Recruit President Hitoshi Kashiwaki

Aside from keeping its own economy in order, Japan has urged its Asian neighbors to boost financial cooperation and maintain existing regional development initiatives. Japan is among the many countries that view Asia as a vital contributor to growth for its companies during this current global economic downturn.

Since then, Recruit has added multiple titles to its name, with both paper-based and web-based magazines in Japan and China that generated more than $5.6 billion in sales in 2007.

"We aim to satisfy the needs of those who read our publications, to provide them with the most up-to-date and reliable information on varying fields such as housing, bridal and baby, travel, automotive and lifestyle and, of course, our mainstay, human resources," explained President Hitoshi Kashiwaki.

"Through it's more than 300 publications, that attract over 18 million total readers, Recruit provides a wide range of companies an opportunity to advertise their products and services.

"Currently, people are in need of information, particularly through the Internet and the Web. Six years ago, we served 70,000 clients. Today, we serve over 280,000 clients. We are able to provide the platform for companies which have information and wish to get it to the readers of our free paper and Internet publications," he said.

Upon becoming the company's president five years ago, Kashiwaki made efforts to enter the Chinese market. In 2004, Recruit launched the bridal magazine ZEXY in Shanghai. Also, in 2007, Recruit launched the restaurant coupon magazine Hujiaobeibei in Shanghai with editions in Shenzhen and Guangzhou soon to follow.

Kashiwaki believes that there is room for Hujiaobeibei to grow and expand across 50 cities in China.

Recruit also publishes bridal magazines in Beijing and Guangzhou and plans to expand distribution to other cities in China.

www.recruit.co.jp