Latest news with #Fukuda
The Star
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Australian meats get Japanese treatment
Fukuda's twists include Australian Lamb Onigiri with Lamb Miso (left) and juicy lamb dumpling with spicy 'shiso' dressing. — YAP CHEE HONG/ The Star Lovers of lamb and beef can take the opportunity to enjoy premium Australian meats with Japanese flair. Parkroyal Collection Kuala Lumpur is hosting Japanese guest chef Koji Fukuda for 'A Taste of Japan' showcase. Until May 26, Fukuda will serve creations with his signature twist during weekday buffet dinners at Thyme restaurant, with a special Fabulous Meat and Seafood Buffet today and tomorrow. The celebration wraps up in style with an exclusive five-course dinner with wine on May 26 at Pacific Lounge, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur. This dining experience is held in collaboration with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Aussie Beef & Lamb. Fukuda, who is 'Lambassador' for Aussie lamb in partnership with MLA, brings his unique take on the meat by combining it with Japanese ingredients. The initiative is a global project that identifies influential food professionals who are passionate about cooking with Australian lamb. Inspired by his culinary journey in Victoria, Australia, Fukuda is on a mission to introduce more lamb into Japanese cuisine, a rarity in his home country. 'In Japan, lamb is not a typical ingredient. Even in supermarkets, it is hard to find. 'Over the past few years, it has been slowly gaining traction. 'In the north of Japan for example, a stir-fried dish featuring lamb shoulder is popular,' he said. At Parkroyal, expect creative bites like Australian Lamb Onigiri with Lamb Miso, Slim Beef Strip Tempura, Hokkaido-style Genghis Khan Yakisoba and juicy lamb dumplings with a spicy shiso dressing from Fukuda. The buffet dinner is priced at RM185nett per person, the meat-and-seafood buffet is RM238nett, and five-course wine dinner is RM368nett. For reservations, WhatsApp 010-229 7156 or email
Daily Tribune
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Trump vs Toyota?
With their sleek curves and chrome grilles, the classic American cars on sale at Yosuke Fukuda's yard ooze Californian cool but on Japanese roads new US vehicles are a rare sight -- much to President Donald Trump's annoyance. Japan's Toyota is the second-top-selling automaker in the United States, where it shifted more than 2.3 million vehicles last year. Meanwhile US industry leader General Motors sold just 587 Chevrolets and 449 Cadillacs in Japan, while Ford pulled out of the tough Japanese market nearly a decade ago. And it's not just an aversion to foreign brands -- in 2024 Mercedes-Benz sold more than 53,000 vehicles and BMW sold over 52,000 including Minis. "They don't take our cars, but we take MILLIONS of theirs!" Trump said in April, accusing Japan of treating its ally "very poorly on trade". To try and rev up the US auto industry, Trump has imposed a 25 percent levy on imported vehicles, in a major blow to Tokyo. Many people in Japan admire vintage US cars, but when it comes to new wheels, they hold more trust in domestic brands, Fukuda told AFP. West Coast hip-hop booms out at his shop Y-Tech, an incongruous slice of Americana amid the rice paddies north of Tokyo. "To be honest I think the problem is the size of the roads," as well as an impression that US cars break down more often, which is likely unfounded, Fukuda said. At his garage, the 20 or so classic US models in varying states of restoration include a silver-green 1970 Chevrolet Nova and a 1954 Buick Roadmaster. But Fukuda also drives a modern SUV -- a General Motors Yukon, which is two metres (6.5 feet) wide and "sticks out or is packed in" when parked in Tokyo's narrow streets. Although some US cars are smaller, the brands remain a niche choice because "there are hardly any places that sell them or repair them", he said. 'Bowling ball test' Yuka Fujimoto, a 42-year-old modelling agency manager, told AFP she had never considered buying a US car. "American cars don't sell very well" in Japan, where domestic automakers offer "a wide range of line-ups including for families", she said. However Trump believes Japan is keeping out American cars with "non-tariff cheating". This includes "Protective Technical Standards (Japan's bowling ball test)" he wrote last month on Truth Social. "They take a bowling ball from 20 feet up in the air and they drop it on the hood of the car. And if the hood dents, then the car doesn't qualify," Trump reportedly elaborated in 2018. A Japanese transport ministry official in charge of safety standards told AFP that no actual bowling balls are used. Trump "may be mixing it up with a test where a hemispherical human head model is hit on the hood", the official said. But the car's bonnet is in fact required to dent to absorb the impact, he explained. Tweaking Japan's vehicle import procedures is a potential bargaining chip for Tokyo in tariff talks with Washington. The country could offer to widen access to a simplified screening process which currently applies to 5,000 vehicles per model annually, Japanese media reports said.
Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Trump versus Toyota? Why US cars are a rare sight in Japan
American cars with Californian cool are rare on Japanese roads, much to US President Donald Trump's annoyance. PHOTO: AFP Trump versus Toyota? Why US cars are a rare sight in Japan FUKAYA, Japan – With their sleek curves and chrome grilles, the classic American cars on sale at Mr Yosuke Fukuda's yard ooze Californian cool. But on Japanese roads, new US vehicles are a rare sight – much to American President Donald Trump's annoyance. Japan's Toyota is the second-top-selling carmaker in the United States, where it shifted more than 2.3 million vehicles in 2024. Meanwhile, US industry leader General Motors sold just 587 Chevrolets and 449 Cadillacs in Japan, while Ford pulled out of the tough Japanese market nearly a decade ago. And it is not just an aversion to foreign brands. In 2024, Mercedes-Benz sold more than 53,000 vehicles and BMW sold over 52,000, including Minis. 'They don't take our cars, but we take millions of theirs,' Mr Trump said in April, accusing Japan of treating its ally 'very poorly on trade'. To try and rev up the US auto industry, Mr Trump has imposed a 25 per cent levy on imported vehicles, in a major blow to Tokyo. Many people in Japan admire vintage US cars, but when it comes to new wheels, they put more trust in domestic brands, said Mr Fukuda. West Coast hip-hop booms out at his shop Y-Tech, an incongruous slice of Americana amid the rice paddies north of Tokyo. 'To be honest, I think the problem is the size of the roads', as well as an impression that US cars break down more often, which is likely unfounded, Mr Fukuda said. At his garage, the 20 or so classic US models in varying states of restoration include a silver-green 1970 Chevrolet Nova and a 1954 Buick Roadmaster. But Mr Fukuda also drives a modern sport utility vehicle – a General Motors Yukon, which is 2m wide and 'sticks out or is packed in' when parked in Tokyo's narrow streets. Although some US cars are smaller, the brands remain a niche choice because 'there are hardly any places that sell them or repair them', he said. Mr Yosuke Fukuda, owner of US car dealer Y-Tech, drives a 1954 Buick Roadmaster from his company in Fukaya in Saitama prefecture. PHOTO: AFP Safety standards Ms Yuka Fujimoto, a 42-year-old modelling agency manager, said she had never considered buying a US car. 'American cars don't sell very well' in Japan, where domestic carmakers offer 'a wide range of line-ups, including for families', she said. However, Mr Trump believes Japan is keeping out American cars with 'non-tariff cheating'. This includes 'Protective Technical Standards (Japan's bowling ball test)', he wrote on Truth Social in April. 'They take a bowling ball from 20 feet up in the air and they drop it on the hood of the car. And if the hood dents, then the car doesn't qualify,' Mr Trump reportedly elaborated in 2018. A Japanese transport ministry official in charge of safety standards told AFP that no actual bowling balls are used. Mr Trump 'may be mixing it up with a test where a hemispherical human head model is hit on the hood', the official said. But the car's bonnet is, in fact, required to dent to absorb the impact, he explained. Tweaking Japan's vehicle import procedures is a potential bargaining chip for Tokyo in tariff talks with Washington. The country could offer to widen access to a simplified screening process which currently applies to 5,000 vehicles per model annually, Japanese media reports said. Fuel efficiency Mr Trump's auto tariffs have already brought some changes, with Nissan in April revising plans to reduce US production. Meanwhile, Honda is moving production of its hybrid Civic model from Japan to the US , saying no 'single issue' had prompted the decision. But US carmakers still face the problem of tepid demand among Japanese consumers. Mr Hisashi Uchida, a 56-year-old construction firm employee, said his Toyota car 'doesn't have any special features, but it doesn't break down'. 'Many US cars can't be parked at multi-storey carparks and their fuel efficiency isn't good,' he added. Mr Masamitsu Misawa, chief editor of Japanese vehicle magazine Car Top, said: 'I don't think US carmakers are really putting importance on the Japanese market, which is significantly smaller than their home market.' In contrast, German car brands offer a better range and their designs 'better match Japanese people's tastes', he added. Cars in Japan drive on the left, and unlike US rivals, European carmakers usually put the steering wheel on the correct side for vehicles sold there, he added. That could be changing. General Motors' eighth-generation Chevrolet Corvette has right-hand drive in Japan for the first time. 'That reflects efforts (for selling in Japan) by manufacturers and importers,' Mr Misawa said. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Associated Press
08-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Kaname Capital Submits Shareholder Proposals for the June 2025 Annual General Meeting of Fukuda Denshi
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 2025-- Kaname Capital ('we' or 'our firm') announced today that on April 25, it submitted shareholder proposals to Fukuda Denshi Co., Ltd. ('Fukuda Denshi' or the 'Company') for inclusion in the 78th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for June 2025. The proposals seek to amend the Company's Articles of Incorporation to establish a Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee with formal authority and independence, and to mandate that this committee review employee compensation and succession planning. We have been a shareholder of Fukuda Denshi since January 2019, holding shares for over six years. Over the past two years, we have submitted shareholder proposals advocating better governance and improved treatment of employees. However, given the Company's continued disregard for the voices of shareholders and employees alike, we believe it is both necessary and meaningful to submit proposals once again this year. [Shareholder Proposal Document] The proposal consists of the following four items: While the full rationale is provided in the proposal document, our key points can be summarized as follows: (1) Despite its strong profitability, Fukuda Denshi has failed to appropriately share its success with employees. Although the Company has generated substantial profits, those gains have disproportionately benefited Chairman Fukuda and a small circle of executives close to him. Employee compensation has not kept pace. We are concerned that this growing compensation gap is eroding employee morale and undermining the Company's long-term competitiveness. We therefore urge that an independent Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee review this disparity and lead efforts to rectify the