Currently, in Japan’s e-commerce sector, training staff for areas such as internet shopping malls, net shops, designers, creators, photography, accepting orders, picking, and delivery has become an urgent task due to its rapid growth. However, there is an overwhelming shortage of personnel to train staff.
Even when e-commerce is done as an enterprise, the number of talented people with expert knowledge of all of the associated duties are extremely few in number at present, and when e-commerce is done internally, it has become difficult to hire managerial class and store manager class employees right away.
Managers of well-known net shops or EC consultants for malls are extremely busy, so while they are capable of giving lectures or seminars on certain areas, conditions are extremely severe when it comes to comprehensive training.
E-commerce itself is expected to continue to grow going forward. For this reason, we are building an association to develop EC consultants in order to train the staff that support e-commerce, which will allow them to learn systematically not only the consulting business, but also the know-how required for EC management.
In the current circumstances, the majority of superior EC consultants are working as individuals even now, but there is a need for organization to enable the development of excellent EC consultants, and a duty to share EC know-how with ever more people has arisen.
JECCICA works to protect the retail sector and contribute to the growth of Japan’s economy through the expansion of e-commerce in Japan.
CEO of Forcetar Corporation. Systems development and security specialist exceeding ¥170 billion yearly system distribution. Conducts omni-channel service strategy and cross-border e-commerce in the US, EU, and Asia. Countless courses, seminars, and in-house trainings.
Product planning for highly successful low-repulsion pillow. Rakuten SOY award-winner and founder of SAVAWAY. Annual system distribution over ¥150 billion; published online service book; shop manager; game development. Numerous lectures and columns.
After graduating from Meiji University, Masachika Eto built his career across infrastructure construction, consulting firms, and manufacturing companies before becoming independent. He is widely recognized as one of Japan’s earliest independent e-commerce consultants.
Since 1998, he has been directly involved in operating online stores. Within 18 months of launching his own e-commerce business, he achieved monthly sales of JPY 450 million and ranked third overall on Rakuten Marketplace for three consecutive years.
Throughout his career, he has supported more than 1,000 companies, guiding over 200 businesses to exceed annual sales of JPY 100 million, with the highest achieving JPY 1 billion in annual revenue. His expertise spans the entire spectrum of e-commerce management, including product development, system architecture, advertising, and performance marketing—grounded in extensive hands-on operational experience.
He has helped produce 17 published authors, authored three books himself, and regularly contributes to newspapers and business magazines. He also played a key role in founding the Japan E-Commerce Consulting Association (JECCICA) in 2013 and the Japan Society for E-Commerce Studies in 2017.
Through the integration of industry practice, academic collaboration, and global case studies, he continues to advance evidence-based e-commerce development and support for small and mid-sized businesses in Japan.
Manabu Ishigo began his career as a journalist covering the character and IP industry. He later moved beyond journalism into product development and planning, including jewelry collaborations with fashion model Mikiko Yano. He went on to serve as Editor-in-Chief of EC no Mikata, a leading media outlet in Japan’s e-commerce industry, where he engaged extensively with retailers and on-the-ground operations through interviews and editorial work.
He later founded 145 Magazine, working across the retail, distribution, IP, and media sectors. Through media operations, interviews, dialogue, and event planning, he focuses on visualizing and cultivating community-driven value cycles—where people gather through shared values and move together toward practical action—grounded firmly in real-world practice.
Masaaki Yajima spent 25 years at BEAMS, one of Japan’s leading fashion retailers. He began his career as a sales associate and, in 2005, single-handedly launched the company’s e-commerce business. Under his leadership, the EC operation grew to achieve annual sales of approximately JPY 25 billion.
He later served as Executive Officer responsible for Digital Marketing and DX (Digital Transformation), overseeing e-commerce strategy, omnichannel integration, data utilization, and community-based marketing initiatives. He is widely recognized for his deep expertise in building and scaling omnichannel retail organizations in Japan.
Currently, he runs a specialized business focused on Harley-Davidson products while actively contributing to the Japan E-Commerce Consulting Association (JECCICA) as a board member.
He is also a Fellow of the Japan Omnichannel Association and a Fellow of the Community Marketing Promotion Association.
Aiko Hattori began her career at a logistics company, where she was engaged in logistics operations and international trade. After becoming independent, she specialized in importing overseas products into the Japanese market and has built extensive experience in cross-border trade between Japan and global markets.
She participated in the founding of the Japan Cross-Border E-Commerce Association and subsequently launched her cross-border e-commerce consulting and support business, focusing on practical execution across logistics, customs, trade compliance, and market entry.
Fluent at a native level in Chinese, Korean, and English, she has led numerous successful partnerships with Chinese companies and international business counterparts. Her strength lies in bridging cultural, linguistic, and operational gaps, enabling smooth and scalable cross-border e-commerce expansion.
As a board member of the Japan E-Commerce Consulting Association (JECCICA), she contributes deep on-the-ground expertise in cross-border commerce and global collaboration.