The second week of the new fiscal year. A year ago the consumption-tax hike made quite a stir. This year the tax did not rise, but perhaps because of higher import prices with the weak yen, ketchup, dairy goods and other foods have gone up.
Even with all that, anything labeled “new” tightens the mind. Many firms have welcomed new recruits. Some, after reorganizations, have new company names.
Then the building must respond. Tenant names on the “in-building directory boards” have to change. At Palaceside Building, the former Japan Rensui Co., Ltd. on east fifth floor became Mitsubishi Rayon Aqua Solutions Co., Ltd. as of April 1, and the publishing bureau of The Mainichi Newspapers (west third floor) became independent as Mainichi Shimbun Publishing Inc. For office tenants there are twelve directory boards in the building, including each floor’s elevator hall, so changing them is quite a job.
By chance both companies that changed this time are in the “ma” row, so on the board beside the first-floor east restrooms they sit just under the gray “ma” header tile.
Anyone thinking “then the change was easy”? Not quite. The “ma” row had little room below, so we had to slide the “ma” header tile up to make space for two firms.
Mitsubishi Rayon Aqua Solutions, incidentally, took over most of the water-treatment membrane and equipment sales business from parent Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd. into the former Japan Rensui, then changed that company’s name.
Mainichi Shimbun Publishing takes over magazines such as Sunday Mainichi and Economist, and books, that The Mainichi Newspapers had issued.
Both reorganizations surely aim at further expansion in a severe economy and competition. We pray that the businesses of all our tenants, including the many whose names have not changed, will flourish still more.