Latest news with #Watami
Japan Forward
4 days ago
- Business
- Japan Forward
Bangladesh in Motion: Building New Bridges for a Shared Future
Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, made an official visit to Japan from May 28 to 31. His visit was the first since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, after weeks of political unrest. In Tokyo, Yunus sought to build on his country's longstanding partnership with Japan through renewed state support and deeper economic and societal ties. PM Ishiba escorts CA Yunus past the honor guard during the welcome ceremony. (©Prime Minister's Office) During the four-day trip, the chief adviser held talks with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, senior officials, and business leaders. He secured a $1.06 billion budget assistance pledge, setting the stage for deeper bilateral cooperation. The financial package is earmarked for Bangladesh's economic reforms, climate resilience, railway modernization, and education. Beyond government-to-government dialogue, Yunus addressed one of Japan's most pressing challenges: labor shortages. With a rapidly aging population and a declining workforce, Bangladesh is emerging as a critical partner in supplying young, skilled labor to boost Japan's economy in the decades ahead. To support this effort, a human resources seminar was held on May 29 in Tokyo, drawing some 300 attendees. Organized by the Bangladeshi embassy, the event united state officials and recruitment agencies to promote the mobilization of Bangladeshi youth in Japan's labor market. Officials from Japan and Bangladesh sign a memorandum of understanding on May 29 (©Kenji Yoshida) In his speech, Yunus emphasized the value of people-to-people connections and called for closer collaboration in training and deploying competent workers. The chief adviser also praised his friend Miki Watanabe, chairman of the Japanese restaurant group Watami, expressing gratitude for his sustained backing of Bangladesh's development. Watanabe echoed the sentiment, pledging to act as a bridge between the two countries. On the sidelines, a new memorandum of understanding was signed between a Watami-affiliated company and the Bangladeshi government to establish a Japan Training Center in Bangladesh. Watanabe (left) and Yunus (right). (©Sankei by Yoshifuru Ogino) Scheduled to open in October, the center will offer Japanese language instruction and vocational training aligned with Japan's Technical Intern Training Program and Specified Skilled Worker program. Its goal is to prepare 3,000 Bangladeshi workers annually for placement in Japan. Several government-level memoranda were also signed to enhance labor mobility between the two nations. The focus on human resources complemented a series of other high-profile events. On Friday, Yunus spoke at a Japan External Trade Organization event where six memoranda of understanding were signed, spanning sectors such as energy, finance, and information technology. Earlier, the chief adviser participated in the 30th Nikkei Forum, where he held talks with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. In their conversation, Yunus urged Mahathir to support Bangladesh's bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a long-held diplomatic objective for Dhaka. The latest visit marked strategic gains for both sides. For Tokyo, the progress affirmed Japan's growing expectations for South Asia to meet its demographic and economic challenges. In Dhaka, the visit signaled that despite domestic upheaval, momentum for reform and a positive relationship with Japan persists. The series of agreements is also expected to help ease pressure on the country's overpopulated workforce. Author: Kenji Yoshida
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Japan's Watami to open training centre in Bangladesh
Watami, a restaurant group based in Japan, has announced plans to open a training centre in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, as reported by Nikkei Asia. The centre will train locals in farming, customer service, factory skills and food service, to send 3,000 individuals annually to Japan on specified skilled worker visas. The Japan Training Center, set to launch in October 2025, will be situated at the facilities of a Bangladeshi government agency. 1500 people will initially undergo a two-month training programme in skills such as customer service and factory work. Watami will leverage personnel from a Japanese language school operated by a group company to assist in the training. The development comes after Japan expanded its entry visa in 2023 to cover 11 industries, including the food service sector. The expansion allows foreign workers to engage in more complex roles such as store operations and management. Watami chairman and president Miki Watanabe stated: "Securing human resources is an obstacle to growth in the restaurant business. Being able to develop human resources in-house will be a strength." Established in 2020, Watami Agent, the human resources development unit of Watami, had welcomed 900 foreign workers by the end of March 2025. This included technical intern trainees and specified skilled workers, with 400 introduced to 107 companies. Japan is looking to recruit up to 100,000 workers from Bangladesh by 2030 to mitigate its labour shortage. Bangladesh's chief adviser Muhammad Yunus from the Bangladesh Seminar on Human Resources emphasised the interim government's commitment to facilitating employment opportunities for Bangladeshis in Japan. "Japan's Watami to open training centre in Bangladesh" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Nikkei Asia
29-05-2025
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
Japan restaurant group to train workers in Bangladesh to secure labor
TOKYO -- Japan-based restaurant group Watami will establish a center in Bangladesh to train locals in areas like farming and food service under plans announced Thursday. The company aims to send 3,000 or so people a year to Japan on "specified skilled worker" visas, 100 of whom it expects to hire in its restaurant business. The Japan Training Center will open this coming October at facilities of a Bangladeshi government agency in the capital, Dhaka.
