Japanese firms introduces new technology, services to expand base in Asia

Alps Electric is a multinational corporation producing a variety of electric components such as units for car device, touch panels for smartphones, censors and switches.

Alps Electric, which was established in 1948, produces a variety of products. The first product was a rotary switch for radio receiver.

It then started producing a wide range of products such as variable capacitors, keyboard, remote control, printer and so on.

Alps Electric, which started as a small factory, is now a multinational company having branch offices all over the world including in Asian nations such as India, Malaysia and Vietnam.

"We emphasize on creating jobs for the local people. We don't want to hire the staff from Japan and assign every work to Japanese. Instead, we want to build a community-based branch office by hiring local workers and management staff. We don't believe in just selling the products. We need to know many things such as culture, temperature and the people's need while developing a business in any country. It is only then we can keep our originality intact by implementing different approaches suitable for each country," said Yoichiro Kega, Senior Manager, Marketing Planning Office, Alps Electric Co. Ltd.

The company is working on a small communication module to stop cars automatically and avoid car accidents.

Many Japanese companies, including Japan Airlines, are expanding their footprints.

Earlier on December 20, Japan Airlines launched new daily service between Bangkok and Nagoya's Chubu Airport. This direct flight service is for the first time in about four years since it had discontinued by the company's business failure in 2010.

Commemorating ceremony was held at the main gateway to the skies in Nagoya, Chubu Centrair International Airport, in conjunction with the departure of JL737 flight.

"Under the company slogan of becoming the customers most preferred and valued airline group. I would appreciate your continued patronage and support of JAL Group," said Yoshiharu Ueki, Representative Director, President, Japan Airlines Co. Ltd.

Japan Airline has its training center for the flight attendants in Bangkok.

The company has seven overseas flight attendants office in London, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Bangkok and Singapore. Among them, Bangkok office is especially designed to have a training facility for Thai crew.

Every day, the in-flight service trainings are provided by the active cabin crew, based on the same training course used in Japan.

The recruit flight attendants learn from the basic customer service in Japanese and most important the Japanese way of hospitality.

"I am interested in working with the Japanese people because they always have high responsibility and I want to learn how to organize well like Japanese," said Boonyanuch Praditsilp, a cabin crew member with Japan Airlines.

Japan Airlines has about 600 crew members in Bangkok office. The flight attendants take training course for six months, which includes training to learn the Japanese language.

"I think the most difficult part in learning Japanese is about politeness..... And when you do service, you must select the word of polite to capture the customers' heart," said Aksara Charoenwanich, another cabin crew member with Japan Airlines.

Japan Airlines is committed to offer Japanese hospitality to passengers travelling to Thailand and other parts of the world.