AKONI KK
アコニ株式会社

BUSINESS CONSULTING FIRM in
TOKYO

powering YOUR business

in Japan since 1996

“Success represents the 1% of your work which results from the 99% that is called failure.”

Soichiro HONDA

Business Services

A boutique business consulting firm in Tokyo, with strong Belgian roots, offering customised one-stop, back-to-back and multilingual business, digital consulting and support services for both global private businesses and the public sector in Japan. Our customer-centric business model makes us quite unique in Tokyo, ever since our establishment in 1996.

Business Services

Market Entrance
Business Development
Business Follow Up
Market Intelligence
Competitors Analysis
Market Sector Reports
Localised Marketing
Localised Communication

Digital Services

Website Creation
Social Media Presence
e-commerce Launch
Online Advertisement
PR & MarCom Support
Influencer Marketing
Livestream Events
Video Production

Support Services

Localisation Coordination
Business Translations
Business Interpreting
Business Trip Coordination
Business Advise & Matching
Business Events Coordination
TV & Media Support
Ad Hoc Personalised Support

“I am actually better at predicting or talking about 30 years later than three years.”

Masayoshi SON

PRIVATE WORKS

Business Consulting | Localisation | Support Services (Energy/IT)

Demand Side Response (UK/Belgium/Japan)

Generate revenue by supporting the grid balancing supply and demand with flexible energy by using FlexPond platform. Business setup between Centrica Business Solutions and TEPCO Ventures.

Business Consulting | Support Services (Energy/IT)

Demand Side Response Sourcing (Japan)

Generate revenue by supporting the grid balancing supply and demand with flexible energy by using FlexPond platform. Business setup between Centrica Business Solutions and TEPCO Ventures Fukuoka and Tokyo Office for the Flexbee brand.

Team Belgium Tokyo 2020 (Belgium)

Logistics Support to Team Belgium as BOIC Liaison Officer Japan during their pre-camps in Japan for Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

GoPro Video Road Race Tokyo 2020 (Belgium)

Creation of a detailed road race track Tokyo Olympics, with the famous Mikuni pass and Fuji Speedway arrival for Team Belgium of the Belgian Cycling Federation for extra preparation already on the Belgian side with riders like Wout Van Aert (Silver), Remco Evenepoel, Tiesj Benoot and Greg Van Avermaet, with Head Coach Sven Vanthourenhout

Business Consulting | Digital Consulting | Support Services (IT)

The Human Firewall Platform (Belgium)

Automated Security Awareness Training Platform enhancing your Internal Cybersecurity.

Business Consulting | Digital Consulting | Support Services (Food & Beverages)

Hakata Choten Ramen Shops Paris (France)

Complete business support to JFPM Global sarl from Conceptualisation, Localisation, Business and Digital Support to Hakata Choten Ramen and Kamakiri Udon shops in Paris.

Kamakiri Hakata Udon Shop Paris (France)

European business trip and market research for Kamakiri Hakata Udon, of the JFPM Global sarl group, in Paris, France

14 Seconds of Rostov Documentary (Japan)

Total support to Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), both in Belgium, UK and Japan, in creating the 14" of Rostov documentary of the FIFA 2018 World Cup Game Belgium-Japan.

M&A Market Intelligence Sourcing (Japan)

Support for potential European M&A companies by Dentsu PR Consulting.

Business Consulting | Digital Consulting | Support Services (Sport)

Royal Belgian Football Association (Belgium)

Complete Support for the Belgian National Team Red Devils for the FIFA World Cup 2002 Japan Korea, including the pre-camp in Kumamoto and International Friendly games.

Red Devils FIFA Press Conference (Belgium)

Largest press event with +300 reporters ever held at the Embassy of Belgium in Japan, all Japanese TV stations were present, all major newspapers and sports magazines prior to the match Japan-Belgium in Saitama.

