Happy 5th Birthday to Genelec Japan!
Based in Tokyo, GJI was created to build on our strong history of success in the Japanese audio industry, and to provide heightened standards of service and support for our customers in this extremely important market.
Our growing Japanese team now comprises six departments - Service Support, Professional Monitoring Sales, Home Audio Sales, AV Install Sales, Marketing, and Administration - and has delivered an impressive growth in sales since its inception.
“We are significantly increasing our market share in the Professional Monitoring segment,” comments GJI’s Managing Director Kanji Murai. “We’re finding increasing opportunities to provide solutions that are indispensable for the fast growing world of immersive audio, and in addition, we are developing new markets for Genelec’s Home Audio and AV Install ranges.”
Obviously GJI’s early years have seen them deal with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while this has had enormous impact on people's lives in Japan, Kanji-san has observed other more beneficial effects. “The opportunities for teleworking have increased, the time spent with the family has increased, and the desire to improve the sound reproduction environment of the living room and desktop at home has also increased,” he reflects.
GJI’s formation on July 7th 2017 also has a special romantic significance, as MI7’s Managing Director Seiji Murai reveals:
“Tanabata is a Japanese Festival celebrated on July 7th, also known as the Star Festival in English. It celebrates the love affair between Orihime and Hikoboshi, who were crazy about each other. But the heavenly Gods got angry and separated them to different sides of the Milky Way. However, the Gods felt sorry for them and allowed them to cross the Milky Way to meet each other just once a year – on the seventh day of the seventh month!”
Seiji-san continues: “It is said that Tanabata is a special day because it is the day where lovers reunite. It’s so fitting that GJI was founded on such a wonderful day - when amazing things can be done!”
Fortunately, we can get to meet our colleagues at GJI a little more regularly than Orihime and Hikoboshi – and it’s an amazing relationship that we’re sure will continue to strengthen in the future.
So, congratulations to all our colleagues at GJI - and here’s to very many more birthdays!
Images below: Tokyo Experience Centre GJI
