Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce - SJCC

What Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce - SJCC does

The Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce (SJCC) is a private, non-profit bilateral trade association founded on September 5, 1985, in Zurich and registered under Swiss Civil Code (Art. 60 et seq.). It is the primary bilateral chamber dedicated exclusively to Swiss-Japanese economic relations and is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Martin Herb. The chamber operates with approximately 12 staff and serves roughly 300 member companies and individuals spanning Swiss multinationals, Japanese subsidiaries operating in Switzerland, and individual professionals with Japan interest. Its service portfolio comprises membership networking, dinner presentations, business seminars, after-work events, and the Shinnenkai annual New Year celebration, supplemented by the SJCC Scholarship Fund (established 1988, 248 recipients to date), the SJCC Young Professionals network (founded 2002), the Project Matterhorn investment-promotion initiative (Vision 2030), secretariat services for the Parliamentary Friendship Group Switzerland-Japan (33 federal assembly members), and JSFTEPA support services.

The SJCC generates revenue from tiered annual membership subscriptions (Individual CHF 150, Young Professional CHF 60, Small Company CHF 450, Medium Company CHF 700, Large Company CHF 1,100), event participation fees, and Platinum and Gold corporate sponsorship (currently Emil Frey as Platinum; JTI, Nippon Express, and NTT Data as Gold). It operates a community-led, event-driven go-to-market model with no proprietary technology platform, relying on a WordPress website, LinkedIn presence, a rapidmail newsletter, and an event-based distribution channel. Its sister chamber, the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (SCCIJ, founded 1981), provides bilateral reciprocity, and the chamber maintains strategic partnerships with EY, Switzerland Global Enterprise, the University of Zurich's Leading House Asia Pacific, and Stiftung Mercator Schweiz (historically).

Name

Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce - SJCC

Legal name

Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce

Website

https://sjcc.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce (SJCC) is a Zurich-based non-profit bilateral trade association founded in 1985 that serves approximately 300 Swiss and Japanese member companies and individuals through networking events, a scholarship fund, young-professionals programming, parliamentary-group secretariat services, and Japan-FDI investment promotion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Multilateral Diplomacy & International Representation (UN, Regional Bodies) (BPAIAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Application Support, Matching Platforms & Scholarship Administration Services (EDAIAOAN), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Bilateral trade promotion
• Business networking events
• Chamber of commerce services
• Trade association membership
• Professional networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Zurich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The SJCC generates revenue through annual membership fees categorized by company size and individual membership. Fees range from CHF 60 per year for Young Professionals to CHF 1,100 per year for Large companies.
2. Event Participation Fees: The chamber generates revenue through discounted participation fees for SJCC events, dinner presentations, business seminars, and after-work gatherings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The SJCC is a bilateral membership-based organization that promotes trade and economic contacts between Switzerland and Japan. Its core offerings include corporate and individual membership with tiered annual fees, networking events (dinner presentations, business seminars, after-work events, Shinnenkai, AGMs, company visits), a Year-in-Japan Scholarship Fund for young Swiss professionals, a Young Professionals network, and the Project Matterhorn investment promotion initiative (Vision 2030) targeting Japanese multinationals. The chamber serves approximately 300 individual and corporate members and operates a sister-chamber relationship with the SCCIJ in Japan.

Product overview

The Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce (SJCC) is a membership-based organization founded in 1985 that promotes trade and economic contacts between Switzerland and Japan. The SJCC operates as a single integrated service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offerings include membership networking (SJCC Membership), event organization (SJCC Events), a scholarship program (SJCC Scholarship Fund), a young professionals network (SJCC Young Professionals), investment promotion services (Project Matterhorn), parliamentary group secretariat services, and FTA support services. The chamber serves approximately 300 member companies and individuals through these interconnected programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SJCC Scholarship Fund: Scholarship program encouraging and supporting young Swiss residents to learn about Japan through a Year in Japan program combining language training and internship
• SJCC Young Professionals
• Project Matterhorn

