DePaul University's Richard Driehaus Center for International Business will host workshops at its Loop and Naperville campuses April 20 to discuss opportunities for Midwest firms to penetrate the Japanese market by joining a delegation that is forming to attend two upcoming business-to-business forums in Osaka, Japan.

     The workshop will be offered from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at DePaul's Naperville Campus, 150 Warrenville Rd., and will be repeated from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at DePaul's Loop Campus, 1 E. Jackson Blvd. Registration to either session costs $20 per person.

     At the workshops, participants will learn about the benefits of joining a delegation that is being formed to attend the Global Business Opportunities Forum (GBOC) and the Global Venture Forum 2000 (GVF), two annual business-to-business events offered in Osaka from Oct. 16-20. The forums, organized by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attract substantial, broad-based Japanese sponsorship. For both forums, Osaka chamber members pre-arrange private, one-on-one meetings between forum visitors and representatives of Japanese firms, tailoring the meetings to the business interests of visitors.

     "The two Osaka forums offer an excellent opportunity for Midwest business managers to meet with potential partners, customers, co-venturers and investors," said DePaul Kellstadt Graduate School of Business Professor Mark Sullivan, who is organizing the workshops. "Last year there were more than 16,000 participants, most of them Japanese business executives, at the GBOC alone."

     "Representative of Midwest firms looking for ways to penetrate the Japanese market are strongly encouraged to attend one of DePaul's workshops to hear more about this opportunity to reach out to the world's second largest market," he said.

     The GVF 2000 focuses on the following industries: information and communication technologies, biotechnology, medical and health care, environment and energy, and advanced materials. A wide range of firms participate in the GBOC. English language interpreters are available at both events. The application deadline for attending the forums is June 14.

     DePaul's Driehaus Center is co-sponsoring the workshop with Technology Management Associates, Inc., Japan External Trade Organization Chicago, The International Trade Association of Greater Chicago and Chicago Sister Cities International program, Osaka Committee.

     For more information about the workshop, call Ellen Dawson at the Driehaus Center: 312/362-8474.

     The Driehaus Center was established in 1993 with a contribution from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and gifts from other donors. The center's goals are to enhance international educational opportunities for DePaul business students, faculty and the Chicago business community and to forge global links to accomplish this goal.