What is Sanpo Yoshi?

“Being good is good business.”

That's how Robin Lewis of Social Innovation Japan summarized the Japanese business principle Sanpo Yoshi.  

But what is it really about?

In Japanese, Sanpo Yoshi means three-way statisfaction. In order for a business to succeed, the services/products offered must benefit:

1️⃣ The buyer
2️⃣ The seller
3️⃣ Society at large 

This means, long before the emergence of CSR or corporate social responsibility, Japanese merchants were already acting as responsible corporate citizens because they understood that being accepted by communities meant success for their businesses. 

And this belief is backed by research today.

A 2023 global study by Forbes Business Council found that 93% of CEOs said building long-term, trusting relationships and ensuring that their businesses were liked and respected by the communities in which they operated helped them achieve their goals.

📌 What does this mean for your business?

If you want your business to succeed, start thinking beyond monetary gains.

According to ZipDo CEO and Co-Founder Alexander Johann Eser, in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, companies are no longer being evaluated solely on their financial performance, but also on their commitment to addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.

As Japanese merchants from centuries past have shown, communicating your values to customers, partners, and employees leads to long-term success.

So as you go through today's US-Japan Weekly headlines, ask youself this question:

 🔑 How can I apply the Sanpo Yoshi framework in my business?

Allies in AI: Japan and the U.S. to develop tech for advanced scientific research

🇺🇸 WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a landmark collaboration poised to redefine the scientific research landscape, Japan and the United States are expected to jointly develop a specialized generative AI technology to enhance scientific research.

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What's driving Japanese investors to Minnesota?

🇺🇸 ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA — Following a $45 million investment from Tokyo-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals in September 2023, key figures in the state of Minnesota, led by Gov. Tim Walz, Destination Medical Center, and Greater Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership (Greater MSP), are looking to explore more economic partnerships and investment opportunities with Japan this 2024.

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LA-based company catches the attention of Seiko Epson

🇺🇸 LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles-based design, engineering, and metal additive manufacturing company 3DEO has secured a significant investment from the Development Bank of Japan Inc. (DBJ) and Seiko Epson Corp. (EPSON), which according to an article by METAL AM, is reported to be around 1 billion Japanese yen ($6.8 million).

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