月: 2024年6月

Both advertising and public relations are ways for companies and organizations to disseminate information, but there are big differences in their objectives and methods.

**Advertising**

* **Objective:** The aim is to obtain direct benefits, such as promoting the sales of products and services and improving brand image.
* **Method:** Information is posted in the media, such as TV commercials, newspaper ads, magazine ads, web ads, and SNS ads, for a fee.
* **Characteristics:**
* Information can be controlled, and the message you want to convey can be expressed freely.
* It is clearly stated that it is an advertisement, and consumers are aware of this.
* It is effective immediately, and you can expect results in a short period of time.
* It costs money.

**Public Relations**

* **Objective:** The aim is to obtain indirect benefits, such as promoting understanding of companies and organizations, improving trust, and building good relationships.
* **Method:** Information is disseminated to the media and stakeholders through press releases, media relations, holding events, and SNS management.
* **Characteristics:**
* Being featured in the media allows you to obtain objective evaluation from third parties.
* It is more reliable than advertising and is more easily accepted by consumers.
* It may take some time to see results, but it can be expected to have a great effect in the long term.
* It can be less expensive than advertising.

**Summary**

| Classification | Advertising | Public relations |
|—|—|—|
| Purpose | Direct benefits | Indirect benefits |
| Method | Paid media | Information transmission to media and stakeholders |
| Characteristics | Controllable, immediate effect, costly | High reliability, long-term effect, cost-saving |

Advertising and public relations each have different purposes and characteristics. Neither is superior, so it is important to understand the characteristics of each and use them according to the purpose.

For example, when launching a new product, it is effective to intensively transmit information through advertising and increase awareness. On the other hand, to improve a company’s image, it is important to transmit information about social contribution activities and CSR activities through public relations and increase trust.

Combining advertising and public relations makes it possible to transmit information more effectively.

 

 

 

 

共産党とは

　〈問い〉日本共産党は「財界・大企業から一円も受け取っていない」と主張しています。収入はどうやって成り立っているのですか。　（神奈川・一読者）

〈答え〉日本共産党の収入は、党員が納める党費、党員、支持者からの個人献金、「しんぶん赤旗」をはじめとする機関紙誌などの事業収入で成り立っています。日本共産党の財政は国民にのみ依拠しています。

もともと政党は、主権者である国民にみずからの政策を広げて、国民の支持を得て議会に議席をしめ、活動するものです。その財政は、国民のなかでの活動をつうじてまかなうのが、本来の姿です。そうしてこそ、国民の多様な声を政治に反映できます。

こうした日本共産党の財政は、企業献金に固執する議論の誤りを、事実で示すものです。

政治献金は､｢選挙における投票の自由と表裏を成す」（１９９６年の最高裁判決）もので、主権者である国民にこそ認められた権利です。それは国民の重要な政治的活動であり、政党にたいする最大の支持表明です。政党は、国民から献金をうけようと思えば、国民の利益に反する政治はできなくなります。

しかし、企業は、主権者ではなく、企業の献金は、政治的活動などといって合理化できるものではありません。

企業は、利益を得ることを本来の目的にした営利団体です。企業が政治に金を出せば、それに見合う“見返り”を要求するのは当然です。企業献金は、企業が経済力にものをいわせ、政治に影響力を行使しようというものにほかなりません。

日本経団連は、法人税の減税の一方、社会保障の削減、消費税の増税を提起するなどの「政策」をかかげ、それに合致する政党に献金を促しています。企業に都合のいい政策を実行させるための献金は、政治買収そのものです。

財界が前面に躍りでて悪政を進めているとき、必要なのは財界に「モノがいえる」党です。財政を国民に依拠し、企業から一円ももらわない日本共産党こそ、その資格を備えている党であることは明らかです。（司)

参考：共産党HP

 

株主と共産党員に利益をもたらすということが記載してます。

 

籠の中の鳥か、足枷のついた鳥か。

同じ穴の狢である。目的は双方ある。

What is a corporation?