Jupiler Press Tent in Kumamoto (Belgium)

Complete production and management of the Jupiler (AB Inbev Group) Press Tent for the KBVB's Red Devils National Team in Kumamoto for the FIFA 2002 World Cup Japan Korea

Air Travel Red Devils with ANA (Belgium/Japan)

All arrangements and contacts with both ANA Belgium and Japan for the air travel of the National Football Team Red Devils via Paris over Haneda to Kumamoto during the FIFA 2002 World Cup Japan Korea

Sponsor Agreement Red Devils-KBVB (Japan)

Major sponsorship agreement between Suntory and KBVB-Red Devils during their pre-camp stay in Kumamoto for the FIFA World Cup 2002 Korea Japan, including tickets for Friendly Matches and World Cup, to counter Kirin

Business Consulting | Support Services (Sports)

TV Rights Belgium-Costa Rica Kumamoto (Japan)

Negotiations and agreement with NHK Sports for live broadcasting the Friendly Match Belgium-Costa Rica in Kumamoto as preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2002 Japan Korea

Business Consulting | Digital Consulting | Support Services (Sports)

Red Devils Camp Kumamoto (Japan)

Complete business and digital support together with Dentsu for the camp in Kumamoto of KBVB Red Devils National Team for FIFA 2002 World Cup Japan Korea

JFA-KBVB Friendly Match (Belgium)

Business support towards JFA and the Samurai BLUE to play a friendly game against Belgium National Team in Jan Breydel Stadium in Belgium.

Support Finland Women Team Coach (Japan)

Multiple Day on-site support at J-Village in Fukushima, when Finland Women Soccer Team was visiting Japan for Training Sessions to local Japanese Women Team Coaches of the Japan Football Association

Digital Consulting | Support Services (Chemical)

Umicore Japan Website Development (Japan)

Creation of Japanese website for Umicore Japan, based upon design and brand from headquarters in Belgium

Business Consulting | Support Services (Public)

EU Gateway to Japan Support (Japan)

EU Gateway to Japan Business Support to PRAP Japan (fka Witan Associates) including Business Matching, Workshops on Doing Business in Japan and Keynote Speaker roles.

Business Consulting | Business Support (Food & Beverages)

Cold Climate Wines to Japan (Belgium)

Business support towards Vinetiq and Valke Vleug near Antwerp for export promotion support of cool climate wines to Japan

Visual Media Support Services (Japan)

Multilingual and Consulting Support (Dutch-English-French-Japanese) Media Support to TV Corporations like NHK, NTV, TBS, TV Tokyo, Fuji TV, Asahi TV in Japan

Business Consulting | Support Services (Real Estate)

Retail Tenants Sourcing for Uplace (Belgium)

Sourcing innovative potential retailers for Brooklin (fka Uplace Vilvoorde) project in Vilvoorde, Belgium

Business Consulting | Digital Consulting | Support Services (Real Estate)

Seminar Experience Retail (Belgium)

Complete organisation, setup, invitations, attendants management following the global Experience Retail Report of Uplace (Present Project Name Broeklin in Machelen) together with McKinsey & Company

Experience Retail Lookbook (Belgium)

Support in creation of the Uplace's Experience Retails Lookbook photos of innovative retail concepts and iconic retail building landmarks, together with the famous architectural photographer Koen Van Damme from Belgium

“It is clothes. It is parts. Therefore, you combine the parts differently to create your own unique expression”

Tadashi YANAI

PUBLIC WORKS

EUMAG for EU Delegation to Japan (Japan)

Weekly updated online magazine EUMAG for the EU Delegation to Japan covering topics like Policies, Features, News , Events and basic EU information in Japanese

Workshop Seminar: Why Japan? (Belgium)

Market report creation for Why Doing Business with Japan and accompanying webinar for EU Japan for Industrial Cooperation in Brussels.

Social Media Ads EU27 Olympics (Japan)

Social Media Facebook and Twitter Ad Campaign for EU 27 Member States videos on Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics for EU Delegation to Japan

Keynote Presentation for IT Participants (Japan)

Keynote presentation on IT sector in Japan for EU Gateway to Japan IT mission participants in Hilton Hotel in Tokyo, for Witan Associates

EU Nobel Peace Prize Video (Japan)

Bilingual creation of the EU Nobel Peace Prize Video and Livestream of celebrating event at the EU Delegation to Japan

Digital Consulting | Support Services (IT/Public)

EU in Japan Social Media Launch (Japan)

Creation, Launch, Management, Maintenance and Growth the complete EU Delegation to Japan Social Media Channels on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube under the brand name EUinJapan

European Higher Education Video (Japan)

Creation of the Japanese European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) for the EU Delegation to Japan

Social Media Ad Campaign EHEF (Japan)

Social Media Ad Campaign on Facebook and Twitter to promote the European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) for the presence of Campus France.