imbalance. Notably, when we submitted a proposal last year calling for improved employee treatment, the Board refused to present it to shareholders, citing its non-binding nature, a decision that appeared to be designed to avoid engagement with this important issue. (2) Chairman Fukuda turns 80 this year, yet no credible succession plan has been disclosed. In 2023, Chairman Fukuda sold a substantial portion of his Company shares through a ¥10 billion buyback and established the Kotaro Fukuda Sports Promotion Foundation, which has since received public interest certification (a public interest corporation benefits from inheritance tax privileges in Japan). He is also believed to have set up a vintage car restoration and exhibition facility near Mt. Fuji through his private asset management companies and acquired over 17,000 square meters of land in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture. These developments suggest that his focus is increasingly outside the Company. We believe it is inappropriate for someone so disengaged to remain in the role of Representative Chairman. This leadership vacuum risks discouraging younger executives and accelerating talent attrition. A credible succession plan is urgently needed. We therefore call on the Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee to take the lead in formulating a plan for leadership succession, one that inspires confidence and ensures continuity. At Kaname Capital, we are committed to supporting portfolio companies that serve not only the interests of a select few but also create sustainable value for all stakeholders—including employees, customers, and shareholders. In our view, Chairman Fukuda appears more focused on securing his own compensation than rewarding employee contributions and more interested in vintage cars than in serving patients and healthcare professionals. We believe Fukuda Denshi must reform its governance to fulfill its responsibilities as a listed company. We welcome comments, observations, or concerns regarding the management of Fukuda Denshi. Please feel free to contact us anonymously at: [email protected] View source version on [email protected] KEYWORD: JAPAN ASIA PACIFIC INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ASSET MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Kaname Capital Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/08/2025 07:23 AM/DISC: 05/08/2025 07:22 AM
Business Wire
08-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Kaname Capital Submits Shareholder Proposals for the June 2025 Annual General Meeting of Fukuda Denshi
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kaname Capital ('we' or 'our firm') announced today that on April 25, it submitted shareholder proposals to Fukuda Denshi Co., Ltd. ('Fukuda Denshi' or the 'Company') for inclusion in the 78th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for June 2025. The proposals seek to amend the Company's Articles of Incorporation to establish a Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee with formal authority and independence, and to mandate that this committee review employee compensation and succession planning. We have been a shareholder of Fukuda Denshi since January 2019, holding shares for over six years. Over the past two years, we have submitted shareholder proposals advocating better governance and improved treatment of employees. However, given the Company's continued disregard for the voices of shareholders and employees alike, we believe it is both necessary and meaningful to submit proposals once again this year. [Shareholder Proposal Document] The proposal consists of the following four items: Partial Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation (Establishment of a Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee) Partial Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation (Composition of the Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee) Partial Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation (Referral of Employee Compensation to the Committee) Partial Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation (Referral of Succession Planning to the Committee) While the full rationale is provided in the proposal document, our key points can be summarized as follows: (1) Despite its strong profitability, Fukuda Denshi has failed to appropriately share its success with employees. Although the Company has generated substantial profits, those gains have disproportionately benefited Chairman Fukuda and a small circle of executives close to him. Employee compensation has not kept pace. We are concerned that this growing compensation gap is eroding employee morale and undermining the Company's long-term competitiveness. We therefore urge that an independent Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee review this disparity and lead efforts to rectify the imbalance. Notably, when we submitted a proposal last year calling for improved employee treatment, the Board refused to present it to shareholders, citing its non-binding nature, a decision that appeared to be designed to avoid engagement with this important issue. (2) Chairman Fukuda turns 80 this year, yet no credible succession plan has been disclosed. In 2023, Chairman Fukuda sold a substantial portion of his Company shares through a ¥10 billion buyback and established the Kotaro Fukuda Sports Promotion Foundation, which has since received public interest certification (a public interest corporation benefits from inheritance tax privileges in Japan). He is also believed to have set up a vintage car restoration and exhibition facility near Mt. Fuji through his private asset management companies and acquired over 17,000 square meters of land in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture. These developments suggest that his focus is increasingly outside the Company. We believe it is inappropriate for someone so disengaged to remain in the role of Representative Chairman. This leadership vacuum risks discouraging younger executives and accelerating talent attrition. A credible succession plan is urgently needed. We therefore call on the Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee to take the lead in formulating a plan for leadership succession, one that inspires confidence and ensures continuity. At Kaname Capital, we are committed to supporting portfolio companies that serve not only the interests of a select few but also create sustainable value for all stakeholders—including employees, customers, and shareholders. In our view, Chairman Fukuda appears more focused on securing his own compensation than rewarding employee contributions and more interested in vintage cars than in serving patients and healthcare professionals. We believe Fukuda Denshi must reform its governance to fulfill its responsibilities as a listed company.