Asahi Shimbun
19-05-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Pub chain opens its first Subway sandwich shop in Yokohama
Watami Co. Chairman and President Miki Watanabe serves coffee for customers at a new Subway outlet in Yokohama's Naka Ward on April 10. (Masaki Hashida) YOKOHAMA--Major "izakaya" Japanese-style pub chain operator Watami Co. has opened a Subway outlet in the city's Naka Ward, with a fresh menu twist for the iconic U.S. sandwich chain in Japan. The Naka Ward shop offers new menu items adapted from popular dishes served at Watami's izakaya and 'yakiniku' grilled beef restaurants. The operator also improved the quality of the sandwich chain's coffee to make it pair well with sandwiches. Watami acquired the Japanese arm of Subway last year. At the Naka Ward shop, the vividly colored interior is equipped with power outlets and Wi-Fi to make the restaurant a comfortable and convenient establishment for customers. "Subway's sales at its existing outlets continued to increase year on year for 54 straight months, and we feel confident (about the business)," Watami Chairman and President Miki Watanabe said during a news conference held in Yokohama on April 10. "We want to make it a part of the lives of Japanese people by capturing the demand for breakfast and dinner items and catering to children." Watami plans to open 35 outlets in the current business year ending in March 2026 to bring the total number of Subway restaurants in Japan to 215. The company intends to operate more than 1,000 outlets in the business year ending in March 2035 and expand that number to 3,000 in the future, it added.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
None And 2 Other Promising Small Caps Backed By Strong Fundamentals
As global markets navigate a complex landscape marked by accelerating inflation and fluctuating interest rate expectations, small-cap stocks have recently lagged behind their larger counterparts, with the Russell 2000 Index trailing the S&P 500. However, this environment can often present unique opportunities for discerning investors seeking companies with strong fundamentals that may be overlooked in broader market movements. Identifying promising small caps involves focusing on solid financial health and growth potential, attributes that can help these companies thrive despite macroeconomic challenges. Name Debt To Equity Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Health Rating Central Forest Group NA 5.93% 20.71% ★★★★★★ Wilson Bank Holding NA 7.87% 8.22% ★★★★★★ Ovostar Union 0.01% 10.19% 49.85% ★★★★★★ Segar Kumala Indonesia NA 21.81% 18.21% ★★★★★★ Steamships Trading 33.60% 4.17% 3.90% ★★★★★☆ Societe de Limonaderies et de Boissons Rafraichissantes d'Afrique 39.37% 4.38% -14.46% ★★★★★☆ Sparta NA -5.54% -15.40% ★★★★★☆ Primadaya Plastisindo 10.46% 15.41% 23.92% ★★★★★☆ Procimmo Group 157.49% 0.65% 4.94% ★★★★☆☆ Krom Bank Indonesia NA 40.04% 35.44% ★★★★☆☆ Click here to see the full list of 4725 stocks from our Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals screener. Below we spotlight a couple of our favorites from our exclusive screener. Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★★ Overview: AGTech Holdings Limited is an integrated technology and services company operating in the People's Republic of China and Macau, with a market capitalization of approximately HK$2.56 billion. Operations: AGTech Holdings generates revenue primarily from its Lottery Operation, which contributed HK$261.14 million, and Electronic Payment and Related Services, which brought in HK$338.92 million. AGTech Holdings, a small player in the market, has shown a strong performance with earnings growth of 69.9% over the past year, outpacing the diversified financial industry. The company boasts a debt-free status, improving from a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.3% five years ago. Despite not being free cash flow positive recently, AGTech's high level of non-cash earnings and improved net income to HK$1.97 million from a previous loss highlight its resilience. Recent board changes and shareholder meetings suggest active management engagement in strategic decisions that could shape future directions for this promising entity. Click here to discover the nuances of AGTech Holdings with our detailed analytical health report. Understand AGTech Holdings' track record by examining our Past report. Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★☆ Overview: Watami Co., Ltd. operates in the food, home food, and agriculture services sectors both in Japan and internationally, with a market cap of ¥41.79 billion. Operations: Watami generates revenue from its food, home food, and agriculture services across Japan and internationally. The company's financial performance is influenced by various factors within these sectors. Watami, a smaller player in the hospitality sector, shows promising signs despite some challenges. Its earnings growth of 43% over the past year outpaced the industry average of 24%, indicating robust performance. However, a ¥1.3B one-off loss has impacted recent financial results, highlighting potential volatility in earnings quality. The company's debt to equity ratio increased from 45% to 83% over five years, yet it holds more cash than total debt, suggesting manageable leverage levels. Trading at about 12% below estimated fair value presents an attractive opportunity for investors seeking undervalued stocks with growth potential. Take a closer look at Watami's potential here in our health report. Review our historical performance report to gain insights into Watami's's past performance. Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: S.A. operates as an online retailer specializing in tires and wheels for motor vehicles, serving both the Polish and international markets, with a market capitalization of PLN1.05 billion. Operations: Revenue primarily stems from car accessories and tools, contributing PLN 1.69 billion and PLN 91.02 million respectively, with bicycles and bicycle accessories adding PLN 271.55 million. The company recorded a segment adjustment of -PLN 53.98 million in its financials. a small player in the specialty retail sector, has shown impressive earnings growth of 166% over the past year, outpacing its industry peers. Trading at a value 10.8% below fair estimates suggests potential for appreciation. Despite a high net debt to equity ratio of 49.7%, interest payments are well covered by EBIT at 17 times coverage, indicating strong operational efficiency. The company boasts high-quality earnings and remains free cash flow positive, which could be appealing for investors seeking robust financial health amid market volatility in this segment. Unlock comprehensive insights into our analysis of stock in this health report. Gain insights into past trends and performance with our Past report. Get an in-depth perspective on all 4725 Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals by using our screener here. Are you invested in these stocks already? Keep abreast of every twist and turn by setting up a portfolio with Simply Wall St, where we make it simple for investors like you to stay informed and proactive. Discover a world of investment opportunities with Simply Wall St's free app and access unparalleled stock analysis across all markets. Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention. Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management. Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include SEHK:8279 TSE:7522 and WSE:OPN. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@
