Yang Mei

yangmei_szdaily@163.com

AMID the celebratory beat of drums and an auspicious lion dance, JST Corporation, a Japanese electrical connector company that builds connectors for cars, washers, dryers, vacuums, and other products,  recently opened its Shenzhen office on the 52nd floor of the Ping An Finance Center, the city’s tallest building. The opening marks a significant milestone in the company’s expansion within the Chinese market.

Atsuhiro Nishimoto, president of JST Corp., expressed optimism at the opening ceremony. “I hope this office can significantly increase our presence and sales share in China in the near future,” he said.

During an exclusive interview with Shenzhen Daily, Nishimoto emphasized Shenzhen’s importance to the company. “Shenzhen has immense passion and is one of the most vibrant among major Chinese cities, making it a very important market for us,” he noted. “We also aim to increase our presence here by cooperating deeply with Shenzhen’s high-technology companies.”

Breaking from traditional stereotypes often associated with Japanese connector companies, JST’s new Shenzhen office boasts vibrant colors and an open, casual design. Nishimoto explained that JST tailors the interior design of its offices to different regions globally.

“We like to follow their own cultural style or have a different taste from their original culture,” he said. “But here in Asia, it’s not as fun if we introduce Japanese style. So in Shenzhen, we chose a Western pop style.” He added that he hopes the design inspires employees to foster innovation.

In addition to its new office, the company also opened JST Café e Panetteria just outside its office space. The café is open to employees, clients, visitors, and building residents, providing a space for relaxation and connection.

Nishimoto outlined the three-fold purpose of the café. “The café is primarily a relaxing space for visitors and our clients to share a pleasant time,” he explained. “Secondly, we envision using this café to inspire new methods for new technology. And lastly, while we have established our presence in the connector markets, we want more people to know our name through this café.”

JST also plans to enhance its social media presence to connect with younger generations. “Originally, our business model was more business-to-business, so we didn’t focus on social media before,” Nishimoto said. “However, social media is becoming more important for sharing product specifications. Therefore, we’d like to continue increasing our exposure on social media to build brand recognition.”

Founded in 1957, JST operates 17 factories across Europe, Asia, and North America, including a facility in Shanghai, and has offices in major Chinese cities such as Hong Kong, Beijing, Dalian, Qingdao, Wuhan, and Chongqing. The company serves prominent clients like Whirlpool, Electrolux, Ford, Tesla, Lucid Motors, Stellantis, General Motors, and Bose.