The HBS Japan Research Center (JRC) serves as the "HBS embassy” in Japan. The JRC's primary responsibility is to help HBS faculty with their research and case activities. Recent cases the JRC was involved in include “Trouble at Tessei”, “Astroscale, Space Debris, and Geopolitics of Earth’s Orbital Commons” and “Fanuc Corporation: Reassessing the Firm's Governance and Financial Policies.” In 2014, the JRC hosted the Japan Immersion Program for eighteen HBS professors to see Japan's changing economic landscape and meet local business leaders, including HBS alumni.
The JRC's role is not limited to case and research, as we serve a broader mission of benefiting the school and Japan. In addition to supporting admissions and alumni relations, the JRC has been working closely with the MBA Global Experience Office (GEO) to support the Japan Immersive Field Course (IFC) for the last six years. The Japan IFC provides HBS students with opportunities to be fully immersed in Tohoku, the region severely hit by the earthquake and tsunami in March, 2011. The 2017 course features authentic entrepreneurship in Tohoku. Participants will experience three types of activities:
- Team-based consulting for local entrepreneurs in Tohoku
- "Real Markets Lab" and other group activities to learn about/contribute to disaster-affected areas
- Immersion in modern and traditional Japan through unique cultural activities
If life brings you to Tokyo, please feel free to visit us at our office on the 49th floor of Roppongi Hills and enjoy the amazing view of Tokyo skyscrapers!
Our Team:
- Nobuo Sato, Executive Director
- Akiko Kanno, Senior Researcher
- Naoko Jinjo, Senior Researcher
- Yukari Takizawa, Office Manager
JRC staff members and their families.