I am a media person. I grew up watching TV, reading magazines and listening to radios that led me to pursue some works in the media industry. I then got very passionate to advertising, marketing and to the platform that doesn't limit information only in tri-media, the world wide web.
But being exposed to publishing in the Philippines for quite a long time, I can say that 'free papers' are becoming a trend now and unlike the former notion that since they're-free-they-don't-have-good-info, I noticed that they are now becoming 'glossier' and thicker.
But as I started working for the Philippine Primer, I got more and more exposed to a several Japanese free papers in the Southeast Asia and I started to wonder if this trend is from Japan just like the famous Hot Pepper. What do you think?
When I had a short chat with Philippine Primer's President, Hiromichi Fujita, I realized that Japanese people are having a hard time doing business abroad because of the language and since there are many of them who are interested in investment and business in developing countries like the Philippines, the more they need information in their language that can truly assist them to maximize opportunities in business and life.
Surely, blogs are helping (like the blog of my wonderful CEO, Motokatsu Sunagawa and the one from guy with the small eyes, Takuya Oka) but I think free papers are still the best for the Japanese to maximize their stay in the country or for the local entrepreneurs and brand to take advantage of these high-end market. I looked for some of the helpful Japanese free papers in Southeast Asia:
LAOS
They have Taste of Laos for Laos!
VIETNAM
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| Photo is from http://aab.co.jp |
According to AAB Inc., Vietnam Sketch is the first Japanese information magazine in Vietnam that is issued monthly. The main targets of the magazine are travelers from Japan and Japanese people residing in Vietnam. It covers highlights of Vietnamese trend, cultural information and living information. The magazine is distributed to 500 and more places for free in addition to distribution to travelers via travel agencies. Their websire has obtained the wide range of readership in both Japan and Vietnam.
Heritage Japan is a media that appeal to tourists and business people who travel to Vietnam. The magazine is distributed to 1,400 Japanese companies in Vietnam and it is considered a reliable medium among local Japanese publications.
Wise Weekly free paper is also now being distributed in Ho Chi Minh. IT was first distributed in Bangkok.
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| Photo from http://fujisan.co.jp |
Krorma Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine in Cambodia for the Japanese residents and tourists.
SINGAPORE
There are many Japanesse in the lion city but I'm more familiar with JPlus, the Total Lifestyle Japanese Magazine published by Comm Pte Ltd. According to its CEO, "Connecting People, Communicating with the World" Through our media, COMM strives to foster the relationship between Singapore and Asia through creating "Communication Platform". We, as a leading Japanese media in Singapore and Asia, believe in bringing people together, introducing good quality businesses for the people, and creating a lifestyle that enables people to have better, and more enriching life."
But aside from Jplus, Singapore also has Mangosteen Club, a monthly Japanese magazine.
INDONESIA
Indonesia is also one of the favorite SE countries of the Japanese. In Bali, Japanese travelers and investors are flying back and forth. I was awed when I had a vacation there and noticed that most of the locals even speak Nihonggo making a vacation so much easier for the Japanese. And of course, Api Magazine always make their lives easy-riffic!
THAILAND
According to Fujita san, maybe the SE Asian country with the biggest number of Japanese is Thailand with an estimated count of 40,000. No wonder they have around 14 Japanese free papers there! And here to name a few:
Wise Weekly is a very popular weekly free paper that captures the biggest percentage of Japanese in Thailand. The information that they give is concentrated in Restaurants, Beauty, Schools, and several other industries that help businesses. They also circulate in Vietnam now in Ho Chi Minh city.
WOM is one of my favorites for its petite size and beautiful layout.
DACO is also distributed in Thailand every month.
PHILIPPINES
Philippine Primer is monthly lifestyle Japanese magazine in the Philippines that connects local entrepreneurs to the Japanese market. Launched in 2008, it works closely with the Philippine Department of Tourism in publishing various information about F&B establishment, beauty and learning info, the updates on art, sport, business, history and culture. The magazine and website are published ad moderated by Primer Media, Inc. and aims to assist the Japanese expats, residents and tourists in the country.
I don't have information on free papers in MALAYSIA, BRUNEI and MYANMAR so if you know some, just please leave a comment on this post! But in addition, there's also a Japanese free paper in INDIA, Chalo. Chalo is a free monthly free paper in Japanese in New Delhi.
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| Photo Source: kyodonews.jp |
JPy Magazine is a lifestyle magazine for Asian women in Southern California. It was established in 2006 and the first issue was launched in 2007. Their motto is "Happiness is Infectious" in which it acts as an innovative portal connecting global women working towards achieving their goals and dreams in LA with real success stories of actual people. In addition, the quarterly issue of JPy offers the latest tips and information for enriching the lifestyle of LA's women.
Pocket Page Weekly is the famous Japanese free paper in HONG KONG.
And I've found out that there's a Japanese Media Network and the association of Southeast Asian Japanese free paper, Asia Furipe Editors, that help each country's free paper to share and recommend information about their respective countries.
There are also magazines like Domo, J-Style, Move, Concierge, G'day Japan, KauKau, You Maga, etc which I find interesting as well.
I wonder if there are some Filipino free papers abroad since there are so many Overseas Filipino Workers.
As I trace and research on the famous titles of free papers in the Philippines, I adulate how most of them are owned and managed by Hinge Inquirer, the magazine arm of Inquirer Group of Companies. Free papers based on interests, location and lifestyle..name it, Hinge Inquirer has it!
Note: All photos were taken from the internet.
Pocket Page Weekly is the famous Japanese free paper in HONG KONG.
And I've found out that there's a Japanese Media Network and the association of Southeast Asian Japanese free paper, Asia Furipe Editors, that help each country's free paper to share and recommend information about their respective countries.
There are also magazines like Domo, J-Style, Move, Concierge, G'day Japan, KauKau, You Maga, etc which I find interesting as well.
I wonder if there are some Filipino free papers abroad since there are so many Overseas Filipino Workers.
As I trace and research on the famous titles of free papers in the Philippines, I adulate how most of them are owned and managed by Hinge Inquirer, the magazine arm of Inquirer Group of Companies. Free papers based on interests, location and lifestyle..name it, Hinge Inquirer has it!
Note: All photos were taken from the internet.
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