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1
Embassy of Switzerland in Japan
N° 1
December 2016
Merry Christmas
and Happy
New Year
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ©Switzerland Tourism
2
Ambassador’s Greetings
Dear Swiss citizens in Japan, dear readers,
Having started my mission as the new Swiss Ambassador to Japan last September, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to send you this Newsletter of the Swiss Embassy in Tokyo.
Before my present mission in Japan, I was the Swiss Ambassador to Hungary. We had a wonderful time with my wife in Budapest, and we are looking forward to the wonderful years here in Tokyo.
The relations between Switzerland and Japan are excellent. There are so many common interests that the intensity of dialogue is high and reciprocal visits are frequent. In the three months since the beginning of my mission last September, we had several official visits, such as the visits of the Swiss Secretary of State for economic affairs Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, the Head of Presence Suisse Ambassador Nicolas Bideau and the President of the Council of States of Switzerland Raphaël Comte. Next year in March, the
Parliamentary friendship group of the Swiss National Assembly under the Presidency of National Counsellor Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter will visit Japan.
The bilateral relations are also intense at the level of the private sector and of the local communities. 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the Swiss Club Tokyo, the 40th anniversary of the city partnership between Ueda and Davos, the 20th anniversary of the city partnership between Chiba and Montreux, the 50th anniversary of UBS’s presence in Japan, and the 40th anniversary of Swiss Tourism’s presence in Japan. Congratulations to all our partners for these anniversaries. In this newsletter, we present many more visits and events, be it in the business, in the science and technology or in the cultural sectors. Indeed, the relations between Switzerland and Japan are not only excellent, but they are also very strong, because they develop at so many levels.
The contact with the Swiss community in Japan is a priority for your Swiss Embassy in Tokyo. This newsletter tries to inform you as much as possible about the main developments in the bilateral relations and to give you the possibility of participating in cultural events related to our country. Besides our Internet Website, our cultural newsletter and our Facebook page, this Embassy Newsletter is a further instrument in our efforts to promote the contacts with you. Don’t hesitate to give us your feedback!
Let me conclude: it is great to be with you in Japan and there is plenty of good work that I am looking forward to realizing in your company. I wish you all a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Warm regards.
Jean-François Paroz
Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan
Ambassador Jean-
François Paroz ©FDFA
3
Contents
Bilateral relations & visits
Economic news & Swiss Business Hub
Science, education, research & innovation
Press and culture
Upcoming events
Swiss community
Contact
4
Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch
© SECO
Bilateral relations and visits
State Secretary for Economic Affairs visits Japan
The economic relations between Switzerland and Japan have a long
tradition and stand on very solid ground. Japan is the fourth most
important export market for Switzerland, and Switzerland is the sixth
largest foreign direct investor into Japan.
The Free Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (FTEPA) of
2009 is one of the most significant free trade agreements (FTA)
signed by Switzerland and also constitutes the first FTA Japan has
concluded with a European country.
With this significant background in mind, State Secretary for
Economic Affairs Ms. Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch visited Japan
from 12-15 October. Among some of her visits, she met with senior
officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(MAFF) as well as from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) where the strong economic
relations between Switzerland and Japan have been praised and highlighted. In addition, Ms. Ineichen-
Fleisch also attended a luncheon organized by the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan
(SCCIJ), where she talked about the economic relations between Japan and Switzerland and answered
the questions of the members of the Swiss Chamber.
Visit of the President of the Council of States, Mr. Raphaël Comte, to Japan
Switzerland and Japan have enjoyed very close ties of
friendship for more than 150 years.
From October 30 to November 6 the Embassy had the pleasure
and honor to welcome and accompany Mr. Raphaël Comte,
the President of the Swiss Council of States, during his visit to
Japan, his only official visit outside of Europe. Mr. Raphaël
Comte met with his Japanese counterpart, Mr. Chuichi Date.
