Tokyo Chamber of Commerce Taito Branch Young Entrepreneurs March Meeting Report

Introduction

On March 13, 2025, I attended the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry Taito Branch Youth Division's March regular meeting, also known as the "Taito Branch Youth Division 49 Presents Business Exchange Meeting." Having joined the youth division in 2024, I’ve been involved in several events and activities, but I hadn’t yet had the chance to really dive into deeper business discussions with other members. So when the opportunity for this business matching event came up, I was all in.

Business matching events are great because they bring together people from different industries to exchange ideas, learn about each other’s businesses, and explore potential collaborations. In a place like Taito Ward, where traditional and modern businesses coexist, the chances of discovering unexpected synergies are even greater. I was excited to see what opportunities might unfold.

About the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry Taito Branch Youth Division

For those unfamiliar with it,

The Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry Taito Branch Youth Division was founded in 1988 and is made up of young entrepreneurs and business successors under 50. Its mission is to drive regional economic development through regular meetings, community initiatives, and even international study tours.

Events like this business exchange meeting aren’t just about networking. They’re about strengthening our community and creating real business opportunities.

Event Format

The meeting was structured into three parts, each designed to maximize engagement and networking.

Part 1: One-Minute Business Pitches

Each participant had exactly one minute to introduce their business. This might sound short, but it forces you to cut through the fluff and get to the heart of what you do. The challenge was making your pitch compelling enough that people would remember you when the real networking began.

Part 2: 1-on-1 Speed Networking

Think of this as the business version of speed dating. We had two-minute conversations with different participants, exchanging business cards and information in quick succession. Two minutes isn’t long, but it’s enough to spark interest and identify common ground. I found it fascinating how many unexpected connections I made in such a short time.

Part 3: Social Gathering 🍻

After the structured sessions, participants had the chance to continue conversations in a more relaxed setting over food and drinks. While I didn’t stay for this part, I know from past experiences that this is where many deals and collaborations are formed.

Observations and Market Trends

The event featured companies from a wide range of industries, including:

• Real Estate & Property Management (19%)
• Manufacturing (16%)
• IT & Digital Solutions (16%)
• Retail & E-commerce Site Operation (14%)
• Consulting & Professional Services (12%)
• Finance & Legal Services (12%)
• Agriculture & Food Industry (7%)
• Art-Related, Tourism, Arts & Culture, and Entertainment (Others)

While Taito Ward may evoke images of traditional industries like manufacturing and tourism, I hope people are also aware of the presence of IT companies, consulting firms, and art dealers, which are not typically associated with Taito Ward.

The trends discussed included:

• Promotion of Digital Transformation (DX)
• Overseas Expansion
• Supply Chain Challenges

I was able to hear how each company is addressing these themes.

Shared Challenges and Potential for Collaboration

Through the event, several common challenges faced by many companies were highlighted.

1. Rising Costs (Material & Labor Costs) (28%)
2. Labor Shortages & Recruitment Difficulties (23%)
3. Delay in Digitalization & DX (21%)
4. Intensifying Competition and Difficulty in Differentiation (16%)
5. Compliance with Regulations (12%)

These are common challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises, and unsurprisingly, "rising costs," which is a frequent topic in recent news, topped the list. I felt that collaboration and information sharing with companies from different industries could be a key to solving these challenges.

For example, during the one-on-one discussions revealed that the jewelry industry, which still operates primarily with paper-based systems, urgently needs digitalization and paperless solutions.

To address this challenge, utilizing AI content generation tools like "Kafkai" can efficiently digitize traditional paper catalogs and product information. With Kafkai, existing product descriptions can be converted into various digital content formats, making them easy to deploy on websites and social media. This will simultaneously reduce costs and improve operational efficiency while enabling businesses to reach new customer segments.

Success Stories

The discussions were not only about challenges. It was interesting to hear about successful cases of inter-industry collaboration.

• Significant sales increase through e-commerce utilization (Ex. a Buddhist altar and religious goods company that achieved top industry sales on Amazon 🙌🏾)
• Companies securing stable income in the real estate market
• Companies increasing profits through the expansion of IT services
• Traditional industries pioneering new markets

Hearing such concrete examples provided hints on how to leverage inter-industry expertise. Being in the same business for a certain amount of time can blind you on what works for other industries which might also work for yours.

Learnings and Thoughts

I personally gained a lot of insights, such as

• The difficulty and effectiveness of one-minute presentations
• The importance of adaptability during speed networking (2 minutes is such a short time!)
• The trust and sense of solidarity that arises from direct dialogue

During the one-on-one sessions, discussing business content and challenges for two minutes each, talking so that it could be conveyed within two minutes, understanding the other person's story, and having no time to take notes was very challenging. I felt that even AI couldn't manage this, but I re-recognized the value of "real-world interaction." Especially now, with the increase in online interactions, the importance of meeting and talking in person stood out.

Next Steps

So what's next? At least for now

1. Continuously maintaining contact and meetups
2. Information exchange
3. Think about how to creating new businesses through inter-industry collaboration
4. Continue participating in other events and regular meetings of the youth division

Collaboration across different industries is likely to become an increasingly important focus going forward. As markets continue to shrink, businesses cannot survive by sticking only to traditional, rigid ways of working.

Come Join Us in the Youth Division

Through this event, I once again realized how meaningful the activities of the youth division are for young entrepreneurs.

• Building networks among young entrepreneurs
• Sharing skills and management know-how
• Opportunities to contribute to the development of the regional economy

For those who haven't participated yet, I hope you will attend a regular meeting or exchange meeting at least once. It may be an opportunity to expand your business possibilities.

Would you like to join us in the Taito Branch Youth Division?

There are certain conditions that needs to be fulfilled, but if you are interested, please contact the Secretariat below.

Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry Taito Branch Youth Division Secretariat

Address: Taito Ward Community Center 1st Floor, 2-6-5 Hanakawado, Taito-ku, 111-0033 TOKYO TEL: 03-3842-5031