Japan wooing Indian IT professionals

By R. K. Radhakrishnan

OKAYAMA (Japan), MARCH 18. There is no uniform voice of welcome for software professionals in the Japanese archipelago, but the growing feeling that Japan is getting left behind has prompted a variety of initiatives. Some of these are aimed at the Indian software industry and professionals.

The first set of initiatives are at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), but political uncertainties might hamper the moves drawn up by the Ministry.

``Japan is strong in computer hardware, India in software. So we are natural partners for collaboration,'' says Mr. Takeshi Hikihara, director, Southwest Asia Division, Asian Affairs Bureau of MoFA.

Long-term ties

``IT will be the pillar of future cooperation. Various IT- specific meets are being organised by the Chambers of Commerce. Preparation for a Japan-India IT summit is on. Hopefully this should be held next month''.

``I also hope the Indian (Union) IT Minister will be able to participate,'' he says. The region's Assistant Director, Mr. Masayuki Taga, till recently stationed in New Delhi, feels the initiatives are the first steps towards a long-term relationship with India.

``We welcome everyone to set up software units here. We will provide free high-speed connectivity and also cheap office space,'' says the head of one of the 50 Japanese Prefectures, the Okayama Governor, Mr. Masahiro Ishii.

Mr. Ishii is candid in his admission as to what led him to look at the Information Technology sector: Okayama`s strength was its manufacturing industry.

The slump now has forced the Governor, now into his second term, to look at alternatives to boost development. That is where IT came in.

In neighbouring Hamamastu, the head of a software firm specialising in 3D shape handling systems is worried. ``There are not enough people coming in. And some of those who come in feel the money is not good enough compared to multinationals.''

``We would like to invite more Indian software professionals,'' says Mr. Masahiro Akiyama, president, Armonicos Company, which sold software worth $5 million last year.

``But problems of high living costs, communication and immigration are there. The software industry here is not big enough to lobby at the Central Government level.''

High-tech sector

The Nagano Prefecture too has realised the need to boost the lagging software sector and is concentrating on improvements in its cradle of high-tech - the Suwa-Okaya region.

One serious initiative to look at possible Indian collaboration has come from the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry. For the first time since it began organising the Global Venture Forum (GVF) in the 1990s, the Chamber is looking at India.

``I will be visiting three Indian cities to promote the forum which targets high-tech and knowledge-based industries,'' says Mr. Junichi Azuma, Assistant Manager, Industry Division of the Chamber.

``We are interested in bringing in quality software developers from India to meet potential partners in Japan,'' he adds. He will visit New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad in a bid to get Indian software industry look eastwards.

The GVF is a broad spectrum global business matchmaking event for companies in new, high-tech and emerging fields of business. Quality is the key word here too and companies which apply to participate go through an elaborate screening process. ``Last year 150 companies sent in applications. Only 36 were approved,'' says Mr. Azuma.

Problems persist

But the main problems that plague the ``import'' of software- cooperation still remain. There are no serious moves to relax immigration issues though the Foreign Ministry says Indian IT professionals will have simplified rules for stay upto three years. This worries the still-nascent software industry here.

``The Government should look at this problem,'' feels Mr. Akiyama. ``We should act fast. Housing too. The Government should look at this aspect of high cost of living too,'' he adds. The Okayama Governor says the political leadership will look into issue of immigration.

One revealing fact is that most people in the business and in positions of responsibility talk about just Bangalore and Hyderabad. Chennai, with all its software giants, does not figure on the Japanese radar screens.

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Section  : International
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