Together they shared their views on the future and
commitment to further cooperate, particularly within the
framework of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Mr. Raphaël Comte at the Hiroshima
Peace Memorial Museum ©City of
Hiroshima
5
After Tokyo, Mr. Comte travelled to Nara to meet with the Governor of Nara Prefecture to celebrate
with him the partnership between Bern and Nara, the first partnership between a Swiss canton and a
Japanese Prefecture. Mr. Comte expressed a profound interest for the Japanese culture and notably
participated to a traditional tea ceremony and visited tea plantations. Mr. Comte then finished his visit
of Japan in Hiroshima, where he laid a wreath at the cenotaph of the Peace Memorial Museum in
Hiroshima to promote peace and denuclearization.
Visit of the Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II
Did you know that Switzerland is representing the interests of Principality of Liechtenstein in many
places around the world? If the Principality wishes it, the Embassy of Switzerland can also provide
support during official and private visits from Liechtenstein. The recent visit of HSH Prince Hans-Adam
II of Liechtenstein to Japan this fall to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Japan-Liechtenstein
society was an occasion to highlight that special role and the shared values we have with the
Principality. The Embassy of Switzerland had the honor to welcome the Prince to Tokyo on his private
visit of the Japanese capital.
The Prince visited the renowned Sophia University in Tokyo to give a memorial lecture on the occasion
of the publication in Japanese of his book “The State in the Third Millennium”. In his book, the Prince
discusses his political philosophy: “small is beautiful”, a core concept of the Prince’s political thinking,
as he is convinced that the advantages of small political units and strong self-determination of
communities are essential to achieve true democracy and a state which serves its citizens, not the
other way around.
HSH Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein in visit to Sophia University in Tokyo
©Sophia University
6
Presence Switzerland in Tokyo
The countdown has started for Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics games. In four years only, Tokyo
will be hosting the Olympics and Paralympics games for the second time. In light of this major
international event, a delegation from Presence Switzerland came to Tokyo for a week to discover the
city, meet locals, university students and officials involved in the preparation of the games to
brainstorm ideas about the House of Switzerland. The goal of the visit was to get a glimpse of the
current state of preparation of the Games but also experience Tokyo first hand and imagine what it will
look like in 2020. In a city constantly evolving this is quite a challenge. In addition, Ambassador Bideau
also took the opportunity to salute and share the success of the House of Switzerland in Rio with
members of SCCIJ during a special event at the Embassy Residence accompanied with a wine-tasting
class given by Mr. Paolo Basso. The House of Switzerland will be a must-go to hub during the Olympics
and Paralympics to celebrate and watch the games together, contribute to the Olympic and Paralympic
spirit while enjoying Swiss culture!
The delegation from Presence Switzerland; Ambassador Nicolas Bideau and Alexandre
Edelmann, are given a visit of Meiji Shrine in Tokyo by Meiji Shrine Director Mr. Masahiro
Sato ©Taisuke Kadosaki
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Visit of Laurent Wehrli - Mayor of Montreux
2016 was a special year for Montreux and Japan.
Indeed, the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival
celebrated its 50th anniversary, and the cities of
Montreux and Chiba celebrated their 20th
anniversary of sister-city partnership. On this very
special occasion, Laurent Wehrli, National
Counselor and Mayor of Montreux visited Tokyo to
attend the Japanese edition of the Festival, and to
meet with representatives of the Japanese
parliament.
This sister-city partnership notably gives the chance
to young citizens of Chiba and Montreux the
possibility to visit and experience each other’s
country. A great opportunity to further strengthens
the ties between our two countries.
Ueda and Davos 40th sister city anniversary
2016 marked the 40th sister-city
anniversary of the cities of Ueda and Davos,
one of the oldest relationships between
Switzerland and Japan. This anniversary
was a unique occasion to further
strengthen the existing ties between the
two cities, both located in iconic
mountainous areas, known for their great
wintery imagery and activities.
From left to right: Mr. Rémy Crégut , Mr. Mathieu Jaton,
Mr. Laurent Wehrli, Ambassador Jean-François Paroz,
Mr. Junnichi Harada © FDFA
Officials from the City of Ueda, Davos and the Embassy of
Switzerland came together to celebrate the 40th anniversary of
the sister city partnership. ©FDFA
8
ComCom’s President Marc Furrer in a
conversation with robot Erica at the Advanced
Telecommunication Research Centre ©FDFA
Economic news & Swiss Business Hub
Swiss Business Hub Japan (SBHJ) Besides its classical sections dealing with the political, economic or cultural affairs, the Embassy hosts a Swiss Business Hub, dedicated to export and investment promotion. The SBHJ is the local Japanese network partner of the official government trade and investment promotion agency “Switzerland Global Enterprise” (www.s-ge.com). It supports Swiss exporters with market entry and market expansion services. In addition, it actively promotes Switzerland as a location for Japanese corporate investments. Some of the latest projects are reported below.
