Japanese companies convinced that future growth will be found outside their own country are committing themselves to new investments in China even as they continue to retrench and restructure at home.
Several companies have begun to build up sophisticated research and design operations in China, while a wave of service sector companies are also venturing to the mainland for the first time.
Nissan Motor plans to open a design studio in Beijing in 2011 – the first Japanese auto company to do so in China. Shiro Nakamura, Nissan's chief creative officer, said the studio would “enhance our product competitiveness in China and Asia, where the automotive industry continues to see robust growth”.