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Paper short abstract:

Modern globalization brought about changes in the formation of fruit and vegetable production areas and the development of a distribution systems. Mandarin exports, which began in the 1880s, were a factor in the expansion of mandarin production and the development of modern distribution systems.

Paper long abstract:

This research aims to document the development of mandarin orange exportation. In the modern era, trading between Japan and other countries has become more active, and globalization has brought about multifaceted changes in Japan. One example of these changes is the formation of fruit and vegetable production areas and the development of a distribution system. In particular, Japan saw an increased commercialization of fruit, which were almost exclusively classed as luxury items.

In the early modern period, fruit production was self-sufficient, and only a few items were distributed as commodities, and the distribution of highly perishable fruits was limited. In the early Meiji period, the government imported many foreign fruit tree seedlings, and fruit tree cultivation was introduced in many parts of Japan. In the Taisho period (1912-1926), the domestic distribution of fruits and vegetables increased due to the expansion of railroad lines and an increase in the urban population. Contrarily, the formation of fruit-growing regions and the increase in production were influenced by demand outside of Japan.

Mandarin oranges, one of Japan's major fruits, were not in great demand in the early modern period. However, in the 1880s, mandarin oranges began to be exported to Canada, where they were in high demand as “Christmas oranges,” due to their easy peeling and nucleus-free qualities.

Mandarin orange exports from Japan to Manchuria increased rapidly after the 1930s, when Japan's imperialization of the country progressed. Mandarin oranges were desired by the Japanese abroad as a fruit that reminded them of their homeland, and were systematically rationed as a daily necessity in Manchuria.

Although the quantity of mandarin oranges exported was small compared to the quantity distributed domestically, the difference in cultural values outside of Japan produced significant overseas demand, which became a factor in the growth of mandarin orange production in Japan during the modern period, when the domestic commercial value of the fruit was not so high. The demand, which arose not only from non-Japanese populations but also from Japanese expatriates, expanded the scope of mandarin orange distribution, advancing the development of a modern distribution system.

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Paper short abstract:

The paper examines the entry of a Japanese sōgō shōsha into the Estonian venture capital market. Document analysis and interviews are used to understand motives behind market entry, investments and cooperation with "New Nordics" in the specific case of ITOCHU and Tera Ventures.

Paper long abstract:

The paper is driven by the booming start-up ecosystem in Estonia and rising number of Japanese investments to the so-called New Nordics during the last years. Specifically, the paper analyses the entry of the Japanese general trading company (sōgō shōsha) ITOCHU into the Estonian venture capital market. The theoretical part of the work contributes to the existing literature by pointing out the strategic differences between sōgō shōsha 's entry into the foreign market compared to ordinary multinationals. Special attention is paid to the cultural characteristics of the investment targets of sōgō shōsha and Japan. The internationalisation experience of ITOCHU as a traditional Japanese sōgō shōsha is analysed. A case study is carried out in the empirical part of the work. It will be built on the parallel approach of the ITOCHU, and it’s Estonia-based investment target Tera Ventures, a seed investment company. The case study is based on document analysis and interviews with the managers and decision makers of both firms. During the interviews, the expectations of the parties before the start of the cooperation, the process of starting the cooperation and the setbacks that occurred during it will be figured out. The future course of the cooperation and the prospects and assessment so far will also be clarified. Based on the case studies, recommendations will be given, on how to create long-lasting collaboration between Japanese and European firms.

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Paper short abstract:

BoP business by Japanese MNCs has yet to be successful, stuck in a dilemma between securing profits and achieving social agenda. Expanding the role of BoP to make their business more inclusive will increase the potential to overcome the dilemma, which will also be key to the success of SDG business.

Paper long abstract:

Many BoP businesses by Japanese MNCs that began by providing affordable products or services have yet to be successful. We show that the fundamental cause of their failure lies in a dilemma between securing profitability as a private company and achieving the social agenda of poverty alleviation at the BoP and that the MNCs are stuck in the middle, unable to achieve either of the two agendas. Next, we discuss BoP’s shift from its role as a mere marketplace to a production base or source of innovation, as Japanese MNCs have established global production networks. This is transforming the BoP business into an inclusive one that incorporates local communities into the value-chain of MNCs, which has the potential to balance the two challenges in a dilemma at a higher level through providing employment opportunities and increasing consumption by higher incomes, and through increasing productivity by strengthening and empowering human capital.

For Japanese MNCs to truly succeed in the BoP business, they need to address not only social challenges at the BoP but also environmental challenges in both emerging and developed countries. To reconcile such overall SDG-related challenges with their interests, Japanese MNCs will be increasingly required to redefine their role from a sustainability perspective.