Swiss Federal Communications Commission on a Study Trip in Japan
What are the keywords that first come to mind when
you think of Japan? “Technology and Innovation” will
surely come up at the top. This should not come as a
surprise since Japan has one of the largest and most
advanced telecommunications markets in the world
and was a pioneer in many ICT technologies, including
mobile internet (from 1999), 3G technology (from
2001) and Location Based Services (from 2001).
With this background in mind, the Swiss Federal
Communications Commission (ComCom) –
Switzerland’s independent regulatory authority of the
telecommunications market – accompanied by
representatives of the Federal Office of
Communication (OFCOM), visited Japan from 16-19 October to study the market situation and
regulatory framework of the telecommunication sector in Japan as well as Japan’s thriving ICT industry.
ComCom notably met with NTT Docomo and Softbank to exchange ideas on the development of
cellular networks from 4G to 5G technology, a much anticipated shift!
9
Female sandal maker in the Philippines ©
BlueOrchard
Launch of the ASEAN Women Empowerment Fund managed by a Swiss microfinance
institution
On the occasion of the launch of the Japan ASEAN Women Empowerment Fund (JAWEF) on 27 October, Ambassador Paroz, hosted an event for the parties who contributed to this meaningful initiative aimed at fighting poverty and empowering women. JAWEF was set up and is managed by the Swiss-based microfinance institution BlueOrchard, with the appreciation of the Japanese Government and following Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s initiative to empower women. JAWEF will provide perpetual lending facilities to predominantly female and micro small entrepreneurs in ASEAN.
Investment Seminar The Investment Promotion department of the Swiss Business Hub organizes investment seminars for
potential industrial investors on a regular basis. The latest one was staged on October 19 in Otemachi,
Tokyo. Around 70 representatives of mid-sized
and large Japanese companies attended and
received the latest information on the
investment environment in Switzerland. From
the Swiss side there were representatives from
the cantons of Vaud, Berne and Nidwalden. The
main topic of the Investment Seminar was Brexit
and its consequences on the financial sector.
One of the topics is relocation of businesses and
Switzerland generated a great interest as a
location for Japanese companies on the
backdrop of the UK leaving the EU. Guest
speakers included a tax partner of KMPG, the
well know journalist Tomoyuki Isoyama and a
representative of GC Dental, a Japanese dental
medtech company with global headquarters in
Lucerne.
The investment seminar taking place on October 19th
©FDFA
10
The Young Professionals visit a Japanese robotics
producer ©FDFA
Young Professional Program (YPP)
The Young Professional Program was established by
Swissmem, the Swiss Association of Mechanical and
Electrical Engineering Industries to allow young
Swiss professionals from the machine tool industry
to get a first-hand experience about Japan and its
major players in that industry.
From 16 to 23 November, a group of 22 mechanical
engineering students and apprentices toured Japan
and visited 8 Japanese machine tool builders. The
students also visited Keio University and Kyoto
University and had a lively exchange with Japanese
professors and students. The tour was organized for
the third time by the Swiss Business Hub. The
students enjoyed a very diverse program, not only covering industrial visits, but also a deep immersion
in Japanese business manners and culture. The Young Professionals toured all around Japan, from
Nagoya to Tokyo, then to Kanazawa, Yamanaka-ko, Kyoto, Osaka and Awajishima, a very packed week
of traveling!
JIMTOF 2016
JIMTOF is the second largest international fair for
machine tool manufacturers and is staged every second
year in Tokyo.
The high Swiss Franc is a real challenge for Swiss
companies. Nevertheless, Swiss machinery exports to
Japan increased by more than 6% this year.
