Job creation at PASONA

For overseas

February 1984: “TemporaryCenterHong Kong” Established as First Foothold Overseas
The Pasona Group turned its attention to Asia early on, and started its overseas advance in Hong Kong. This overlapped exactly with the rush to make inroads in Hong Kong by one major department store after another. When the Sogo and Yaohan Department Stores established their branches in China, the company handled the securing of personnel, including administrative staff, for both department stores, and solidified its position in the human resources business world. At the same time, the company set up its head office at the Far EastFinancialCenter, and enlarged its locations with the Central Office, the Kowloon Office, and the Wan Chai Office.
The need for Japanese speakers increased, and in 1988 the company started the operation of Japanese language schools.
June 1984: Establishment of Local Subsidiary “Temporary Service Singapore” in Singapore
July 1984: Establishment of “Temporary CenterGermany”
Local subsidiary “Temporary CenterGermany” is established in Dusseldorf as a center to bring together activities in Europe. At that time, Germany was evaluated as the most important location for Japanese businesses seeking inroads in Europe, and the company expanded its service locations to include cities such as Ludwigshafen, Frankfurt, and Mainz. In addition to personnel services such as Executive Search, Temporary Staffing, and Human Resources Mediation, meticulous support services were offered in order for companies finding markets abroad to be able to conduct their activities smoothly.
May 1985: Establishment of “Temporary CenterU.S.A.”
“Temporary CenterU.S.A.” is established in Los Angeles. The company’s advance into America, the center of temporary staffing, is greatly noticed, and the company receives a large response as more than 100 members of the mass media surge into the press conference. Development afterwards is also remarkable, as the network is expanded throughout America to include Wilshire, Westwood, Torrance, OrangeCounty, San Francisco, and New York.
September 1985: Commencement of Outplacement Services in America
Temporary CenterU.S.A. acquires the American outplacement firm Univance, and completes its advancement into America’s outplacement business. In 1984 in Japan as part of a joint-venture with Univance, the company established “Bright Career,” proposing a secure, positive system of “self-placement.”
October 1986: Establishment of “Prestige International”
Shinichi Tamagami, at that time involved in the travel business, meets CEO Nambu in Los Angeles, and proposes a VIP attending service to be implemented overseas. Prestige International is established in Japan. The next year, advancement is completed in New York, and networks are rapidly spread to the primary cities in Asia and Europe, as well. Detached from Pasona Group in March 2000. In July 2001, the company succeeded in being listed on Nippon New Market “Hercules.” In 2003, the company oversaw the management of a large-scale call center in Akita Prefecture as part of its role in new job creation.
May 1987: Establishment of the Japanese language newspaper production and publishing company, “Hong Kong Post, Inc.”
In Southeast Asia, Hong Kong is an area for the reporting of international news on Japan and the world. The paper drew a great response as the only newspaper presenting news in Japanese on social and economic problems, culture, and education in Hong Kong, where the daily language is Cantonese. In Singapore, the company also published “The Garden City Times.”
December 1987: Establishment of “Temporary CenterThailand” in Bangkok, Thailand
1988: Opening of Japanese language schools
As part of its services for Japanese businesses abroad, the company establishes “AbilityGuidanceCollege” in Hong Kong, “TC Language Center” in Singapore, and “The Business Language Institute” in America. Substantive Japanese language education was offered to overseas workers. Afterwards, overseas work in education is unified under the name Pasona Education. Currently, roughly 3,000 people attend classes with Pasona Education in Hong Kong each month.
July 1988: Opening of “TomokoCultureSchool”
With former Hong Kong National Ballet Group prima donna Tomoko Ukishima presiding, “TomokoCultureSchool” was opened in Hong Kong with the goal of cultivating children’s aesthetic sensitivity through ballet. At this time, the company put great energy not only into the human resources business but also into cultural activities for children from the many Japanese companies finding markets in Hong Kong.
July 1988: Opening of the Japanese art salon “DEN” in Los Angeles
Marking the 3 year anniversary of the establishment of “Temporary CenterU.S.A.,” a special party opens in the OrangeCountyMuseum. Various events introducing Japanese culture were hosted, including an elegant tea reception by Iemoto Hayamiryu, a demonstration in India ink painting by Motoaki Honjo, and an ikebana demonstration. Also commemorating the anniversary was the opening of the Japanese art salon, “Den,” designed by Edward Suzuki and exhibiting the traditional Japanese industrial arts of Kyoto.
September 1988: Establishment of “Temporary CenterTaiwan” in Taipei, Taiwan
With the capital of Taipei as the head office, expansion of locations to include high-tech business center Hsinchu and Taiwan’s second largest city, Kaohsiung.
October 1988: Culture Lectures held in Europe
With the theme, “Europe and Japan in the world in the nineties,” and the invitation of Taichi Sakaiya (former Minister of State for Economic Planning), Kazuo Inamori of Kyocera, Inc., and former Japanese Ambassador to China, Yosuke Nakae, Culture Lectures in Europe were held in London, Paris, and Germany, and fascinated the large audiences that turned out at each location.
September 1989: Establishment of joint-venture human resources mediation company “Cannon Persona” (now Pasona Europe) in England
February 1990: Overseas locations unified under the name, “Pasona”
February 1991: Establishment of “Search Pacific” in Hong Kong
“Search Pacific,” which conducts executive search services specialized for the financial and securities industries, is established in Hong Kong. Likewise, in 1998, “Pelham International” is established in London.
February 1992: Establishment of “New Europe Express,” a tour operating company focusing on Europe
Prestige invests in “New Europe Express” (liquidated Jan.2000); resulting in the acquisition of new offices in London, and Madrid. The tour operator business is launched.
February 1992: Establishment of Pasona International, Inc.
CEO Nambu visits the United States together with his family in October 1988, and undertakes a global strategy in New York, the world’s business center. The “International Personnel Department” is established in 1991 and the “International Planning Department” is established in 1992. Afterwards, Pasona International, Inc. is established in order to professionally implement strategic support for the Pasona Group’s business expansion overseas.
February 1992: Establishment of “Pasona Canada”
June 1993: Pasona Group’s global network reaches 15 countries and 50 locations
Based on its work in developing a wide variety of services as a comprehensive human resources service company, the company changes its name from “Temporary” to “Pasona,” and at the same time introduces a new corporate identity. The name Pasona was made by modifying the Latin “persona,” which signifies people, into a proper name. Incorporating education and management know-how that are useful throughout the world from America’s more than fifty years of history in human resources services, a new system was born.
April 1997: Establishment of “Shanghai Apollo Consulting,” the first venture onto the Chinese mainland
“Shanghai Apollo Consulting,” the first human resources business location on the Chinese mainland, is established and implements human resource mediation. Afterwards, a Guangzhou office is set up in 2004 as “PaHuma Shanghai” (Pasona Human Resources Shanghai).
February 2005: Pasona Group’s affiliated companies overseas span 7 countries, and include 12 corporations in 24 locations
Pasona Group’s affiliated companies overseas, from Asia, to America, to Canada, to Europe, currently have expanded to 7 countries and 24 locations.