Thanks to his distinguished sales competence and contribution in profit making, Mr. Yamamoto has been for years renowned as the Legendary Salesman and, for his achievements, assigned as Director at Hikari Tsushin as young as 28. However, Mr. Yamamoto left behind his career at a well-known company enlisted in the first section market and launched his own company, Global Partners Inc. with a strong intention to facilitate Japanese companies expand their business activities abroad. Through his business, Mr. Yamamoto has focused upon Dubai, the euphemism of multinational city. How do his both eyes gaze Dubai as an attractive market? What is his scope to win over the international competition? This is an exclusive interview with Mr. Yamamoto who slowly but without doubt explores a way for success.

―Can you tell us about business activities of Global Partners Inc.?

We consider ourselves as “a business and management partner among global competitions” and support expansion of business of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) overseas. Recently, we have extended our efforts on the operation and management of the Japan Trade Centre (JTC) in Dubai.

―What did make you focus on Dubai?

Dubai is the hub of global trade. More than 100,000 trading company from all over the world are based in Dubai and a number of business meetings are held from corner to corner of the city every day.

As a gateway for surrounding countries, with a population of 1.8 billion, there is no doubt that Dubai is one of the central global cities. Then, this is also why major Japanese manufacturers and trading companies have made inroads into Dubai market for years. On the other hand, Japanese SMEs are situated far away from the global market and enforced to struggle and fatigued in the local competition. Obviously, Japan is aging and accordingly its market will go shrinking. When it comes to the number of Japanese companies with its already saturated market, it is easily prospected that Japanese SMEs have to welcome future 20 to 30 years with much tougher challenges. Hence, there should be nothing strange for Japanese SMEs to shift their target to global market to pave their ways for increases in sales.

―Currently, how many Japanese companies are represented in JTC?

About 30 companies are represented and have dispatched their employees
for sales and marketing in Dubai. Products of more than 300 companies that commission other representing companies are exhibited.

One of our benchmarks in Dubai is a huge Chinese representation, the Dragon
Mart. Dragon Mart was established in the bilateral cooperation between China and Dubai Governments in 2004 and over 4,000 companies, most likely SMEs, are actively indulged in wholesale and retail business in a massive complex of 132,000 square meters’ space. Dragon Mart, with its huge recent success, is under expansion and will eventually become 330,000 square meters’ multi
facility complex.

By bringing the best Japanese products in JTC so as to compete Dragon Mart, we are finding new ways for Japanese SMEs to expand their sales abroad.