This year’s show (17-22 Nov) saw more than 90 Swiss
companies exhibiting their latest technology to an
international expert audience. The Swiss Business Hub
on behalf of Swissmem, the Swiss Association of
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Industries,
organized the association’s info booth and built an
information website covering all Swiss exhibitors. . In addition, the Swiss Business Hub organized the
traditional “Swiss Days” lunch reception for Swiss exhibitors and their clients. The participants visited
several booths of Swiss exhibitors and were informed about their latest technologies and product
offerings.
Mr. Ambassador Paroz (middle) at the booth of a
Swiss exhibitor at JIMTOF ©FDFA
11
Job Opportunity at the Swiss Business Hub
The Export department of the Swiss Business Hub has an open position for a Local Trade Advisor. A
good technical or consulting background and a native level Japanese are some of the conditions. A full
description and more details regarding the job opportunity can be found on our website.
Science, Education, Research & Innovation
Science and Technology Office
The Embassy of Switzerland in Japan hosts a Science and Technology office, which is responsible for
the promotion of scientific cooperation between the two countries. The Science and Technology
Office’s mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tokyo is to support the State Secretariat of Education,
Research and Innovation (SERI) in Switzerland in the implementation of its strategy at an international
level.
The Science & Technology Office Tokyo is an integral part of the Swissnex Network, which is a key component of Swiss foreign policy to promote science, technology, innovation and higher education.
Government supported research collaboration
New calls were launched for research funding
projects between the two funding agencies Swiss
National Science Foundation SNF and Japan Society
for the Promotion of Science JSPS; further calls are
in preparation also with Japan Science and
Technology Agency (JST). In the meantime, two
workshops were held in collaboration with JST, one
in Dübendorf, Switzerland in March, the second
one in October in Tokyo. At both workshops more
than 40 researchers met to exchange their findings
on energy related topics – a topic of key
importance for both our countries’ future. They
have successfully led to new discussions towards
collaborative research between young researchers
who met on through these initiatives.
Ambassador Paroz gave the opening speech at the "Hydrogen Technology and Energy Storage” Workshop held from October 5-6 ©FDFA
12
Three Japanese Teams at Cybathlon in Switzerland!
Cybathlon is an international competition for
individuals with physical disabilities assisted by
cutting-edge technologies including robotics
and bio-mechatronics. The first Cybathlon was
held in Switzerland on October 8 and three
Japanese teams were competing in four
different disciplines. In order to give both the
teams and the event a platform in Japan, the
Science & Technology Office Tokyo organized a
“Cybathlon Pep Rally Event” in Shibuya’s
FabCafe – more than 100 people showed up to
cheer for the three teams and at the same
time learned more about innovative
Switzerland. The main event in Zurich attracted
about 4’600 visitors and more than 200 media outlets! Be sure to check out the video produced
featuring the three Japanese teams.
Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences discover Asia
A delegation from Switzerland’s Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) visited Asia—China, Japan,
Korea—to directly learn and experience the challenges of (healthily) aging societies and their health
care systems. The trip, organized by swissuniversities.ch in collaboration with Swissnex China, and the
S&T Offices Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul, led the 13 professors to three countries. The program was
diverse and dense: universities, startups, governmental institutions as well as hospitals were visited.
Specifically in Tokyo, at a match-making
event at the Residence of the Ambassador,
the representatives from the six
participating Swiss UAS “speed-dated” six
Japanese Universities: The universities had
ten minutes per “date” to introduce
themselves and to make a first contact. The
networking session that followed hosted by
the Ambassador at his Residence was
helpful for expanding the discussions. The
Swiss representatives were happy
about concrete ideas for collaborations
they found through this event between
their institutions and newly met partners in Japan. We would like to thank the delegation for their
great interest in Japan and all the Japanese counterparts for their hospitality.
Cybathlon initiator Prof. Robert Riener greets the Japanese teams and the audience at the Cybathlon Pep Rally Event ©FDFA
The Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing warmly welcomed the Swiss UAS Delegation. ©FDFA
13
Professor Thomsen (Uni ZH) and Prof. Défago (Tokyo Tech) introducing their research projects ©FDFA
Promoting Studies in Switzerland – in Tokyo and in Kyoto!