Products and services

• SJCC Membership Corporate and individual membership providing access to a network of approximately 300 members, discounted event fees, and networking opportunities including luncheon meetings with top-level executives and business seminars. Tiered pricing from Young Professional (CHF 60) to Large Company (CHF 1,100) annually.
• SJCC Events Organized dinner presentations, business seminars, and after-work events throughout Switzerland, including annual Shinnenkai events, Annual General Meetings, company visits, and webinars. Designed for Swiss and Japanese business leaders to network and exchange knowledge on economy-related themes.
• SJCC Scholarship Fund (Year in Japan Program) Year in Japan program offering financial assistance for 3-6 months of intensive Japanese language training and 6-9 months of internship at Japanese companies, supporting young Swiss residents to learn about Japan culture, language, and business environment.
• SJCC Young Professionals Networking platform for former scholarship recipients and young professionals interested in Japan, offering informal gatherings and AGM events for the next generation of Swiss-Japanese business leaders.
• Project Matterhorn (Investing in Switzerland) Investment promotion initiative targeting Japanese multinational corporations, with eight key initiatives designed to enhance Switzerland's attractiveness as a European investment hub and to facilitate Japanese FDI.
• Parliamentary Group Switzerland-Japan Secretariat Secretariat support for the Parliamentary Friendship Group Switzerland-Japan, which includes 33 Members of the Federal Assembly, supporting bilateral parliamentary relations and policy advocacy.
• JSFTEPA Support Services Support for the Japan-Switzerland Free Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, including studies on FTA utilization, tariff savings analysis, and advocacy for agreement updates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 248 scholarship recipients have benefited from the career development program since 1988
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (SCCIJ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1981The SCCIJ is the sister chamber of the SJCC based in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 1981. Both chambers cooperate closely across many areas to strengthen Swiss-Japanese business relations. The Scholarship Fund is jointly managed by both chambers. Members of the SJCC are entitled to participate in SCCIJ activities in Japan at member rates.
• JSL Nippon AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJSL Nippon Academy partnered with the SJCC Scholarship Fund to provide peace-of-mind language school options in Tokyo or Okinawa for scholarship candidates. The academy is famous for its Okinawa Campus.
• EY (Ernst & Young)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEY collaborates with SJCC on investment promotion activities, hosting receptions for Japanese delegations including biopharma, life sciences, and decarbonization technology delegations. EY provides expertise for the Project Matterhorn investment promotion initiative.
• Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerS-GE works with SJCC on investment promotion activities, organizing delegations and business meetings. The organization coordinates through its Swiss Business Hub in Tokyo to facilitate Japanese FDI into Switzerland.
• University of ZurichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Zurich serves as the Leading House Asia Pacific mandated by Switzerland's SERI for research and innovation collaboration with the Asia-Pacific region. SJCC connects academic institutions with the business community.
• Parliamentary Friendship Group Switzerland-JapancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SJCC office acts as secretariat for the Parliamentary Friendship Group Switzerland-Japan, which includes 33 Members of the Federal Assembly. The group advocates for political initiatives to enhance Switzerland's attractiveness for Japanese investments.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (SCCIJ): The mirror sister chamber of the SJCC, founded in 1981 in Tokyo, focused on Swiss-Japanese bilateral business relations. Operates as a direct reciprocal membership and event partner with SJCC, jointly managing the Scholarship Fund.
• Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce: Bilateral Swiss chamber of commerce in Zurich promoting Swiss-China trade and business relations. Highly comparable model: membership-based nonprofit, networking events, corporate sponsors, and bilateral government engagement.
• German-Japanese Chamber of Commerce (AHK Japan): One of the largest German bilateral chambers abroad, structured similarly to SJCC with membership tiers, events, and bilateral business promotion between Germany and Japan. Comparable scale and scope as a bilateral chamber.
• Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce: Leading Zurich-based bilateral chamber with corporate membership, networking events, and government liaison. Closest structural analog in scale, membership tiers, and Swiss-based event footprint.
• Swiss-Italian Chamber of Commerce: Switzerland-based bilateral chamber of commerce with corporate membership, events, and trade promotion role analogous to SJCC. Comparable structure and services for Swiss-Italian business community.

Broad incumbents

• JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) Geneva: Japanese government-agency trade and investment promotion body, with a Vice President of SJCC (Susumu Tanaka) serving as Director General at JETRO Geneva. Adjacent government actor with overlapping Japanese investment promotion remit and partnership with SJCC.
• Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE): Official Swiss agency for export and investment promotion, with APAC offices run by former SJCC Young Professionals leadership. Partners with SJCC on delegation visits and Project Matterhorn, with broader nationwide scope.

Regional players

• Japan-Swiss Society (JSS): Swiss-based cultural and friendship organization focused on Japan, with overlapping Switzerland-thrust membership and events. Comparable Swiss-Japan footprint but oriented to cultural exchange rather than purely trade.
• Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Switzerland (JCCIS): Japanese-side chamber of commerce in Switzerland with a similar membership and event mandate centered on Japanese companies in Switzerland. Highly comparable in audience and event focus, but oriented to Japanese firms rather than the bilateral mix.

Others

• EY Switzerland (Japan Business Services): EY is a Core Strategic Partner of SJCC on Project Matterhorn and runs Japanese-desk investment promotion activities. Functions as a commercial ecosystem partner for cross-border deal flow rather than a direct chamber competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10797795

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce - SJCC