The keynote speaker, Israeli Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Yair Shamir, gave a review of his visit to Japan a few months ago. “In all of the meetings I had during my visit, I realized that the Japanese government is very interested to increase the involvement of Israeli companies in Japan in many fields, including agriculture, waste water irrigation and technology in the milk industry, in which Israel is a world leader. I think a new page is now open for the relations in agriculture” said Shamir.

 

Dr. Roni Bornstein, chairman of the Israel-Japan Chamber of Commerce, said that the map of Israeli exports to Japan is undergoing a refreshing change. Alongside the export of industrial products, high-tech and medical equipment, the Japan-Israel Chamber of Commerce identified two new trends. The first one is newly mergers and acquisitions. Israeli companies acquiring Japanese companies which employ thousands of Japanese workers. Such is the case with Teva - its Japanese presence includes manufacturing and packaging sites, employing thousands of workers – all Japanese. Comverse, another 2013 winner, also employs about 120 employees in their Tokyo and Osaka offices.

 

The second trend is the successful penetration of Israeli companies to the Japanese consumer market with new Israeli consumer products. The Japanese consumer market is the second largest in the world after the US. As such, it is a fantastic opportunity for Israeli companies. "Israeli companies were extremely successful in this difficult market, introduced the “blue and white” branding and exposed Japanese consumers to products with a tag of Israeli identity." In his remarks Mr. Bornstein was referring mainly to products Made In Israel and available in Japan by four new Award Winners of 2013: Body Care products from Sabon, Chocolates from Max Brenner, Sweeties and Orris from Mehadrin, and the award winning SOURCE machine from SodaStream.

 

Another Award winner this year is YASKAWA Europe Technology, which is the investment arm of Japan-based robotics expert Yaskawa Electric Corporation, that invested in Israeli start-up Argo Medical Technologies, makers of the ReWalk exoskeleton walking suit for spinal injury victims. A special tribute for 50 years of operation and outstanding contributions to the advancement of commercial relations between Israel and Japan was awarded to Mr. Dror Vered.

 

The ambassador of Japan in Israel, Mr. Hideo Sato said that 2013 was at the embassy of Japan in Israel the third year to promote Washoku or Japanese cuisine and Sake in Israel. "We have good news for Israeli sake fans” the ambassador noted, “One of the most excellent sake brands, called Born, the sake that was presented by Prime Minister Abe to president Barack Obama at his election, is in the process of obtaining a kosher certificate” announced the ambassador. The Ambassdor also specifically praised a new Innovation Award winner this year, the start-up StemRad, that succeeded in realizing business opportunity by studying the Fukushima experience to develop their innovative radiation protection equipment, now in use in Japan.

 

The Israeli ambassador to Japan, Ms. Ruth Kahanoff listed the embassy’s activities during the year and emphasized an interesting collaboration especially in the space and brain research fields. Japanese reporters will be sent by the embassy to cover the Ramon Space Conference at the end of this month.

 

As the Japanese Ambassador noted in his speech, the world’s third economy with its lucrative consumer market of 127 million people and being the world’s largest creditor, alongside with the growing businesses of the winning Israeli companies in Japan – altogether they prove that Japan cannot be ignored.