Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, many corporations worldwide have been experiencing a reduction in sales for the last two years. Correspondingly, means of conducting business internationally have been severely impeded.

Despite national efforts to help domestic companies reach the international market, the disparity between pre-pandemic and post-pandemic outcomes has been quite obvious.

Yet even during these less than favourable times, Korean businesses “incubated” by the LA Times Asia Journal continue to be connected to businesses in Japan and prosper.

Korea’s GB Soft (developer of AI technologies that interpret camera images to identify such vital signs as blood pressure, oxygen saturation level, heart rate, and body temperature) signed an NDA with Japan’s Data Scope (a company that develops facial recognition software; it plans to collaborate with Taiwan’s Foxconn to set up a Shenzen Data Scope factory in China and globally distribute facial recognition cameras, security cameras, and the like). They continue to meet virtually at present, to discuss licensing and joint development agreements. This is a result of the LA Times Asia Journal facilitating the meeting of GB Soft and Elematec (a subsidiary of Toyota), and Elematec subsequently doing business with Data Scope.

Korea’s Infomining (developer of a system that uses an AI server to analyze one’s electrocardiogram, blood pressure, blood sugar, oxygen saturation level, heart rate, and body temperature gathered from a smart watch and relays the results to a smartphone) is working together with Japan’s OMRON (manufacturer of medical devices) and OMRON’s research laboratory in Dalian, China, to jointly develop innovative medical devices targeted at the Chinese market. An NDA is scheduled to be signed by the beginning of February. This too, is a result of the LA Times Asia Journal facilitating the meeting of GB Soft, Infomining, and Elematec, and Elematec subsequently doing business with OMRON.

Korea’s VODANA (manufacturer of hair straighteners and curling irons), Korea’s Emma Healthcare (manufacturer of Plasma Skincare Device), and Korea’s Skin Watchers (manufacture of cosmetics) have already completed their exports to Japan’s Clean First (Trading Company). Clean First, in partnership with Japan’s Toda (Trading Company), has scheduled its entry into Don Quijote (a Japanese discount store). They are also planning for sales on such online platforms as Japan’s Makuake (Cloud Funding company). This too, is a result of LA Times Asia Journal facilitating the meeting of VODANA, Emma Healthcare, Skin Watchers, and Clean First.

Like so, it is expected that the “Incubating System” put into place by the LA Times Asia Journal will continue to connect Korean and Japanese companies and to catalyze business activities between them.

Mike Choi

Asia Journal

Among the many Korean SMEs that are being incubated by the Los Angeles Times Asia Journal, a few of them have been operating in Japan.GB Soft, a Korean company that developed an AI and IOT based solution for measuring biosignals, has finalized their NDA (nondisclosure agreement) with Data Scope for a joint development. Asia Journal introduced GB Soft to Elematec, a Japanese trading company under the TOYOTA group. From there, Elematec connected GB Soft to Data Scope, a Japanese facial recognition software development company.

In addition, Elematec’s sales activities at OMRON’s Future Creation Research Institute, a Japanese medical device manufacturing and sales company, concluded an NDA with Infomining. Infomining is a healthcare service company that provides healthcare solutions using AI and IOT. They were introduced to Elematec by Asia Journal. Together with OMRON, they have intentions of collaborating to develop new medical device products aimed at the Chinese market.

LA Times Asia Journal is assisting two Korean companies in the beauty industry, Emma Healthcare and Skinwatchers, with their business operation in Japan. These two companies were picked up by Clean First, a Japanese company that primarily dealt with the solar energy industry. Clean First will work with their domestic partner in Japan, Toda Corp. to enter the beauty industry market. Emma Healthcare and Skinwatchers’ products are expected to be sold in Don Quijote, Japan’s largest discount store, and make its appearance on Maukake, an online crowd-funding platform.

Emma Healthcare’s beauty device, Plalucy, utilizes plasma and galvanic technology. It uses the principle that numerous ions in plasma penetrate the skin and promote skin regeneration. The radical in plasma is the only natural substance on Earth that is completely harmless to the human body, with sterilization power equal to 2,000 times that of ozone and 180 times that of ultraviolet rays. This will result in better absorption of cosmetic products. The plasma’s ion and radical can reliably and safely eliminate inflammation and bacteria in the skin as well.

