1st June 2022, Tokyo, Japan:

Matador CEO, John Bolger and Director, Clinical Business, James Hawrylak represented Matador at our first Japan Association of New Economy (JANE) annual meeting and were honoured to be welcomed by Mr Mikitani, JANE Representative Director and a visionary founder of Rakuten Group Inc - almost certainly Japan's most successful new economy success story and a person we both have huge respect for.

It was a real breath of fresh air to hear the JANE leadership speaking about digital transformation as well as the general "Japan Transformation" term that they coined to include promotion of diversity and global standardisation amongst other things. All of these concepts are close to the heart of everybody at Matador.

As Forbes reported upon the founding of JANE ten years ago:

The “Galapagos Syndrome” has been deeply damaging to Japan’s economy as Japanese companies have developed Japan-only standards and specifications for products that preclude the marketing of these products globally.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephenharner/2012/10/10/can-rakuten-maverick-ceo-mikitanis-new-organization-change-japan/?sh=64665fb22613

This Galapagos Syndrome has also allowed Japanese government and organisations to effectively ignore critically important global trends such as recognising the power of diversity and the compelling nature of the climate crisis and this does immeasurable harm to Japan and the future of its younger citizens. Matador is still a small company but we are proud to be contributing in a small way to Japan's bright, inclusive, highly successful future.