The "ACA" in ACA Inc. (ACA) stands for "Asian Capital Alliance." As the name implies, we are an investment company that links markets across Asia through capital. Investment companies, of course, come in many different shapes and sizes. At ACA, our distinguishing feature is that the thrust of all of our business activities lies in corporate value creation.
The global economic order today is undergoing tremendous changes. One of the more obvious is the economic growth visible in Asia's emerging markets. In stark contrast, the maturation of the Japanese market is becoming more pronounced, as the country faces challenges from a declining birthrate and a rapidly aging population.
Pointing to this landscape, some have argued that vis-à-vis Asia's emerging markets, Japan has been too slow to respond to change. But I disagree. Japanese companies, which collectively have a large trove of intellectual properties at their command, are already grabbing the attention of many Asian companies, and now more than ever are faced with a host of business opportunities. As an investment firm able to identify these opportunities and tie them to the creation of corporate value, ACA is pursuing business activities anchored on the three points described below.
The concept of value comes from an understanding of differences. When we say "Asia," for example, we are really referring to a region in which countries differ dramatically in terms of systems, accounting practices, cultures, values and customs, as well as in their strengths and challenges. Understanding the differences present in each country and company, and leveraging their unique strengths, can give rise to tremendous value. ACA recognizes and respects the differences that countries and companies possess, and we strive to improve corporate value by offering worthwhile proposals that leverage their respective strengths.
Remaining constantly vigilant around fair transactions is essential to winning companies' trust while respecting their individual differences. In reality, being fair is an extremely complex task, since the meaning ascribed to the word itself differs by country and region. ACA searches for its own definition of fair business practices, one that reflects an understanding of the differences present among countries, with the aim of engendering clients' trust.
Investment companies in general bring massive capital to bear in their proposals to companies. Perhaps it goes without saying that not only can capital have enormous sway over companies, but also determining how that capital is used constantly requires prudent decision-making. At ACA, our primary consideration is whether a company's individual strengths can be leveraged through the provision of capital to create new intellectual value. This intellectual value will ultimately translate into growth in economic value, and in that sense, is synonymous with an increase in social value. For ACA, contributing to society by bringing two types of value together to create new value is how we define justice, and is the foundation of all of our investment decisions.
Japanese companies possess a great deal of intellectual property. At ACA, we believe that major business opportunities lie in developing this property in Asia's emerging markets, where significant growth is anticipated. Our attention has particularly turned to the fields of retail, commercial distribution and consumer services, healthcare, ICT (Information and Communication Technology), cleantech, and distinctive manufacturing industries. Accordingly, we are working to foster human resources who are experts in these fields.
Going forward, ACA, while closely monitoring growth fields, will dynamically pursue initiatives for creating value in growth markets.
