Latest articles from John West

Viva-Tel-Aviv-how-the-Israeli-city's-start-up-culture-is-winning-admirers

Viva Tel Aviv: how the Israeli city's start-up culture is winning admirers

The start-up culture found in Tel Aviv boasts Barack Obama among its admirers. Indeed, the Israeli city's entrepreneurial spirit and hi-tech expertise has had multinational companies from all over the world sitting up and taking notice, as John West discovers. 

Japan retail - Uniqlo

Japanese lessons: what the country can learn from Uniqlo's success

Fashion brand Uniqlo, part of Fast Retailing, the world's fourth largest retail holding company, has expanded rapidly in recent decades, both at home and abroad. It is a success story – with highs as well as lows – that CEO Tadashi Yanai is urging the Japanese government to learn from.  

Softbank weaves a world wide web
From Companies

Softbank weaves its world wide web

From humble beginnings, SoftBank has evolved into Japan’s leading telecommunications and internet corporation. John West looks at how the company’s chairman and CEO, Masayoshi Son, is now looking to make this success global.

Canada east-west feature

Canada’s share of global FDI is decreasing, with government policy and a sense of unpredictability pervading the investment landscape. 

Go Canada

Target Canada: why Japanese companies are heading eastwards

Japan has a long history of investing in Canada, a trend that is showing no sign of slowing thanks in no small part to recent activity from companies such as Honda, Japan Petroleum Exploration and Muji.

Japan calls its corporates to account

Japan calls its corporates to account

As Japan embarks upon the task of bringing its corporate governance structure up to international standards, John West reports on the pressures that caused the country's government to finally tackle this historic problem, and looks at the likelihood of the proposed reforms coming into fruition.

Investment builds bridges between China and Japan

Investment builds bridges between China and Japan

While the political relationship between China and Japan remains tense, Chinese FDI into Japan has been picking up pace, with investors keen to take advantage of economic synergies between the two countries.

Abenomics arrows off target

Are Abenomics arrows off target when it comes to reviving Japanese FDI?

Prime minister Shinzo Abe says he wants to double the level of FDI into Japan, but for now the country remains the ‘most closed investment market in the developed world’, according to one former EU trade commissioner. How can Japan boost its inbound investment appeal?

From News

Japan rebalances Asian investment away from China

Formerly the largest Asian recipient of Japanese FDI, China has fallen out of favour with Japan-based companies in the past year.

Global greenfield investment trends

Crossborder investment monitor

fDi Markets is the only online database tracking crossborder greenfield investment covering all sectors and countries worldwide. It provides real-time monitoring of investment projects, capital investment and job creation with powerful tools to track and profile companies investing overseas.

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Corporate location benchmarking tool

fDi Benchmark is the only online tool to benchmark the competitiveness of countries and cities in over 50 sectors. Its comprehensive location data series covers the main cost and quality competitiveness indicators for over 300 locations around the world.

Click here to find out more about fDi Benchmark

Research report

fDi Intelligence provides customised reports and data research which deliver vital business intelligence to corporations, investment promotion agencies, economic development organisations, consulting firms and research institutions.

Find out more.