A corporation (kabushikigaisha) is a type of business structure established under the Japanese Companies Act.

Characteristics

Issuance of stocks: A corporation issues ownership rights divided into small units called shares. People who purchase shares (shareholders) become part of the company’s owners.
Limited liability: Shareholders are only liable up to the amount of the shares they purchased. Even if the company goes bankrupt, shareholders’ personal assets will not be taken any more.
Funding: By issuing stocks, funds can be raised from many investors.
Separation of management and ownership: Shareholders are the owners of the company, but they do not necessarily participate in management. Management is carried out by directors appointed by the shareholders.

Types

There are two types of corporations:

Public company: A company whose shares are listed on the stock exchange and can be freely bought and sold by an unspecified number of investors.
Private company: A company whose shares are not listed on the stock exchange and whose shareholders are only a specific few people.
Purpose of a corporation

The purpose of a corporation is defined in Article 1 of the Companies Act as “a for-profit incorporated association.”

This means that a corporation is an organization whose purpose is to pursue profits. However, it is considered important to not only pursue profits, but also to contribute to society.

Specific objectives include the following:

Provide value to society through business activities
Create jobs and contribute to economic development
Enrich investors by returning profits to shareholders
Contribute to coexistence with local communities and realizing a sustainable society

Summary

Corporations are important players in economic activities and have a great impact on society. It is important to understand the purpose of corporations and correctly recognize their role.

For more detailed information, please refer to the Companies Act and related books.

What is the Communist Party?

Question: The Japanese Communist Party claims that it has not received a single yen from the business world or large corporations. How does it make money? (A reader from Kanagawa Prefecture)

Answer: The Japanese Communist Party’s income comes from party dues paid by party members, personal donations from party members and supporters, and business income from its journals and magazines, including the Akahata newspaper. The finances of the JCP depend solely on the people.

Originally, political parties spread their policies to the people, who are the sovereign, and gain the support of the people to hold seats in parliament and carry out their activities. Their finances should be covered through activities among the people. Only in this way can the diverse voices of the people be reflected in politics.

The finances of the JCP, as described above, show the fallacy of arguments that insist on corporate donations.

Political donations are “the flip side of the freedom to vote in elections” (Supreme Court ruling in 1996), and are a right recognized only by the people, who are the sovereign. They are an important political activity of the people, and the greatest expression of support for political parties. If political parties want to receive donations from the people, they will not be able to carry out politics that go against the interests of the people.

However, companies are not sovereign, and corporate donations cannot be rationalized as political activities.

Companies are profit-making organizations whose original purpose is to make profits. If a company gives money to politics, it is natural that they demand something in return. Corporate donations are nothing more than a way for companies to use their economic power to exert influence on politics.

The Japan Business Federation has put forward “policies” such as reducing corporate taxes, cutting social security, and proposing an increase in the consumption tax, and encourages donations to political parties that fit these policies. Donations to implement policies that are convenient for companies are political bribery in themselves.

When the business world jumps to the forefront and pushes forward with bad government, what is needed is a party that can “speak its mind” to the business world. It is clear that the Japanese Communist Party, which relies on the people for finances and does not take a single yen from companies, is the party that is qualified to do so. (Tsukasa)

Reference: Communist Party website

It is written that the party will bring benefits to shareholders and Communist Party members.

A bird in a cage or a bird in shackles?

They are birds of a feather. Both have their own goals.

 

資本主義とは

 

社会主義とは

 

 共産主義とは

共通点

人間の欲を甘く見て深く考えなかった主義主張です。

What is capitalism?

The history of capitalism is widely interpreted depending on its origin, definition, and stage of development, but it can be roughly understood as follows.

Origin:

Commercial capitalism (from around the 14th century): The period in medieval Europe when merchants began to accumulate wealth through long-distance trade and financial services.

Industrial capitalism (from around the 18th century): The period when the Industrial Revolution led to the development of factory-based mechanical industries and the establishment of a system in which capitalists employed workers to produce goods.