Social Media Ad Campaign EHEF (Japan)

Social Media Ad Campaign on Facebook and Twitter to promote the European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) for the presence of Goethe Institute Japan.

EU Film Days Video Production (Japan)

Creation of the annual EU Film Days event Teaser video for the EU Delegation to Japan.

Video Europa House Open Day (Japan)

Video production of the Europa House Open Day of the Azabu Embassy of the EU Delegation to Japan

Social Media Ad Campaign EHEF (Japan)

Social Media Ad Campaign on Facebook and Twitter to promote the European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) for the Embassy of France in Japan.

EU Japan Days Speaker Expo Milano (Italy)

Speaker at the EU Japan Days at the Expo Milano, together with the EU Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation in Brussels on the Food & Beverage Market in Japan

Livestream 6 EU Capitals of Culture (Japan)

Livesteam and Post-Event Video Production of EU Cultural Capitals Seminar at the Schuman Auditorium of the EU Delegation to Japan.

Livestream 'Nagayama Case' Symposium (Japan)

Livestream and Post-Event Video Production on the Death Penalty Symposium on 'The Nagayama Case: Reflections on the Death Penalty' in the Schuman Auditorium of Europa House by the EU Delegation to Japan in Tokyo

Workshop Business with Japan (Estonia)

Workshop and Business Consulting Sessions in Tallinn for Estonian SMEs interested in Doing Business in Japan, organised by Enterprise Estonia.

Business Matching EU Gateway (Japan)

Business Support for Deloitte Belgium, Deloitte Tohmatsu Japan and Deloitte Consulting Japan for the EU Gateway to Japan Missions

EU Delegation Highlights Video (Japan)

Annual video production of the EU Delegation to Japan's activities.

Video Creation Death Penalty (Japan)

Video Creation on Ms. Sato's view on Japan's Death Penalty System for EU Delegation to Japan.

Digital Consulting | Support Services (Public)

Livestream Commission Barnier Keynote (Japan)

Livestream and Bilingual Video Production of Keynote speech on "Restoring Confidence in Financial Markets: Measures taken in the EU and Japan" at Imperial Hotel in Tokyo by Commissoner Michel Barnier for the EU Delegation to Japan and MOFA.

Livestream International Women's Day (Japan)

Bilingual Livestream with Simultaneous Interpreting and Post-Event Video Production of the International Women's Day Event at the Schuman Auditorium (Europa House) of the EU Delegation to Japan in Tokyo

Video Europe Day EU Delegation (Japan)

Video production, photography, social media awareness of the 9 May Europe Day at EU Delegation to Japan

Market Report Transport & Logistics (Belgium)

Market Report and Seminar on "Transport & Logistics in Japan" for EU Business in Japan of the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation in Brussels.

Bilingual Website Development (Japan)

Complete re-design into WordPress of the official local and bilingual Website Development and Management of the EU Delegation to Japan under the EUinJapan brand in close liaison with the EUinJapan Social Media Channels on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

Arts Flanders Japan Website (Japan)

Creation and Management of bilingual website of Arts Flanders in Japan.

“Company's vision must be driven by the aspirations of it's customers.”

Konosuke MATSUSHITA

ABOUT US

Building your strong presence in Japan

Akoni is built around an international team with passion and deep understanding of both Japanese and Western business and culture. With a broad base of clients, from blue chip companies to start-ups, we can help you create a solid network with local businesses in Japan.

Our areas of expertise

Given our customer focused business approach, both in Private and Public sector, over the past 2 decades here in Japan, we have gathered a profound knowledge and local expertise in especially the following business segments.

