On June 11 and June 25, two staff members from JBIC’s Strategic Research Department gave guest lectures at the Faculty of Economics, Seikei University, on trends in the overseas expansion of Japanese companies and the political and economic situation in various European countries.
First Session
In the first session, TOMODA Reo, Associate of Division 1, Strategic Research Department, introduced his department’s work. Then, drawing on JBIC’s annual “FY2025 Global Landscape of Overseas Business Expansion (GLOBE)” survey and various government statistics, he explained (1) recent overseas business models among Japanese manufacturers, (2) the key factors Japanese companies focus on in overseas business, and (3) the actual destinations of Japanese companies’ overseas expansion.
He noted that India has been attracting particular attention in recent years as a destination for Japanese companies, topping the survey’s ranking of promising countries for four consecutive years, and explained that companies expanding into ASEAN countries are motivated not only by production costs but also by the region’s strong market growth.
Second Session
In the second session, EGUCHI Saho, Associate of Division 2, Strategic Research Department, spoke on the theme of “Challenges Facing Europe,” covering (1) the growing importance of energy security following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, (2) the reassessment of excessive dependence on the United States, and (3) responses to economic security and supply chain risks associated with China, explaining the background behind Europe’s growing focus on strategic autonomy.
She also discussed how the industrial policies being pursued by the European Commission affect Japanese companies, and highlighted the shared challenges facing Japan and Europe, such as energy security and economic security. This helped deepen the students’ understanding of the connections between Japan and Europe.
The lecture included group work on the themes “Where is the next promising country? Will India stay in first place next year too?” and “Let’s think about the policies of political parties in various European countries.” During the group work sessions, students raised questions from a variety of perspectives and engaged in lively discussion, reflecting their strong interest in the topics.
JBIC will continue to provide a range of information related to the overseas business expansion of Japanese companies.
