The past four decades of Japanese investment have fostered a mature and increasingly diverse commercial relationship with Spain. Sustaining this momentum will require institutions that bridge public policy and business priorities while deepening mutual understanding across corporate cultures.
Beyond the traditional investment model
Alejandro Belinchón, president of Shacho Kai, believes Spain’s value to Japanese industry has fundamentally changed. Japanese manufacturers originally entered the country for competitive production costs and access to the European market. Spain now offers specialized knowledge, established industrial ecosystems and a natural connection with Europe and with Latin America.
“The business model has changed significantly, moving from a workforce-based proposition toward higher-value solutions, scientific knowledge and access to Latin American markets,” Belinchón said.
This evolution places greater importance on cooperation among companies, regional governments and investment agencies. Spain’s autonomous communities offer distinct capabilities, while several administrations are developing more focused strategies for attracting Japanese companies in areas including pharmaceuticals, automotive components, renewable energy and hydrogen.
“If we improve understanding, business becomes easier between Japanese and Spanish companies.”
Alejandro Belinchón, President of Shacho Kai
“Our relationship with public administrations is a key pillar because we want to open those doors for the benefit of our members,” Belinchón said.
Shacho Kai provides an organized channel between those institutions and a membership spanning different industries, company sizes and Spanish regions. Its work gives public authorities clearer insight into investor needs while helping Japanese companies navigate the opportunities and support available across the country.
A common language for business
Shacho Kai’s most distinctive contribution addresses a challenge that investment figures rarely capture. Japanese and Spanish executives can share the same commercial objective while approaching time, hierarchy, project presentation and decision-making from very different perspectives.
In 2023, the association developed an intercultural management book originally intended to explain Japanese business practices to Spanish managers. Its research revealed that Japanese executives faced comparable difficulties interpreting Spanish business culture, leading Shacho Kai to produce a two-way manual for both communities.
“We found that Japanese managers had the same concerns about understanding the Spanish mentality, so we created a bidirectional manual,” Belinchón said.
The lesson should matter to policymakers and industry leaders. Incentives and sector strategies may attract investment, but mutual understanding determines whether partnerships become productive, resilient and durable.
“If we improve understanding, business becomes easier between Japanese and Spanish companies,” Belinchón said.
Shacho Kai carries out this mission in close alignment and cooperation with the official Japanese representation in Spain, including the Embassy of Japan and the Consulate-General of Japan. The association also works closely with Spain Nissho and Barcelona Suiyo Kai, with the three organizations collectively representing the voice of the Japanese business community in Spain and contributing to the strengthening of economic, institutional and cultural ties between both countries.
Shacho Kai’s institutional value lies precisely there: connecting government access, investor experience and cultural intelligence so bilateral ambition can produce lasting commercial results.
