VisionThe “ACA” in ACA Investments (ACA) stands for “Asian Capital Alliance”. As our name implies, we’re an investment company that links the markets of Asia through capital. Investment companies come in many shapes and sizes, but our distinguishing feature at ACA is the way all of our business activities are directed toward creating corporate value. The global economic order today is in the midst of tremendous change. One of the most obvious changes is economic growth in Asia’s emerging markets. In stark contrast, the maturation of the Japanese market continues to grow even more pronounced. The country faces various challenges attributable to declining birthrates and a rapidly aging population. Pointing to these conditions, some have argued that Japan has been too slow to respond to the change compared to Asia’s emerging markets. I disagree. Japanese companies, which have accumulated large treasure troves of intellectual property, have already captured the attention of many Asian companies and find themselves facing a host of business opportunities and tie them to the creation of corporate value, ACA grounds its activities in the three points described below. Create Strengths Value comes from an understanding of individual differences. When we say “Asia”, we’re referring to a region in which countries differ dramatically in terms of systems, accounting practices, cultures, values, and national traits, and with dramatic differences in strengths and weaknesses. By understanding the differences between individual countries and companies and leveraging their unique strengths, we can create tremendous value. ACA seeks to increase corporate value by offering valuable proposals leveraging the strengths of individual countries and companies while seeking to understand and respect their differences. Ensure Fairness To win the trust of companies while respecting their individual differences, we must strive to keep transactions fair at all times. In reality, fairness is extremely difficult. What people think about when they hear the word “fair” itself differs by country and region. ACA seeks to earn trust by identifying its own philosophy of fair transactions, based on an understanding of the differences among countries. Commitment to Social Responsibility Investment companies in general, not just ACA, bring massive funds to bear as they make their proposals. It goes without saying that such funds have enormous sway over companies, so applying such funds requires prudent decision-making at all times. At ACA, our primary consideration is whether a company can create new intellectual value, leveraging its individual strength through capital infusions. This intellectual value will ultimately lead to growth in economic value and in turn to increased social value. ACA defines social responsibility as contributing to society by linking different types of value to create new value. This serves as the foundation for all of our investment decisions. Japanese companies possess a vast range of intellectual property. At ACA, we believe major business opportunities lie in deploying this property in Asia’s emerging markets, which promise significant growth. Turning our attention in particular to retail, commercial distribution and consumer services, healthcare, information and communication technology (ICT), clean technology, and distinctive manufacturing, we are actively striving to develop human resources that specialize in these fields. Moving forward, ACA will identify clear growth fields and strive to create value in growth markets.
Akihiro Azuma |
