【About Us】

I am Yoko Ito, the CEO of NYK Marketing. Growing up, I had many opportunities to travel abroad due to the influence of my parents. Throughout my student and professional life, I continued to travel between Japan and overseas through homestays, vacations, and business trips. It was during these experiences that I developed a strong desire to spread the wonderful things about Japan to the world.

Our greatest wish at NYK Marketing is for Japanese individuals to have more opportunities to shine on the global stage. Japan is home to many globally renowned corporations. However, I envision a society where individuals can advance and believe in their own abilities, rather than relying solely on the framework of large corporations. Therefore, we aim to support hardworking individuals.

This led us to focus on Japanese handmade products. The quality and design of these products are exceptional, and when worn abroad, they attract attention with comments like “That’s cute! Where did you get it?” Through such experiences, I became convinced that we should expand our market overseas. In 2018, we realized this dream by organizing a pop-up shop featuring artists in New York. Since then, we have continued to expand our presence and hold events in various locations throughout the city. In the summer of 2023, our desire to reach beyond New York and share our vision with the world led us to launch the “niji” e-commerce site.

Our company has two core principles. The first is to introduce Japanese products to the world, as mentioned above. The second is to send a message to Japanese individuals who may be confined within Japan: “Let’s broaden our horizons and strive together!” When envisioning the future of Japan, with its aging population and declining birthrate, we can see that focusing solely on domestic markets leads to limited competition for a small slice of the pie. However, by expanding our perspective to the international stage, the future can change dramatically.

One of the things that amazed me during my life in New York was the number of individuals who engaged in creative activities, such as creating their own artworks, music, or launching businesses. I was genuinely moved by their endeavors and felt a deep respect for them. We live in an era where individuals can challenge themselves and succeed without relying solely on large corporations. If more Japanese people can take the first step towards the world, seeking new markets and opportunities to shine using their own talents, an exciting future awaits. It would bring me great happiness if, through our business, we can encourage and support as many people as possible, saying, “Let’s go beyond Japan!”