Clean and Green Energy (Decarbonisation & Renewable Energy)
Real Estate & Logistics (Logistics and Retail Real Estate)
Software Sales & Distribution (Online Platforms and SaaS & AI Solutions)
Sports Lifestyle (Football, Cycling and Olympics)
TV & Media (NHK & All Private Japanese TV stations)
Retail Business | Food & Beverages (Both in Japan and in Europe)
Digital Consulting (Website Production, Social Media Planning, Execution & Management, Online Advertisement, PR & MarCom, Video Production and Livestream Technology)
Public Sector (Delegation of the European Union to Japan, European Member States Embassies in Japan, Chambers of Commerce in Japan and European Member States Cultural Organisations in Japan)

Approach and relationships matter

In many regards Japan can be quite different from any other market. We work hard to make your products and services successful here. We analyse your product and find its best positioning in a competitive market that rewards quality of care and reliability, tailoring local IT and marketing solutions for your business.

Start quickly, move fast … according to your needs

Your brand will be hand-held in its first steps in Japan with bilingual marketing, distribution and media planning services accompanied by IT, software and design localisation intelligence. With Akoni you have direct access to a wide array of IT, Marketing and Promotional services in Japan.

Our incremental business entry plan makes it easy to focus on exactly what you are looking for, either if you are a world-wide brand or a small start-up looking to make your mark in Japan, still the indisputable business centre of Asia.

Keep growing

We offer support along the way, always on the lookout for opportunities to keep building your business day after day. Imagine discovering new connections and media exposure opportunities well after your project has rolled out.

Akoni was one of the first official and certified Facebook Small and Medium Business (SMB) Facebook Advertisement Resellers in Japan. Akoni is also an associate member of the European Business Council (EBC) in Tokyo.

OUR CSR

Although we are a small firm, we take our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) very serious, especially towards but not limited to Japan, the country that became our second home.

Ganbare Japan Charity Event (Belgium)

Large Charity Event for Japan's 3.11 Tohoku Earthquake, held in Tessenderlo (Belgium).
The initiative was started by Rob Van Nylen, a Belgian living in Tokyo, to collect donations for the earthquake & tsunami struck areas in Japan. All proceedings were transferred to the Japanese Red Cross and the remaining funds to Knights in White Lycra Charity Ride for Tohoku.

One of Love Charity Pokens (Japan)

Charity Pokens for Mari Natsuki's and Nobu Saito's One of Love Annual Charity Concert Projects in Japan, supporting kids in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and El Salvador.

Knights in White Lycra Charity Ride (Japan)

Financial Donation for Save Minasoma Project, by Knights in White Lycra of Rob Williams, after 3.11 Tohoku Earthquake.

Saving 10,000 Film Support (Japan)

Documentary Film by Rene Duignan to reduce the +30,000 annual suicides in Japan by 10,000.

POMMEKE for Marche de l'Apricot (Japan)

Charity Event at the Embassy of Belgium in Japan by Marche de l'Apricot with POMMEKE ~ the real belgian fries ~ for charity support to 3.11 Tohoku earthquake

Rwanda Football Teams Support (Belgium)

Donation in kind of Sports bags and T-Shirts to support local Rwanda Football Teams, via Ms. Nancy Houdmeyers from Belgium

Rob founded Akoni KK （アコニ株式会社）in Tokyo in 2009, together with his business partner Peter Van der Weeen, as a subsidiary of his Belgian company JCS bvba, established in 1996.

Rob has decades’ long track-record of high quality yet down-to-earth business development (0-1 startup/scale up) and negotiation skills with Japanese and global blue-chip companies. He also is a Certified European Export Strategy Adviser to Japan from EHSAL Management School (now KU Leuven Campus Brussels) in Belgium. He is fully fluent in Japanese, English, Dutch and French.

His specialisation is in customised business consulting for specific clients over-delivering sales targets within their time-frame and their agreed-upon quality and budgetary specifications.

Rob's analytical market insights are based upon extensive market research, his confident leadership is paired with loyal teamwork, and his mindset has a strong entrepreneurial spirit.

During the last 25 years Akoni,'s team, its products & services and Rob have been featured numerous times on Japanese and Belgian TV and in other media channels.

Rob is also the Founder and Honorary Chairman of the KU Leuven Alumni Chapter Japan (KULACJ). In his free time, he enjoys a good cold (Belgian) beer, quality family and friends' time and cycling.

Rob VAN NYLEN

Representative Director

“Curiosity is the key to creativity.”

Akio MORITA

CONTACT US