximize information collection. Mission agendas often include meetings with Japanese companies already doing business in the local market, who offer first-hand information on the business environment particular to that country.