Successful collaboration model of Japan and Russia

The industrial competitiveness of Japanese manufacturers has been lagging behind over the last decade. Some have imputed their weakening performance to a shortage of innovative minds. Russia, on the other hand, is now an emerging market whose economy has grown by at least 7% for each of the last five years. Among the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), the economic growth of Russia is surpassed only by that of China (8%). Japan and Russia have remained in political conflict since the end of the second world war, with only a partial thawing since the end of the cold war. Japan could benefit from warmer relations with Russia, a close neighbor whose far eastern cost can be seen with the naked eye from the northern part of Hokkaido. This text discusses ways to create new technological collaborations between Japan and Russia through an entrepreneurial approach with new businesses and new product concepts. As a technology broker and consultant intermediating between Russian and Japanese entities for more than 10 years, the author includes examples drawn from her experience in more than 50 business cases and meetings with more than 200 individuals. The results are reflected in this study.