Blast off to New Heights

Jun 21

Developing aerospace and manufacturing in the Chubu region

By Julian Bashore

In March, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) Board of Governors approved the newly rebranded ACCJ-Chubu Aerospace and Manufacturing Committee. I am serving as chair and Britt Creamer, project management and planning operations representative, senior staff at Lockheed Martin Corporation, is vice-chair. Britt’s three decades of experience in the aerospace industry are complemented by my own quarter-century background working at Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers to the automotive sector.

Previously, this committee was focused exclusively on aerospace, but we are now greatly delighted to expand our focus and accept new members from aerospace and non-aerospace industries, including from the Tokyo and Kansai chapters. Through our collaboration, our key mission is to increase new business opportunities for ACCJ members who work in the aerospace, automotive, general industrial, electronics, and related industries.

Location, Location, Location

Nagoya, the largest city in the Chubu region, has often been informally referred to as the automotive capital of Japan. In fact, according to a January 2021 study published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, 44 percent of transportation equipment manufacturing in Japan takes place in Chubu, which comprises Aichi, Mie, Gifu, Toyama, and Ishikawa Prefectures. If greater Nagoya were a country, it would rank among the world’s top 20 in terms of gross domestic product. And the export-friendly Port of Nagoya makes this area the main international hub for Japan’s humming factories, since it operates around the clock.

Appropriately, the chamber counts many of the largest manufacturers and innovators as stakeholders in our organization, including:

Boeing Japan K.K.
GE Japan
General Motors Japan Limited
Honeywell Japan Ltd.
Lockheed Martin
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Northrop Grumman Japan
Pratt & Whitney Japan K.K.
Toyota Motor Corporation
Yazaki Corporation

Many other member companies in the region also contribute to this Japanese manufacturing ecosystem.

Revving Up Awareness

The Aerospace and Manufacturing Committee, in collaboration with the ACCJ-Chubu Programs Committee, held our inaugural event on March 19. Our guest speaker was Walter Lindsley, who spoke about the leadership skills he developed in the US Air Force and at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. Speaking remotely from his office in Texas, he offered candid advice that was also applicable to ACCJ members in non-manufacturing sectors. And on May 28, we hosted a webinar entitled Embassy Experts Discuss Japan’s Revised Guidelines for Defense Exports.

While the slate for upcoming months is still very much in the planning stages, the rest of 2021 may include webinars and/or in-person seminars on subjects such as how to sell to the heavies and navigate the nebulous supply chain in Japan, advance your career in manufacturing, and use trading houses and distributors to grow your business in Japan.

Taking Flight

As Britt and I extend our wings, we’re thrilled that our committee is now actively recruiting prospective members, and you can join from anywhere in Japan by registering online through the Member Data Center.

We are also searching for guest speakers—in any time zone—who feel that they have a compelling story to share. Subject matter experts may also choose to participate in future panel discussions.

We endeavor to build strong, lasting relationships, as well as to facilitate sustained, powerful growth for member companies in the aerospace and manufacturing-related industries in Japan.