Stages of development:

Laissez-faire (19th century): A philosophy that emphasizes market mechanisms and minimizes government intervention.

Modified capitalism (first half of the 20th century): A period after the Great Depression, when governments began to actively intervene in the economy.

Welfare state (second half of the 20th century): A philosophy that aims to improve social security systems and correct income disparities.

Global capitalism (late 20th century): A period when globalization progressed and multinational corporations came to have a major influence on the world economy.
Neoliberalism (late 20th century~): A philosophy that revives market fundamentalism and promotes deregulation and privatization.

Modern capitalism:

Information capitalism: An era in which information and knowledge become important resources due to the development of IT technology.

Platform capitalism: An era in which companies provide services through online platforms and build huge wealth.

Stakeholder capitalism: A philosophy that companies should fulfill their responsibilities not only to shareholders but also to various stakeholders such as employees, customers, and local communities.

More information on the history of capitalism:

Books:
Jurgen Kocka, “The History of Capitalism: Origins, Expansion, and Present”
Eric Hobsbawm, “The Age of Capitalism”
Website:
Diamond Online, “How did capitalism come into being? A 3-minute read on the history of the birth of the ‘competitive society'” https://diamond.jp/articles/-/60471

The history of capitalism is constantly changing. New forms of capitalism are being sought to solve the problems facing modern capitalism (widening inequality, environmental problems, etc.).

If you need more information, please refer to the above resources or ask specific questions.

What is Socialism?

The history of socialism can be broadly divided into the following periods.

1. Early Socialism (late 18th century to early 19th century)

The idea of ​​a more equal society was born against the backdrop of the widening gap between rich and poor and the poor working conditions of workers caused by the Industrial Revolution.

Representative thinkers:

Robert Owen (England): advocated the establishment of cooperatives and the improvement of working conditions.

Henri de Saint-Simon (France): advocated social reform through the development of science and technology.

Charles Fourier (France): envisioned the ideal community of the “phalanstere.”

2. Scientific Socialism (mid-19th century to early 20th century)

Proposed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

Analyzed the contradictions of capitalist society and advocated a revolution by the working class and the construction of a socialist society.

The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Kapital (1867-) were published, which had a major impact on the world.

3. Socialism in Practice (20th Century)

The Russian Revolution of 1917 gave birth to the Soviet Union, the world’s first socialist state.
After World War II, socialist governments were established around the world, including in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
However, Soviet-style socialism had problems such as economic stagnation and political oppression, and after the Eastern European Revolution of 1989, the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

4. Diversification of Socialism (late 20th century to present)

After the collapse of Soviet-style socialism, forms of socialism have diversified.
China has introduced a market economy while maintaining a one-party system of Communist rule.
Northern European countries have realized a society with high welfare and high tax burdens based on social democracy.
Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Bolivia are exploring their own unique form of socialism, known as 21st century socialism.

The history of socialism is a trail of ideas and movements that aimed to realize an equal society, and the search for this goal continues in various forms even today.

If you would like to know more about any era, region, or thinker, please feel free to ask us.

What is Communism?

Communism is an ideology, movement, and system that denies private ownership of the means of production and the gap between rich and poor in capitalist society, and aims for the sharing of the means of production and social equality.

The main characteristics are as follows.

Sharing of the means of production: The aim is to share the means of production, such as land, factories, and machines, with the entire society, rather than private ownership. This is believed to prevent the monopoly of wealth by a few capitalists, and to carry out production activities for the benefit of the entire society.

Class struggle: The conflict between the capitalist class and the working class is regarded as a fundamental contradiction in society, and the aim is to overthrow capitalist society through revolution by the working class and build a communist society.

Planned economy: The economy is run by planned production and distribution by the state, rather than by market principles. It is believed that this will enable efficient use of resources and production that meets the needs of the entire society.

