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    Japan's largest export industry!

    Akira Tsuchiya(en)
    Akira Tsuchiya(en)

    Japan's largest export industry!

    It has been 10 years since I left Japan.

    I started my overseas business just two months after my father passed away. I was determined to do what I wanted to do. I have been involved in the "franchise" and "bar" business in Japan for nearly 30 years. And for the past 10 years, I have been looking overseas.

    What I think is that there are still elements of growth in both Japanese food and franchising.

    The number of Japanese restaurants worldwide has been growing at an accelerating rate over the past few years. There are 88,700 (2015) 118,000 (2017) 156,000 (2019) Japanese and Japanese food restaurants worldwide. (according to Nosui).

    However, less than 5% of these restaurants are actually run by Japanese people.

    Why? Why is that?

    The world is looking for Japanese food, but no one is leaving, so the locals are developing Japanese food just to see what they can find.

    That is not a bad thing. It is good that the base is expanding rapidly. The world's largest sushi chain is a Taiwanese company.

    The number of tourists to Japan has finally exceeded 30 million thanks to the effects of the weak yen and inbound efforts such as visa exemptions.

    Although the number of visitors to Japan is still small compared to the rest of the world...　　One of the most popular reasons for coming to Japan from all over the world is always "I want to eat Japanese food!

    "I want to eat Japanese food!

    This is how tourists eat real Japanese food.

    They are fed up with the fake Japanese food they have been eating in their own countries and want to eat "real Japanese food". Even if they go back to their own country.

    It is bound to happen!

    In addition, JETRO conducted a survey of people around the world and asked them, "What is the dish you would like to eat other than the food of your own country?"　The most popular answer was "Japanese food!

    　

    Japanese food!

    Not French, Chinese, or Italian food, but Japanese food.　Tailwind!　Tailwind!

    A tailwind for companies offering authentic Japanese food in Japan!

    To ride the escalator up or not? It is up to the company, up to the president.

    According to the needs of the world, Japanese food has the potential to become Japan's largest export industry. It is such an industrial field!

    Assentia Holdings Pte.

    Akira Tsuchiya
    Akira Tsuchiya(en)

    Akira Tsuchiya(en)

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    Our background In 1991, we started the business that was not yet found in Japan, or even in the world. That business was to become an agency who provides franchise store-development service. We came up with the idea to persuade companies to join a franchise as their new business; our target was not individuals, but the small and medium-sized enterprises who already established with their businesses. With that as a start, we managed to expand over 30 franchise brands including various restaurant brands i.e. Bakery Restaurant St.Marc(650 uint in Japan, BBQ “Gyu-kaku”(850 unit in Japan), Katsudon “Katsuya”(350 unit in Japan), Sushi delivery “Gin-no Sara”(730 unit in Japan), and from other hospitality business categories i.e. Second-hand automobile dealer “Gulliver”(450 unit in Japan), Second-hand golf club dealer “Golf Partner”(350 unit in Japan), Women’s fitness club “Curves” (2,000 unit in Japan as a master franchisor of the American brand), by selling new businesses to small to medium-sized enterprises in Japan. Number of the stores we successfully opened are over 8000 ! During this time, in 1996, Akira has established a company, Prime Link Co.Ltd., to start a business that we become franchisee ourselves to grow the business. In 2001, Prime Link Co, Ltd., became the very first franchise business company that is listed on the stock market(Nasdaq Japan). In 2006, Akira left Prime Link and started our company, Assentia Holdings, Inc. In 2010, Akira has established Assentia Holdings PTE. Ltd. in Singapore, and started the business to connect Japan and the world. During the last 5 years, our client’s franchise stores have spread in 19 countries（180 unit) in the world. Japanese food business and Japanese-style service are catching a great deal of attention from the world. Our work is spreading out from Asia to Oceania, Middle Eastern, Europe and North, Central and South America. Published a business book "Gain F&B franchise business opportunities in Asia"