Japan Research Center

The Harvard Business School Japan Research Center (JRC) opened in January 2002. Located in Tokyo, its primary purpose is to support HBS faculty research and case-writing activities in Japan. JRC plays an important role in helping HBS advance its activities. Through its work in Japan, facilitated by the JRC, HBS strives to deepen faculty's understanding of and exposure to Japanese management issues, trends, and practices, as well as developing locally relevant case studies and course materials for use in MBA and Executive Education programs around the world. The School is heavily involved in strengthening ties with important constituencies in Japan (including companies, universities, government, and HBS alumni) - these relationships are critical to ensuring that the School's efforts have an impact. The work of the JRC has enabled the School's faculty to identify and study important management advancements in Japan, or develop and test their ideas within a Japanese framework.

Harvard Business School Japan Research Symposium was held in Tokyo on March 23, 2007, and Dean Jay O Light made an opening speech.

Research Symposium in Tokyo

Harvard Business School (HBS) held the Japan Research Symposium on March 23, 2007 at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo, around the theme of “Corporate Japan’s New Challenges”, and Dean Jay O. Light made an opening speech. Over 100 guests, including Japanese business leaders, prominent academics, and alumni attended the symposium. Dean Light also attended the reception hosted by the HBS Club of Japan, the alumni club in Japan, and gave a speech, followed by a Q & A session. About 150 people attended the reception. (Please see below for more detailed information on the Research Symposium.)

Harvard Business School - Research Symposium
Corporate Japan’s New Challenges
　

8:00 – 9:00	Continental Breakfast
Introduction
9:00 – 9:15	Introduction Jay O. Light, Dean, Harvard Business School
9:15 – 9:45	Welcome and Update of Japan Research Center Professor Krishna G. Palepu, Senior Associate Dean for International Development Masako Egawa, Executive Director, Japan Research Center
Morning Session - Strategic Innovation
9:45 – 11:00	Multi-Sided Platforms: A New Way to Innovate and Achieve Industry Leadership Professor Andrei Hagiu Comments on NTT DoCoMo’s Innovative Initiatives Takeshi Natsuno, Senior Vice President, Managing Director of Multimedia Services Department, NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
11:15 – 12:30	Leading Strategic Innovation at FUJIFILM Professor Michael Y. Yoshino Presentation on FUJIFILM's Strategic Innovation Shigetaka Komori, President and Chief Executive Officer, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation
Lunch
12:30 – 14:30 -	Lunch - Why did The Japanese High Tech Industry Lose Competitiveness? Speaker: Tetsuya Iizuka, Founder and CEO, THine Electronics, Inc. Moderator: Professor Richard H.K. Vietor, Senior Associate Dean, Asian Initiative
Afternoon Session: Japan’s Response to the Changing Environment
14:30 – 15:45	The Truth about China and India: How 2.4 Billion People Are Changing Their Future and Yours Professor Tarun Khanna Comments, George Yong-Boon Yeo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore
16:00 – 18:00	How Countries Compete Professor Richard H.K. Vietor, Senior Associate Dean
17:00	Comments on Japan’s Structural Adjustment - Junichi Ujiie, Chairman, Nomura Holdings, Inc. Hiroshi Watanabe, Vice Minister, Ministry of Finance
Reception
18:00 – 20:00	Reception with Harvard Business School Alumni and Guests Remarks and Q & A with Dean Jay Light