Four Japanese graduates from Switzerland’s prestigious University of Arts & Design, ECAL, contacted
the Swiss Embassy a few months ago and asked for support for their project to promote ECAL in Japan
and inspire more design students to study abroad while also exhibiting their graduation artworks. The
S&T Office Tokyo supported the successful Re-Importation exhibition during the Tokyo Design Week:
More than 500 guests, mostly prospective students, journalists covering the relevant fields and
prominent designers visited the beautifully designed exhibition and the relevant discussion rounds
held during the six day event in early November.
The first Swiss Alumni Symposium in Kyoto of November 27th, organized and initiated by Yuta
Daigi (former University of Zurich exchange student) and Aurelio Cortese (EPFL Alumni), was a great
success. The theme of the symposium that took place
in the beautiful “Yoshida Izumidono” Building of Kyoto
University was “studying in/ about/ with Switzerland”.
The speakers with diverse backgrounds offered a
broad perspective on the academic relations between
Japan and Switzerland. Tokyo Tech Professor Défago
introduced for example his perspective on the
evolution of Japanese Academia over the last 20 years.
Prof. Thomsen from the University of Zürich
presented his project on unveiling art objects from
Japan that are stored in museums’ basements. This is
been done by linking them to the person who donated
them and tracing back their history. Lively discussions
continued during the simple networking reception with Swiss cheese and wine provided by the
Embassy of Switzerland.
14
Mr. Shimamura (President of Asahi Glass Company),
Mrs. Shimamura, Prof. Cleaveland, Laureate Prof.
Borner, Dr. Gusynina Paroz, Mr. Ambassador Paroz
©FDFA
Blue Planet Prize 2016 in Swiss hands: Prof. Markus Borner
This year’s esteemed Blue Planet Prize from the Asahi
Glass Foundation was awarded to Prof. Markus
Borner who has been at the forefront of the
conservation and management initiatives to protect
endangered wildlife and ecosystems in Africa over
the past 40 years. The Prize Award Ceremony was
held in Tokyo on November 16 in attendance of his
Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino.
The Swiss Ambassador pointed out in his
Congratulatory speech that the Swiss Constitution in
its preamble stipulates that the Swiss people and
Cantons are mindful of their responsibility towards
creation and towards future generations. He thanked
Prof. Borner for all his contributions to protect and
conserve biodiversity and wilderness and also the
Asahi Glass Foundation for establishing the Blue Planet Prize, which highlights the achievements of
individuals and institutions that work hard to protect our environment.
Press and culture
Japanese Media Tour on Civil Engineering in Switzerland
In August, eight members of the Japanese
media traveled to Switzerland for one week on
a media tour. This was the fourth media tour
held in the past three years. With the aim to
introduce the side of Switzerland not yet known
to the Japanese public, this year's theme was
"Innovative Civil Engineering (Doboku) in
Switzerland". With the baton of "the longest
railway tunnel in the world" being passed on
from Seikan Tunnel in Japan to the Gotthard
Base Tunnel, the civil engineering aspect in
Switzerland was introduced along with the
structure of the society in which people take The eight participants, fully geared up for their visit in Switzerland ©FDFA
15
the initiative in the decision making process of construction projects. The group has also visited large-
scale projects such as Nant-de-Drance, Tamina Bridge, and architectures built by Japanese architects:
SANAA, Kengo Kuma and Riken Yamamoto.
Civil Engineering Exhibition and Mountain Day Event
21_21 design sight, a design museum in Tokyo, held during the summer 2016 a unique civil engineering
themed exhibition - the first of its kind held with a “design” perspective. Switzerland was featured
prominently through the introduction of the longest tunnel to open at the year-end: the Gotthard Base
Tunnel.
The newly introduced “Mountain Day” – a new holiday in Japan – was an occasion to organize a special
lecture which brought together the builder of the Gotthard Tunnel, Mr. Renzo Simoni, CEO of
AlpTransit, and the builder of the Seikan Tunnel (now the second longest tunnel), Mr. Akita. The 21_21
design sight museum was quickly booked out for this symbolic “passing of the crown” event with an
enthusiastic audience interested in how these large-scale projects came to be realized.
