JMEC 31 Awards: Celebrating Innovation and Teamwork in Tokyo
Images courtesy of LIFE.14
On June 6, the Japan Market Expansion Competition (JMEC) marked its 31st anniversary with a vibrant awards ceremony at the Tokyo American Club. With 67 participants from 17 countries and backing from 18 foreign chambers of commerce, JMEC continues to be a benchmark in business training and cross-cultural collaboration in Japan.
This year’s cohort competed in teams to craft professional business plans for real clients: foreign companies looking to enter or expand in the Japanese market. The result was a celebration not only of smart strategy, but of endurance, innovation and teamwork. Let’s take a look at this year’s winning teams.
First Place: Team 4 for ORAFOL JAPAN
Client Industry: Automotive Wraps
Focus: Market strategy for eco-friendly vinyl wraps in Japan
The winning team developed a go-to-market strategy for a company offering automotive wraps, an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional car paint. “We knew nothing about the product or the market when we started,” said the team coordinator Joselle Ali. “But we kept going through late nights, work hours, weekends. It was tough—but worth it.” Their business plan also impressed the client, who praised the actionable, market-savvy roadmap provided by the team.
Second Place: Team 3 for TUV SUD JAPAN
Client Industry: ESG / Certification
Focus: Strategic expansion and organizational restructuring
Initially tasked with certification strategy for a European ESG-focused firm, this team realized the company needed much more: a full business overhaul. They built a roadmap covering HR, sales, marketing and operations.
“We put in over 1,500 hours over five months,” said mentor Christine Brown. “It felt like we were building a company from scratch.” Despite being strangers at the start, Team 3 became one of the most cohesive and committed teams in the program, earning them second place honors.
Third Place: Team 1 for SKIDATA
Client Industry: Sustainability
Focus: Consumer insights and market entry recommendation
Team 1 stood out by challenging assumptions. While previous JMEC teams advised their client to delay market entry, this team said the opposite: now is the time. “We backed our position with survey data and gave them a plan they could act on,” said Kenley Brust, a current MBA student on the team. “This was my first real-world consulting experience.” The client was convinced and committed to follow the team’s roadmap for launching in Japan.
Why JMEC Matters
JMEC is more than a business plan competition. It’s a rigorous, team-based, real-world experience that builds leadership, problem-solving and cross-cultural communication skills. For companies, it offers affordable, actionable strategies developed by teams of globally minded professionals. For participants, it’s a launching pad for new careers, insights and friendships. “JMEC isn’t just about business. It’s about growing through challenges together,” said Kenley.
The awards also recognized these outstanding achievements:
- Team 2 —Jay Johannesen, Rachelle Anne Ramos, Fumitaka Okutani, Hitomi Hiraga, Natsuko Kawasaki, Dhanashree Ghatpande, Sorin Kawashima and Kei Sakahuchi—also won the Best Use of AI award for their innovative integration of AI tools in their client strategy.
- Team 5 —Yukiko Sakai, Thorsten Meyer, Ikumi Matsumoto, Patamawadee Leepaisomboon, Kayo Fukunaga, David Nichols, Lily Wu and Jun Yamaguchi—was honored with the Business Handbook award for their polished, professional and well-organized final report.
Applications Now Open for JMEC 32
If you’re looking to gain hands-on business experience in Japan, build a network and challenge yourself professionally, JMEC 32 is now accepting applications. Visit www.jmec.gr.jp for details.