Johannesburg(1) / South Africa

Following independence from England in 1910, South Africa was criticized for its lack of humanitarian rights and suffered economic sanctions due to its "Apartheid Policy." After the inauguration of the de Klerk regime in September 1989, a rapid movement towards democratization began and the first general election allowing participation by all races was realized in April 1994. With Nelson Mandela's election to the presidency, the new Republic of South Africa was born and continues today.

South Africa is the world's leading producer of minerals and boasts the largest production volume for gold, platinum, chrome and other metals in the world. The Metals and Mineral Resources Division of the Marubeni Johannesburg Branch exports ferrochrome, chrome ore, tantalite, cobalt and many other rare metals mainly to Japan and also to China, South Korea and Brazil.

There have been hard times in the world of metal and mineral industries of South Africa. Currently, the strong South African Rand to the U.S Dollar has reduced margins for exporters; the local currency has strengthened approximately 40% from its weakest point in December 2001. The proposed Minerals Royalty Bill also poses financial and economic challenges for the industry.

Adding to its rich mineral resources, South Africa boasts one of the most inexpensive electricity and labor costs in the world, which has helped South Africa become the world's leading producer of certain metals and minerals such as platinum, chrome and manganese. This inexpensive labor and electricity has attracted foreign investors, the most recent of which is TATA Steel of India, which is studying the feasibility of a ferrochrome plant at the largest bulk-exporting terminal, Richards Bay.

Aside from metal resources, South Africa is blessed with an abundance of timber resources. As a result, the Forest Products and General Merchandise Division has joined with Mondi, a company under South Africa's Anglo American conglomerate, to export Mondi's woodchips to Japan. Marubeni boasts the world's second largest share in exports to Japan.

The image of South Africa is one of abundant nature, and our branch is contributing to the economic development of South Africa and playing a major role in ensuring a steady supply of natural resources to Japan by exporting a wealth of natural resources to Japan. We are also contributing to the economic interaction between the two countries through this trade.

I, Erika Schuhmann, joined the Metals and Mineral Resources Division of Marubeni Johannesburg Branch in March 1998. Africa, particularly South Africa, is richly blessed with an abundance of mineral resources, which makes my job pleasantly challenging, interesting and diverse.

I have been fortunate enough to travel to Japan for the National Staff Workshop, where I gained valuable insight into Japanese culture, lifestyle and business ethics. I found Tokyo to be an exciting, colorful and vibrant city, and the Japanese to be hard working and dedicated individuals. Meeting with and learning with other national staff from all over the world was very enriching, in both a business and personal sense.

Working at Marubeni has allowed me to obtain valuable experiences within two business etiquettes - Japanese and South African. While Japanese are widely regarded as efficient and punctual, many people regard African countries as working on "African time," implying being slow and unreliable. Communication is difficult with several African countries, and inefficient bureaucratic and logistical processes may slow down the business process. South Africa, on the other hand, has a good communication network, world class banking institutions, and business is conducted in strict accordance with governing laws.

South Africa is an amalgamation of many different cultures, ethnicities, religions and languages, which diversifies the mannerisms and customs used in conducting business. These have to be respected in the business process and in the workplace. There have also been intense measures to correct the social injustices of the past (apartheid years), which have empowered previously disadvantaged groups and individuals by allowing them access to purchase lucrative mining companies. The people of South Africa, which is known as "The Rainbow Nation," are fiercely patriotic and proud of our country having overcome so many obstacles to get to where it is today.

The office building in which the Johannesburg office is located Marubeni is the exclusive agent in Japan for ASA Metal Ferrochrome from this ASA Metal Ferrochrome Plant located in Limpopo Province in South Africa Marubeni handles the Far East market for Tantalite mined at such places as the pictured Marropino Tantalite Mine in Mozambique