The lecture by Renzo Simoni at the 21_21 Design sight in Tokyo ©FDFA
16
The Dada monster at the Dada 100 Festival opening ©Embassy of Switzerland in Japan / Tsuburaya Production
Dada 100 Festival
2016 marks the 100th anniversary of Dadaism, an
influential art-movement founded at the Cabaret
Voltaire in Zürich in February 1916. As an anti-
establishment and conceptual movement, Dadaism still
is a major influence to many artists and art genres
around the world. Throughout this spring and summer,
many exciting events including dance performances,
design and art exhibitions, and movie screenings took
place around Tokyo to celebrate the legacy of the
movement in Japan. A Dada newspaper was published
and 17’000 copes distributed around the city. The
festival was launched in May 19 at the Swiss
Ambassador's residence in collaboration with a special
guest appearance of the "DADA", a monster from the popular TV series "Ultraman" in Japan, which is
inspired by Dadaism and became the face of the festival. The Dada 100 festival brought together more
than 20 partners institutions and about 30 different events took place over a four months period.
One of the Dada 100 Festival opening performances at Super Deluxe ©Hideto Maezawa
17
Montreux Jazz Festival Japan
The iconic Montreux Jazz Festival came back to Japan for its 2nd edition in Tokyo. The festival took
over some of the trendiest spots of the Japanese capital; Yebisu Garden in Ebisu and Unit in
Daikanyama for a series of shows with carefully selected performers. The world renowned fashion
designer Yohji Yamamoto - one of Claude Nobb's favorite designer - created the poster this year and
collaborated with artist Yuuka Asakura for the visuals of the festival. The highlight of this years’ festival
was the performance with Caetano Veloso. As always the festival was a great success and we look
forward to the next edition!
Great turnout to the Festival for this year edition ©Montreux Jazz Festival Japan 2016
18
Swiss Design Promotion
This fall was very busy for Swiss Design and many events took place from talk events to design
exhibitions. Some of the notable events that took place were the exhibitions by renowned Swiss
architects and designers from Atelier Oï. At the “Paper Garden” exhibition (1.9-11.9.2016, in Spiral)
they showed their beautiful and meticulous artworks made with Washi-paper from Gifu Prefecture,
and then they host a solo exhibition at Axis Gallery (28.10-6.11.2016, Axis) where they showed the
working process behind each of their artwork.
Young and promising Swiss designers Dimitri Bähler and Christophe Guberan participated in the
“HIGHLIGHT” exhibition together with renowned Japanese designers at the Design Koishikawa, which
received a lot of coverage in the media.
The solo exhibition by the winner of the 2016 Swiss Design Award, Christophe Guberan got a lot of
attention and an exhibition by Japanese students graduated from ECAL and other European Art
Universities proved the high reputation of the Art schools in Europe including Switzerland. The special
pop-up store, the "Swiss Design Kiosk", marked the presence of Swiss design during this years’ Tokyo
Design Week. Created to showcase and sell Swiss products from everyday life, this Kiosk will start
moving to different venues. More information on the other events organized this fall can be found in
our cultural calendar.
Paper Garden exhibition with Atelier Oï at Spiral. ©FDFA
19
Swiss Culture in Japan
Each quarter, the Embassy of Switzerland releases a cultural bulletin highlighting all the events taking
place around Japan that promote Swiss culture. Such events include music performances, art
exhibitions or festivals; the events are as numerous as they are varied. These events are not only a
great way to discover more about Swiss culture or maintain a tie with Switzerland, but they are also a
great way to meet interesting people who have bonds with our country. The Embassy is looking
forward to meeting some of you to some of next year’s events.
The latest cultural calendar from Fall 2016. Click on the image to enlarge ©FDFA
20
Upcoming Events
Swiss’ Experiences: Thriving and Surviving in Japan
The S&T Office Tokyo at the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan, in collaboration with the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan SCCIJ is organizing a presentation series, inviting Swiss speakers to talk and discuss their experiences in Japan. Please join us for interesting talks, discussions and networking; Participation is free, but registration is required!
Speaker Dr. Andres Müller, Engineer & PM at Nippon Koei Co, Ltd.
