Adopt the hara hachi bu mindset in business

JAPANESE BUSINESS CONCEPT OF THE WEEK

Hara hachi bu
(English: Eat until you’re 80% full)

The Okinawan concept of hara hachi bu, which means “eat until you’re 80% full,” can be applied to many areas of life beyond just eating. The idea is to practice moderation and avoid overindulgence, which can lead to feelings of sluggishness and laziness.

In business, this might mean avoiding the temptation to take on too many projects at once or to work long hours without breaks. By practicing hara hachi bu, you can maintain a steady pace and avoid burnout.

💡 How can you apply hara hachi bu to your work life?

Start by assessing your current workload and identifying areas where you might be overextending yourself. Learn to delegate or decline.

Second, make sure to prioritize your tasks and focus on the most important ones. Set realistic deadlines and communicate them clearly to your team and stakeholders.

By practicing moderation and balance, you will eventually improve your own performance and that of your team.

THE HEADLINES
In this week’s edition of U.S.-Japan Weekly:

🚗 Toyota doubles down on hybrids in the U.S.

💰 Japan named the top source of foreign investments in the U.S.

🤝 SBI and Franklin Templeton to introduce Japan’s first Bitcoin ETF

NEWS
Toyota doubles down on hybrids in the U.S.

🇺🇸 TEXAS, USA — Toyota Motors is set to make all its major models in the United States hybrid electric vehicles by 2030, reinforcing its commitment to environment-friendly technology despite the uncertainties in the electric vehicle (EV) market.

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NEWS
Japan named the top source of foreign investments in the U.S.

🇺🇸 MARYLAND, USA — For the fifth consecutive year, Japan was named the top source of foreign investment in the United States, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Last year, Japanese investments in the United States amounted to $783 billion, followed by Canada with $750 billion, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Japan has topped the list since 2019, when it overtook Canada.

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NEWS
SBI and Franklin Templeton to introduce Japan’s first Bitcoin ETF

🇺🇸 CALIFORNIA, USA — American multinational asset management firm Franklin Templeton recently agreed to a joint venture with SBI Holdings, a Japanese internet-based financial conglomerate, to establish a digital asset management company in Japan in anticipation of the government’s approval of cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds, according to a report in Nikkei Asia.

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U.S. Midwest business report 2024: It’s more than just business

Japan, with around 1,500 companies that have generated more than 150,000 jobs in the region, plays an integral part in the economy of the U.S. Midwest, widely known as the industrial heartland.

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