On June 7, 2016, Josai University Educational Corporation invited the President of Höganäs Japan K.K., Mr. Carl-Gustav Eklund for the first “Swedish Café” held in the International Conference Room in the 3rd Building, Tokyo Kioicho campus.
　 Chancellor Noriko Mizuta serves as the President of The Japan-Sweden Society; the event was held with an idea to explore the cultural and economic relationship between the two countries. More than 100 people attended the event, among them the Chief of The Japan Institute of Scandinavian Studies, Professor Kenji Suzuki; Josai students and scholarship students; and faculty members.

Mr. Eklund studied business and management at the School of Business, Economics and Law of the University of Gothenburg. After graduation he enrolled in the Chalmers University of Technology where he obtained Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Arriving to Japan in 1980, he has worked over 30 years as manager and representative of various Swedish corporations, and between 2006 and 2010 he served as the Chairman of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan. Chancellor Mizuta in her introductory remarks mentioned: “I cannot think of a better speaker to inaugurate this series of events than Mr. Carl-Gustav Eklund.”

Based on his own experiences of the past 30 years, Mr. Eklund introduced us his unique points of view in connection with the cross cultural management between Sweden and Japan, and he shared some secrets of success of Swedish Managers, as well as introducing the important points that Swedish Business may be able to learn from their Japanese competitors. He encouraged the students to open up to the world and to venture overseas; and shared his thoughts on what we can do to support their ambitions. The audience actively participated in the lecture, and Mr. Eklund’s thoughts and opinions were comprehensive throughout the discussion.

Josai University Educational Corporation plans to have more Swedish Café events in the future.