When: Thursday, January 12
Where: Meeting Room of Okuno & Partners, Kyobashi TD Bldg. 7F, 1-2-5 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Schedule: 19:00 – 20:00: Presentation and Discussion; 20:00 – 21:00: Networking
Speaker Dr. Aurelio Cortese, Postdoctoral researcher at ATR
When: Tuesday, January 31
Where: Meeting Room of Okuno & Partners, Kyobashi TD Bldg. 7F, 1-2-5 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Schedule: 19:00 – 20:00: Presentation and Discussion; 20:00 – 21:00: Networking
When: March 2017
Festival de la Francophonie
The Festival of the Francophonie is a world-wide festival organized by French-speaking countries of all
continents every March. Events throughout Japan will be organized, please find below some of the
events and keep an eye at the next cultural calendar for more information about them.
This year, Switzerland will participate in a lecture on the Swiss photographer Pierre Joseph Rossier,
who was one of the earliest photographer visiting Japan at the Bakumatsu (1858 – 1862) and
contributed to the development of the Japanese photographic history. The Swiss researcher Philippe
Dallais at the Zurich University and the Ethnographic Museum will give two lectures in Kobe and Osaka
introducing the exhibition “Bakumatsu en 3D par Pierre Possier » at the Maison Franco-Japonaise in
Tokyo from March 24 to April 7. In addition, at the Journée de la Francophonie, Switzerland will
participate in the culinary part to serve raclette and Swiss wine. www.institutfrancais.jp
Some special celebrations for the Francophonie will also be held in Kobe this coming March 2017.
David Zoppetti, a Swiss writer, is already among some of the speakers of the event. He will talk about
the renowned Swiss liquor absinthe and its tight relationship with artists and its impact on culture,
notably on the Dada movement, which was born in Zurich in 1916 and celebrated its 100th anniversary
this year.
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The Last Swiss Young Professional event of year 2016 hosted on December 15th at Nescafé Harajuku gathered more
than 80 people ©FDFA
When: April 19-21
Where: Tokyo Big Sight
Swiss Medtech Pavilion at MEDTEC Japan 2017
Join us at Asia’s most important Medtech related Expo: MEDTEC Japan
Join the Swiss Medtech Pavilion at MEDTEC Japan, Asia’s largest trade-show dedicated to the design
and manufacturing of medical devices. As co-exhibitor at the Swiss Medtech Pavilion, Swiss research
institutes and young companies involved in the Medtech field will have an excellent platform to
present and promote their activities, disseminate up-to-date information, foster networking and
establish new partnerships. It is ideal for gaining an overview of cutting-edge R&D activities, learning
the latest technological trends, finding partners in Japan and Asia and accessing the growing
opportunities in the Medtech domain.
Swiss community
Swiss Young Professional
Every three months, the Embassy of Switzerland organizes a casual gathering called “Swiss Young
Professional” for students, entrepreneurs and professionals that have some connections with
Switzerland to come together, network and have a good time. Drinks and food are served and
everyone is welcomed! Make sure not to miss the next event by either sending us an email to
registering to our mailing list or keeping an eye at our facebook page.
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Children playing at the spring BBQ hosted together with
the Tamagawa Alphorn Club at the Floral Garden Ange
in Tamagawa event ©FDFA
Happy Birthday Swiss Club Tokyo!
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Swiss
Club Tokyo, a non-profit organization, run by
volunteers from the Swiss community of the Kanto
area.
It all began in 1974, when some Swiss Embassy
staff members invited the local Swiss community
to a garden party at the old Embassy. The purpose
was to bring Swiss people together, establish
contacts with newcomers, make friends and
exchange experiences. The event was a great
success and eventually led to the foundation of the
Swiss Club Tokyo in September 1976. Today, the
Swiss Club Tokyo counts over 100 members living
in the Kanto area.
The club organizes various activities throughout the
year, such as the 1st of August party at the pool side of the Hilton Tokyo Bay, fun weekend gatherings, a
spring barbecue, a ski holiday in the Japanese Alps, a gorgeous Year End Party (together with the SCCIJ),
to mention only a few. Also, an informal get-together is set for every last Monday of the month.
