Germans Retreat From Japan

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

High profile German companies not only shut down their Japanese operations like the Japanese colleagues. They are also recalling Germans back to Germany.

Parts manufacturer Bosch has 36 locations with 8,000 employees in Japan, writes Automobilwoche [sub]. After checking the installations, Bosch found only slight damage, and production was mostly restarted. However, Bosch asked their German employees whether they want to stay or go home. 200 already left, together with their families. “It’s up to our employees whether they want to stay or not,” said a spokesperson of Bosch. That offer most likely does not extend to Japanese employees.

Daimler has a commercial vehicle subsidiary in Japan, Mitsubishi Fuso with 12,836 employees. The operation remains closed this week. Families of German employees have been flown out. Those on business trips will not go back to Japan. Daimler established a crisis center. “Whether employees will be airlifted out of the crisis region remains unclear,” says Automobilwoche. It goes without saying that only Germans will be evacuated.

Continental will airlift 100 employees and their families out of the region as a “precautionary measure.” The airlift will be undertaken by chartered plane. Automobilwoche [sub] says that “international Continental employees, but no Japanese” will be pulled out.

BMW has recalled all “its German employees” from Japan, says Automobilwoche [sub]. The company will assist is Japanese employees in finding safe shelter in the south of Japan.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Herb Herb on Mar 14, 2011

    "were" instead of "where", of course. Useless bunch, obviously (presumably overpaid). Or. as Signal11 put it: " Unless they’ve got a role to fulfill in ameliorating the situation, they’re a burden. Send them home."

  • Andy D Andy D on Mar 14, 2011

    Dont go away mad, just go away. Get out of the way and stop using resources that could be better used some other way. Things will get sorted out and you can go back to your office.

  • Buckshot Buckshot on Mar 15, 2011

    It´s not just Germans and German companys, the Swedes are leaving also. And i´m sure that most foreigners are leaving, if they can.

  • Signal11 Signal11 on Mar 15, 2011

    @geozinger Every natural disaster is different, but in my calculus, if you're a foreigner who is not a context specific asset, you're probably a liability. While it might not be the most correct immediate post emergency response, sending your non essential expats home is never the wrong response.

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