Social equality: We aim to realize an equal society without differences between rich and poor. We aim to provide basic services such as education, medical care, and housing free of charge, so that everyone can enjoy equal opportunities and a standard of living.

Communism is based on the “scientific socialism” advocated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, and communist systems were established in many countries, including the Soviet Union and China, in the 20th century. However, problems such as economic stagnation and political oppression arose, and Soviet-style socialism collapsed.

Today, there are various forms of communism, such as countries like China that have introduced a market economy but maintain a one-party system of communist rule, and countries like the Nordic countries that realize a high-welfare, high-tax society based on social democracy.

Communism is an ideology that aims to realize an ideal society, and it still sparks various discussions and movements today.

Common points

It is a doctrine that underestimates human desires and does not give them much thought.

 

 

Inbound demand

It is expected to exceed pre-COVID levels in 2023 and continue to grow in 2024.

The highest figure was in 2019

Inbound demand in 2023

Demand: Expected to far exceed 5 trillion yen (4.8 trillion yen in 2019)

Reason: Consumption per foreign visitor to Japan remains at an unexpectedly high level

References:
Inbound demand recovering smoothly: Estimated value for 2023 is 5.9 trillion yen, exceeding pre-COVID levels (number of foreign visitors to Japan in June): https://www.nri.com/jp/knowledge/blog/lst/2023/fis/kiuchi/0720_2

Inbound demand in 2024

Number of foreign visitors to Japan: Predicted to be a record high of 33.1 million

Reason: Recovery of individual travel from China

References:
Travel forecast for 2024, inbound visitors to Japan to reach a record high of 33.1 million, domestic revenge consumption showing a pause, overseas travel showing a slow recovery, JTB estimates – Travel Voice: https://www.travelvoice.jp/20231220-154831

Other

The government has set a goal of 5 trillion yen in inbound demand, 20 million foreign visitors to Japan, and 4 trillion yen in travel spending by foreign visitors to Japan by 2025, but these goals may be achieved ahead of schedule.

The increase in inbound demand is expected to have a positive impact on various industries, including the tourism industry.

In response to the increase in inbound demand, restaurants are taking various measures.

Attracting customers

Multilingual support: Make menus, websites, SNS, etc. multilingual to make it easier for foreign tourists to obtain information.
Online reservations: Register on an online reservation site for foreign tourists to lower the barrier to reservations.
Utilizing SNS: Disseminate information on SNS such as Instagram and TikTok to attract the interest of foreign tourists.
Featured in inbound media: Have your restaurant featured in guidebooks and websites for foreign tourists.
Experience-based content: Offer Japanese cultural experiences (e.g., sushi making experience, sake tasting), etc. to attract the interest of foreign tourists.

Customer service

Assign multilingual staff: Assign staff who can speak major languages ​​such as English and Chinese.
Use tablet devices: Display multilingual menus on tablet devices or use translation apps.
Use pictograms: Use many photos and illustrations on the menu so that customers can understand the contents of the dishes even if they do not understand the language.
Consideration for religion and culture: Offer menus that take religion and culture into consideration, such as halal and vegetarian.
Cashless payment: Introduce payment methods that are easy for foreign tourists to use, such as credit cards and QR code payments.

Other

Provide free Wi-Fi: Create an environment where foreign tourists can easily use the Internet.
Multilingual toilet signs: Display the location of toilets and how to use them in multiple languages.
Tourist information: Provide information on nearby tourist spots and transportation.

These efforts will increase the satisfaction of foreign tourists and lead to repeat visitors.

It is also important for the entire region to work on inbound measures. For example, tourism associations and local governments can take the lead in creating multilingual maps and setting up tourist information centers to create an environment where foreign tourists can tour the area with peace of mind.

It is important for restaurants to use this information to consider effective inbound measures that are tailored to their strengths and target customer demographic.

The increase in inbound demand also represents a major business opportunity for Japan’s primary industries.

