January 31, 2019
PRESS RELEASE
C-Suite Challenge 2019™
How CEOs in Japan see the “Future-Ready Organization”- Transparency and diversity are keys for Japan toward 2025 The Japan Productivity Center (President: Yuzaburo Mogi) and The Conference Board(President and CEO: Steve Odland) have begun working together on various business andeconomics topics, which include business leadership in raising global productivity.
As part of this partnership, the Japan Productivity Center (JPC) became a regional partner
for the C-Suite Challenge, The Conference Board’s global survey of C-Suite executives.
In this capacity, as a regional partner, JPC contacted C-Suite executives in Japan about
participating in the survey.
The survey was conducted between September and October in 2018. It asked 1437 CSuite executives from 59 countries including Japan for their views about the top businesschallenges facing their organization in both the year ahead – 2019 – and well into thefuture, through 2025. Executives also provided input on their strategies for meeting thosechallenges. Key findings include:
1. Globally, CEOs rank a recession as their #1 external concern for 2019. Global
political instability and trade threats follow as their second and third top externalconcerns, respectively. Japan’s CEOs are more concerned about the impact ofclimate change than other CEOs globally. Effects of Brexit was #7 in Europe andwas at the lowest rank in Japan, US and China.
2. Globally, CEOs rank attracting and retaining top talent as their #1 internal
concern. Creating new business models due to disruptive technology ranks as
their second biggest internal concern. CEOs in Japan place higher priority than theirglobal peers do on workforce diversity.
3. Looking out to 2025, globally and for Japan’s CEOs, establishing an open andtransparent speak-up culture is the #1 prerequisite for a truly inclusive
organization that sparks innovation. Providing all employees with opportunities
for continuous learning and cross-functional diverse teams are top priorities that
follow in rank, globally. Transparency in information sharing at all organizationlevels ranks higher for Japan. Sense of belonging is #1 in Europe and China.
4. Leader accountability for engaging cultures to attract and retain talent isessential for successful human capital management in 2025. Greater transparencyand information sharing at all organization levels and emphasis and rewards
for inclusive behavior are keys that follow to managing future workforces in Japan.
5. Globally, CEOs have relatively high confidence in their organizations being
ready for 2025. Confidence is, on average, lowest in Japan. CEOs in Japan haveless confidence in having the right go-to-market model. The right leaders andthe right culture as well have the largest difference against global level.

The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights forwhat’s ahead.
The Conference Board, News Release, "Survey: In 2019, CEOs are Most Concerned
about Talent and a Recession”,
URL: https://www.conference-board.org/pdf_free/press/Press%20Release%20--%20CSuite%20Challenge%202019.pdf
Final report of C-suite Challenge 2019 will be published in March.
Detailed information is provided in the pages that follow.
For further information, including requests for a copy of the TCB Japan survey results,
the media can contact the following:
Y. HOMMA, Productivity Research, Japan Productivity Center TEL: +81 3-3511-4016
Email: glal@jpc-net.jp

Japan Productivity Center (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo): JPC is a nonprofit, non-governmentalorganization established in 1955 to promote the productivity movement in Japan under
its Three Guiding Principles: (i) Promotion and Maintenance of Employment, (ii)
Cooperation and Discussions between Labor and Management, and (iii) Fair
Distribution of the Fruits of Productivity Improvement. JPC, at the corporate level,
works to implement the latest management system based on cooperation between laborand management, introduce effective management renovation, train human resources,and present public policy proposals for socio-economic reform in Japan. As the only
institution of its kind and nature in Japan, JPC is committed to making a significant
contribution to socio-economic development in Japan and throughout the world.
https://www.jpc-net.jp/eng/

JPC Global Collaboration Activities
JPC has launched global collaboration to tackle the productivity issue, that enhances
dialogues among top business leaders from Japan, the US, and Germany, through forums,exchanges and researches. Management Forum for Productivity was established in Japanas the core organization for promotion of these activities.
The Conference Board is the first collaborating organization with JPC. Collaborating withGermany is currently undergoing discussion.
“Management Forum for Productivity” Members’ List
[Chair]Yuzaburo MOGI, Chairman, Japan Productivity Center
Honorary CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kikkoman Corporation[Vice chair]
Shigeo OHYAGI, Senior Advisor and Chairman of Advisory Board, TEIJIN LIMITED.
[Members]
Hiroyuki ISHIGE, Chairman, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
Naoki IZUMIYA, Chairman and Representative Director, Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd.
Shinya KATANOZAKA, President and CEO, ANA Holdings Inc.
Makoto KIGAWA, Director Chairman, Yamato Holdings Co., Ltd.
Hiromi TAGAWA, Chairman of the Board, JTB Corp.
Kazuhiko TOYAMA, Managing Partner, Industrial Growth Platform, Inc.
Osamu NAGAYAMA, Representative Director & Chairman, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.
Takahiro NONAKA, Chairman, National Trade Union Productivity Congress
Shinji FUKUKAWA, Senior Advisor, Global Industrial and Social Progress ResearchInstitute
Tsutomu MIYAGAWA, Professor, Gakushuin University
Koichiro WATANABE, Chairman of the board, DAI-ICHI Life Holdings, Inc.
Collaborating Organization
The Conference Board, Inc.
The Conference Board is a global, independent business membership and research
association working in the public interest. TCB’s unique mission is to provide the world's
leading organizations with the practical knowledge they need to improve theirperformance and better serve society. TCB is a non-advocacy, New York not-for-profit
entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status under the United States Internal Revenue
Code (the “Code”). In furtherance of its charitable and educational purposes, TCB
promotes understanding of the economic cycles and business practices, including, withoutlimitation, board-shareholder practices and, among other activities, convenes groups tostudy and exchange information on particular subjects and supports and undertakes
nonpartisan analysis and research.