|
Vol.6 : Glen S. Fukushima (Airbus Japan K.K.)
April 4, 2007
Nationwide land price turns up for first time in 16 years
Consumption slowly regaining vigor
Budget wins praise, doubts
Barbershops get makeover as spas
GPS devices open up new worlds
Expanded coverage: Sports bikes helping middle-aged riders keep fit
consortium : 共同事業体
integrated : 一体化される
headway：前進
（ G: Glen, T: Terri ）
| T : |
Can you give us a description of Airbus? What is Airbus for people who don't even know? |
| G : |
Airbus is one of the two aircraft manufacturers, commercial aircraft manufacturers, the other being Boeing, that produces aircraft with more than 100 seats. There are some other aircraft companies that produce smaller aircraft, but for aircraft of more than 100 seats, there are only two companies now in the world. One is Boeing and the other is Airbus. |
| G : |
Yes. We are headquartered in Toulouse, France, but the company originated from companies in four countries -- in France, Germany, UK, and Spain. |
| G : |
Well, it was more of a consortium initially, but it's become integrated now and so it's one company. But it is a very, very global company. There are something like 84 nationalities working in the company... The company has people from 84 nationalities who are its employees. There are about 55,000 employees in the world. |
| T : |
What's the market like, especially internationally but also here in Japan? |
| G : |
Well, actually Japan is quite unusual in the sense that in most markets in the world, Airbus has anywhere from 30 or 40 to as high as 80% of the market. For instance, from 2000 to 2004, in those five years, the market shares for Airbus and Boeing were that Airbus had 62% of the European market, 83% of the Middle East and Africa, 49% of North and South America, 55% of Asia other than Japan, and Japan was only 4%. |
| G : |
So Japan is highly unusual. In fact, there are many people in the company who say there are only two markets in the world where Airbus has not been successful so far, and those are Israel and Japan.
The Japanese airline companies are obviously having to compete both domestically and internationally. So I actually think that the environment for Airbus in Japan is improving. I'm relatively confident that, given some more time and effort, we will be able to make some headway. |
| T : |
That's wonderful. I'm just curious. In Israel, what will happen - Israel has a same sort of US-Israel relationship? |
| G : |
I think there -- although I don't know enough about Israel to speak with confidence -- I'm told by my colleagues in Airbus that because of the heavy dependence by Israel on the United States for military security and foreign aid... |
| G : |
...that they feel quite obligated to buy from the United States. |
peculiarities：風変わりな事柄
start-up companies：新興企業
assesses：査定する
receptive：受容的な
（ G: Glen, T: Terri ）
| T : |
Well, actually you just similarly took care of number four, the differences between market conditions in Japan and other countries - that just took care of that. |
| G : |
Let me give you one footnote though. |
| G : |
As I mentioned, in Asia other than Japan, Airbus has 55% of the market. It's very interesting right now is that India and China are such large growing markets for aircraft generally. For instance, a couple of years ago, India ordered something like 380 aircraft in one year and out of that Airbus got 75%, and in the same year, 2005, China ordered about 350 some aircraft in one year and Airbus got 62% of those orders. And also the A380, the large double-decker aircraft which will be appearing commercially in October of this year, that aircraft has already been ordered by seven airlines in Asia, including Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, China, India, and Australia. |
| G : |
And so we are hoping that Japan will also. |
| T : |
The question is how you would like to see the market develop in Japan? You said - in some ways are there peculiarities or specific cultural or psychological things that would be more helpful if... |
| G : |
One of the things that's very encouraging for us is that although the large Japanese airline companies have not bought so much from Airbus, the start-up companies in Japan, for instance, StarFlyer and Galaxy, the most recent start-up companies, both of them have chosen Airbus aircraft. So I think that indicates that if a company starts from a clean slate and assesses the Boeing and Airbus aircraft, that often we are chosen... |
| T : |
They will choose you. |
| G : |
...as the preferred choice. And so, I think that's very encouraging. I think it indicates that the Japanese market is becoming more open in the sense of really valuing the quality, fuel efficiency, and ease of use both by pilots and ease of maintenance as well as the preference of passengers. So, as I said before, I'm pretty confident that over time we will see the market in Japan become more receptive to Airbus. |
| T : |
Well, then I'll go to the next and last question. Your experience with the Nikkei Weekly? |
| G : |
Well, I've long been a subscriber of I think - what was it called before -- the Japan Economic Journal? |
| T : |
Japan Economic Journal. |
| G : |
When I came here in 1990, with AT&T, I started a subscription. So I've had a subscription now for 17 years, although I do use the Nikkei Net as well. So I subscribe to both. So I've been a loyal subscriber for many years. |
 Nicolas Menat
President and Representative Director
Beacon Communications K.K. 
トラックバック
このエントリーのトラックバックURL:
http://blog.eigotown.com/mt33/mt-tb.cgi/2981
|