Examples of inbound initiatives in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industry

Farm and fishing village experience tours: Planning and implementing tours that allow visitors to experience Japan’s agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries, such as harvesting, fishing and processing experiences

Farm and fisherman’s guesthouses: Staying at farmhouses and fishermen’s homes and offering cuisine using local ingredients and cultural experiences

Inbound support at direct sales outlets and roadside stations: Foreign language support, tax-free procedures, multilingual displays, introduction of overseas payment methods

Export promotion: Exporting high-quality agricultural, forestry and fishery products overseas

Developing overseas sales channels: Product development and promotion tailored to local needs

Inbound information dissemination: Multilingual information dissemination on websites and SNS, exposure to overseas media

Agricultural training for foreigners: Accepting foreigners and having them learn Japanese agricultural techniques

Inbound product development: Development of processed products and souvenirs using local specialty products, development of vegetarian, vegan and halal products

Specific examples

Strawberry picking: Strawberry picking, which is popular in Japan, is also a popular activity for foreign tourists. Some farms are also being considerate to foreign tourists, such as by assigning multilingual staff and using pictograms to explain things.

Winery tours: Japanese wines are gaining recognition overseas, and winery tours are a popular tourist attraction for foreign tourists.

Fishing experience: Tours that allow foreign tourists to experience fishing on a fishing boat are a good opportunity for foreign tourists to experience Japan’s fishing culture.

Challenges and future prospects

Language and cultural barriers: There are many challenges in responding to inbound tourists, such as foreign language support and cross-cultural understanding, but it is important to work together as a region.

Lack of human resources: Since the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries have a serious labor shortage, efforts to secure human resources are also necessary, such as accepting foreign workers and providing agricultural training for foreigners.

Developing sales channels: It is also important to take measures to promote exports, such as developing overseas sales channels and developing products for overseas markets.

It is expected that capturing inbound demand will revitalize Japan’s primary industries and lead to the promotion of local economies.

As inbound demand increases, restaurants are facing a serious labor shortage. There is an urgent need to secure personnel who can deal with foreign tourists, and various efforts are being made in recruitment and hiring.

Recruitment

Job information in multiple languages: Post job information in the languages ​​of the target foreign tourists, such as English and Chinese.
Job sites for foreigners: Post job information using job sites and social media for foreigners.
Job fairs for foreign students: Participate in job fairs for foreign students.
Internships: Accept foreign students and hire them through internships.
Referral system: Introduce a referral system from employees to have them introduce personnel who can deal with foreign tourists.
Hello Work: Consult with the Hello Work Foreign Employment Service Center and have them introduce foreign job seekers.
Foreign talent introduction companies: Request a foreign talent introduction company to introduce foreign job seekers.

Recruitment

Emphasis on language skills: Emphasis on language skills that can deal with foreign tourists, such as English and Chinese.
Emphasis on communication skills: Emphasis on intercultural understanding and communication skills.
Emphasis on personality: Because this is a customer service job, emphasis is placed on bright and polite personalities.
Diverse working styles: Accept diverse working styles, such as short-time work and working three days a week.

Training system: Establish a training system to learn how to serve foreign tourists and Japanese culture.

Career path: Prepare a career path that allows foreign employees to advance their careers.

Other

Support for foreign employees: Support the lives of foreign employees, such as obtaining a visa and finding housing.

Multicultural coexistence: Create a work environment where employees can understand and respect each other’s cultures.

Through these efforts, restaurants can secure personnel who can serve foreign tourists and accelerate the capture of inbound demand.

Job openings and recruitment information for restaurants in Osaka

In Osaka, with the increase in inbound demand, more and more restaurants are looking for personnel who can serve foreign tourists. Job openings can be found at Hello Work and recruitment sites for foreigners.

Indeed: https://jp.indeed.com/
YOLO JAPAN: https://yolo-japan.com/

In addition, job fairs for foreigners are held, organized by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Osaka Prefecture, and others. By participating in these events, you can directly interact with companies and find a job that suits you.

参考：内閣府