Chambers of Commerce in Japan

Chambers of Commerce in Japan (Foreign & Domestic)


If you’re like many people, a ‘Chamber of Commerce’ can conjure up images of Networking events, food spreads, juggling a plate, a drink and trying to get your meishi (Business Card) out, but when it comes Chambers of Commerce in Japan at least, don’t overlook the potential of their function, and more importantly all the people involved from those on the board to GoodPeople that make up their membership.

A chamber of commerce is a voluntary association of business firms belonging to different trades and industries. They serve as spokespeople and representatives of a business community. They differ from country to country. A chamber of commerce, sometimes known as a “board of trade,” is often made up of a group of business owners that share a locale or interests, but can also be international in scope.

— [Mixing up the Investopedia and Wikipedia descriptions]

The post COVID-19 afflicted world (current?), presents further challenges in making connections, building relationships and pursuing your goals for doing business in, with or related to Japan (or wherever you are).

While working remotely and looking to build relationships into the business community in Japan, a first step might be to contact the Chambers of Commerce that interest you, find out what activities and channels they are active in and on, follow them, engage with them and offer to help, get involved.

Here’s a list of the Foreign and perhaps some Domestic Japanese Chambers of Commerce you might not have been aware of.

If you need help contacting any in Japanese, perhaps you’ll find someone in the Business In Japan group on LinkedIn who can help, for a small fee, or if you have substantial needs for market expansion, access to industries or businesses, connect with me on LinkedIn and message me. We can have a chat and discuss what you’re looking to achieve and I may be able to think of someone I can introduce you to.

For information on how to set up a business in Japan, check out this awesome summary Japan Business Guide we posted.


FOREIGN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN JAPAN

Along with the Government Trade organizations in each country, there are 153 Diplomatic Missions in Japan, many with somewhat independent Trade Promotion and Investment agencies or organizations here, and most (not all) of these work closely with Chambers of Commerce representing their countries business interest in Japan.

Here are the ones I am aware of. If I have missed any, new ones opened or perhaps changed in some way, please let me know in the comments.

American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ)
Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ANZCCJ)
Austrian Embassy, Commercial Section (Advantage Austria)
Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BLCCJ)
Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCBJ)
British Chamber of Commerce (BCCJ)
Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ)
Chambre de Commerce & d’Industrie Francaise (CCIFJ)
Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ)
Danish Chamber of Commerce in Japan (DCCJ)
European Business Council (EBC)
Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan (FCCJ)
German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (GCCIJ)
Greek Chamber of Commerce Japan
Indian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ICCJ)
Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC)
Israel Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC)
Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ICCJ)
Korean Chamber of Commerce in Japan (KCCJ)
Mexico Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan
Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan
Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in Japan (NCCJ)
Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (NCCJ)
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan
South African Chamber of Commerce in Japan (SACCJ)
Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Japan
Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (SCCJ)
Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (SCCIJ)
Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (PCCIJ)
Japanese-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCILJ)
Czech Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan

DOMESTIC JAPANESE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Akita Chamber of commerce and industry
Aomori Chamber of commerce and industry
Chiba Chamber of commerce and industry
Fukui Chamber of commerce and industry
Fukuoka Chamber of commerce and industry
Fukuroi Chamber of commerce and industry
Fukushima Chamber of commerce and industry
Fukuyama Chamber of commerce and industry
Gifu Chamber of commerce and industry
Gunma Chamber of commerce and industry
Higashi Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HOCCI)
Hiroshima Chamber of commerce and industry
Hokkaido Chamber of commerce and industry
Hyogo Chamber of commerce and industry
Ibaraki Chamber of commerce and industry
Ishikawa Chamber of commerce and industry
Izumo Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Shimane)
Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI)
Japan International Chamber of Commerce (Japan ICC)
Japan Junior Chamber International (JCI Japan)
Kagoshima Chamber of commerce and industry
Kanagawa Chamber of commerce and industry
Kawasaki Chamber of commerce and industry
Kochi Prefectural Trade Association
Kofu Chamber of commerce and industry (Yamanashi)
Kumamoto Chamber of commerce and industry
Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI)
Matsuyama Chamber of commerce and industry
Miyagi Prefectural Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry
Miyazaki Chamber of commerce and industry
Nagano Chamber of commerce and industry
Nagasaki Chamber of commerce and industry
Nagoya Chamber of commerce and industry
Nara Chamber of commerce and industry
Niigata Chamber of commerce and industry
Oita Chamber of commerce and industry
Okayama Chamber of commerce and industry
Okinawa Chamber of commerce and industry
Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI)
Osaka Junior Chamber International (JCI Osaka)
Otsu Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Shiga)
Saga Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Saitama Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Sapporo Chamber of commerce and industry
Sendai Chamber of commerce and industry
Shimonoseki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Yamaguchi)
Shizuoka Chamber of commerce and industry
Takamatsu Chamber of commerce and industry
Tochigi Chamber of commerce and industry
Tokushima Chamber of commerce and industry
Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI)
Tottori Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Toyama Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Tsu Chamber Of Commerce & Industry (Mie Prefecture)
Wakayama Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Yamagata Chamber of commerce and industry
Yokohama Chamber of commerce and industry

This Post was written by Jason Ball, a “Fixer” and people Connector, in Tokyo and owner of the Business In Japan | LinkedIn group Founded 2/2008 | 63,000+ members as at 2/2021, 35%+ in Japan.