Reservations are not required and anyone can join to socialize with compatriots over a drink and a nice
meal.
The creation of a platform (possibly on facebook), which allows members to advertise small gatherings or
outings (hiking, motorcycle touring, garage sale, etc.) is currently being considered. In order to stay
relevant, the club is always open to new ideas for events and activities, and any constructive input is
welcome.
Contact Info: Swiss Club Tokyo c/o Embassy of Switzerland
5-9-12 Minami Azabu, Minato-ku
Tokyo 106-8589
Tel.: 03-5449-8422
Email: [email protected]
Further information and details on upcoming events can be found on the Swiss Club Web page.
Social-media users will be happy to find the Swiss Club on facebook as well.
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Guests enjoying their evening at the Year End Event of the Swiss Club Tokyo and the
SCCIJ. ©SCCIJ
Year End Event
On December 1, the Swiss Club Tokyo and the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan,
under the patronage of Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan, Jean-François Paroz, and his spouse,
opened the holiday season with the traditional Year End Party.
Under the motto “Red Carpet – Be a Movie Star”, numerous (to-be) stars and starlets were to be
spotted among the 300 participants that gathered in Hilton Tokyo. In a costume contest, those who
convinced most on the red carpet had the opportunity to be awarded great prizes. Music
entertainment also brought Switzerland and Japan closer to Hollywood: while the band Micazo &
Friends accompanied the evening with famous movie soundtracks, guests were indulged in the
traditional Swiss music of the Tamagawa Alphorn Club and carried away by the vibrant Kendama
dancing performance of Zoomadanke. Such entertainment, together with a delicious buffet and many
fantastic door prizes to be won, turned the evening into a success.
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The yearly August 1st celebration at the Kobe Club organized
by the Swiss Society of the Kansai ©Swiss Society of the Kansai
Swiss Society of the Kansai
If you are a Swiss resident in the Kansai area
in Japan, make sure to attend one of the
events of the Swiss Society of the Kansai.
Typically, the Swiss Society of the Kansai
organizes barbecues twice a year, celebrates
the national day on August 1st and hosts a
Year End event in December.
The Society is a great way to connect with
fellows Swiss and meet other interesting
people living in Japan.
Contact Info: The Swiss Society of the Kansai
President: Mr. Philip Spaelti
Secretary: Mr. Herbert Bucher
Email: [email protected]
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Contact
Emergency Contact Information
In order to ensure that we can contact you in case of emergency, our list of addresses, phone numbers
and e-mails has to always remain up-to date. So, if you have recently moved, changed your e-mail
address, or simply think that we might not have all of your contact information on file, send a quick e-
mail to [email protected] including all of the following points:
Family name & first name
Street address
Professional Email
Private Email
Mobile Email
Better be safe than sorry!
Think Green: switch to the digital edition of the Swiss Review
Would you like to receive the electronic version of the
SWISS REVIEW?
It’s easy, just visit www.eda.admin.ch/swissabroad
and make the switch to the digital edition.
It’s never too late to go green, save a few trees, and
feel good about it.
(Also available as an Apple or Android app)
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New faces at the Embassy
Several internal changes within the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan occurred in 2016.
Ms. Noriko Sakakibara who worked for 25 years at the Embassy as an administrative assistant left
earlier this fall. We wish her every success in her future endeavor.
Matthias Schnyder joined us from Doha on
August 17th to replace Alain Maniciati as the
3rd secretary in charge of consular matters.
Ambassador Jean François Paroz, previously
the Swiss Ambassador to Hungary in
Budapest, arrived to Tokyo on September 2nd
to replace Ambassador Urs Bucher.
Mariella Baserga arrived from Moscow on
August 8th to replace Alain Tschumi as the
attaché personal assistant to the Ambassador
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Switzerland.
CONTACT
Swiss Embassy in Japan
5-9-12 Minami Azabu
Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8589
Japan
Tel. +81 3 5449 8400
www.eda.admin.ch/tokyo
Copyright © 2016 FDFA. All rights reserved
Orie Pernici started working on October 25th
as an administrative assistant notably in
charge of the Embassy reception.
Tina Brunner started working on November
14th as an assistant consular Officer