Skin Watchers’ Cleansing Oil was selected by ELLE, a French fashion and lifestyle magazine, into the “Top 27 Cleansing Oil” by Beauty Editor and Consumer evaluation worldwide. It is a product that is on par with luxury goods such as Shu Uemura, Clinique, Origins, Shiseido, Clarins, Fresh, Biotherm, and Christian Dior. Skin Watchers prioritize the use of premium, lightweight-natural ingredients such as apricot seed oil, macadamia seed oil, and meadow foam seed oil, which are good for skin health. In addition, Skin Watchers’ unique technology completes the product with high cleaning power, which is well received.

Despite adversities COVID-19 gave to businesses all around the world, there is a steady entry of Korean SMEs into the Japanese market. Japanese companies are recognizing the true future value of Korean small and medium-sized companies.

Mike Choi

Asia Journal

GB Soft is one of the many companies that LA Times Asia Journal is currently incubating and they have been drawing a lot of attention since. GB Soft developed a solution that captures biometric information through cameras and sends them to an AI server where it can be analysed. This solution was able to gain recognition in Japan after the LA Times Asia Journal introduced GB Soft to Elematec, a specialized trading company of TOYOTA Group. From here, Elematec was able to link GB Soft to Data Scope, a Japanese facial recognition software development company. For reference, Data Scope established a factory in China called Shenzen Data Scope in collaboration with Foxconn in Taiwan. Here, Data Scope is planning to sell face recognition cameras and security cameras worldwide. GB Soft is set to sign an NDA for a joint development with Data Scope.

Furthermore, LA Times Asia Journal is incubating two other South Korean companies in the beauty industry; Emma Healthcare and Skin Watchers. These two companies have begun exporting their products to Japan. Clean First is a Japanese company that deals primarily with the solar power industry. While exploring the beauty industry, they were introduced to these two Korean companies.

Japan’s Clean First, as a domestic partner in Japan, plans to join hands with Toda Corp. to make themselves present in the beauty industry. For Emma Healthcare’s beauty device, a six-month contract for domestic sales rights in Japan was agreed upon.

In addition, Clean First and Toda Corporation are planning to enter Don Quijote, a Japanese general discount store. It plans to sell Emma Healthcare’s Beauty Device and Skin Watchers’ cosmetic products. Their initial plan isto sell their products in three of the following branches for the upcoming Christmas season: Ginza, Shibuya, and Harajuku. By the end of January 2022, their products will be available in 40-50 other locations.

Plalucy, Emma Healthcare’s Beauty Device, is a product that utilizes Plasma and Galvanic technology. It uses the principle that numerous Ions in Plasma penetrate the skin and promote skin regeneration. The radical in Plasma is the only natural substance on Earth that is completely harmless to the human body, with sterilization power equal to 2,000 times that of ozone and 180 times that of ultraviolet rays. If you apply cosmetic products after using the PlaLucy product, people with good skin definitely feel the improved absorption of cosmetics. There plasma’s Ion and radical can reliably and safely eliminate inflammation and bacteria in the skin as well.

Skin Watchers’ Cleansing Oil was selected by ELLE, a French fashion and lifestyle magazine, into the “Top 27 Cleansing Oil” by Beauty Editor and Consumer evaluation worldwide. It is a product that is on par with luxury goods such as Shu Uemura, Clinique, Origins, Shiseido, Clarins, Fresh, Biotherm, and Christian Dior. Skin Watchers prioritize the use of premium, lightweight-natural ingredients such as apricot seed oil, macadamia seed oil, and meadow foam seed oil, which are good for skin health. In addition, Skin Watchers’ unique technology completes the product with high cleaning power, which is well received.

Beyond GB Soft, Skin Watchers, and Emma Healthcare, we look forward to the day when more Korean SMEs incubated by the LA Times Asia Journal will be recognized by Japanese companies for their valuable assets.

Mike Choi

Asia Journal