Nonprofit Organization Institute of Industrial Cluster
Kanagawa, Yokohama, Yokosuka, Industry, Vitalization, Regional, Small-businesses

　Happy New Year!

　We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support and cooperation in our activities. The long-running corona pandemic is now in its third year.
　Though the “With Corona” policy is spreading worldwide, and various restrictions, such as travel restriction, are being eased in Japan, human exchange has not yet returned to normal.

　In addition, Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine has resulted in a drastic strangling of oil and gas supplies from Russia in retaliation for economic sanctions against Russia by Western countries, and exports of Ukrainian grains have also been delayed due to the war. This has caused global energy prices and grain prices to skyrocket, and has been a major burden on our country’s economy and people’s lives.

　Furthermore the rapid depreciation of the yen since last spring has added to the above mentioned factors, and the business environment remains very difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises.

　Regarding our activities, the activity plan decided at the general meeting has been affected by six’s wave of COVID-19 since last summer, making it again difficult to provide face-to-face corporate support and seminars. Although we made some efforts, such as hastily changing to a web-based format, many of the activities we had initially targeted were constrained by this situation.

　Despite these difficulties, the following activities were carried out with the cooperation of our members.

(1) Sustainable Management System （SMS）Support Department

1. Completed evaluations of three facilities after receiving accreditation as a third-party evaluation organization from the City of Yokohama
2. Continued support for companies seeking to acquire qualifications
3. Support for companies to acquire intellectual property rights

(2) Support on New Public Commons Department

1. Held the monthly “Imasara Sodanshitsu (consultation room)” at where our members help to resolve various issues raised from private citizen.
2. Held a craft making workshop at Kannonzaki Nature Museum (November: about 60 participants)
3. Held Information Security Seminar (October) and Invoice System Seminar (November). Both held online.

(3) International Business Support Department

1. Support for acquiring international intellectual property rights
2. Support for English translation of training materials for foreign trainees from English-speaking countries

(4) IoT Study Group

1. Online study sessions and search for companies that consider to introduce IoT
2. Follow-up and compilation of ongoing themes from the previous term in collaboration with other offices and institutions

(5) General

　To make it known to the public that the funds for activities of a non-profit organization are, in principle, donations from citizens and companies, a pamphlet was prepared and distributed to all concerned parties for fundraising activities.

　Though it is unpredictable whether the world economy and politics will be improved in the future, this year is the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac, and it is originally considered to be a year of leaps and bounds and improvements. I wish that the long-lasting pandemic and the war, that suddenly fell on Europe, will end as soon as possible, and that it will be a year of leaps and bounds and improvements for all of you both in name and reality. We would also like to ask for your continued guidance and encouragement this year.

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