ASA’s Vice President Attends MOU Signing Ceremony in Japan with Japanese Appraisal Organizations

By Sharon Reed

ASA International Vice President Douglas R. Krieser ASA attended a historic signing ceremony in Tokyo, Japan on September 4, 2018, acknowledging the recently agreed to Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), the Japan Association of Real Estate Appraisers (JAREA) and the Japanese Society of Independent Appraisers (JASIA).

L-R, back row: Junji Yokota, COO, JASIA; Hitoshi Kawafuji, vice chairman, JASIA; Nobuo Kobayashi, board member, JASIA; Kazuo Wakayama, chief executive and representative director, JASIA; Ichiro Kumazawa, vice president (general affairs), JAREA; Masayuki Yamashita, vice president (foreign affairs), JAREA. L-R, front row: Douglas R. Krieser ASA international vice president; Takaji Kumakura, president, JAREA

Executives in attendance at the event included Takaji Kumarkuru, president, JAREA; Masayuki Yamashita, vice president, JAREA; Ichiro Kumazawa, vice president, JAREA, Kazuo Wakayama, chief executive and representative director, JASIA; Junji Yokota, chief operating officer, JASIA; Hitoshi Kawafuji, Vice chairman, JASIA and Nobuo Kobayashi, board member, JASIA.

Based in Illinois, Krieser is the founder and managing director of Valcon Partners, Ltd. He has performed and supervised valuations and consulting projects on an international basis for over 30 years.  As a past officer and active member of ASA’s Machinery and Technical Specialties Committee, Krieser has been involved with the initiative since the initial agreement between the ASA and the Japanese Society of Independent Appraisers was drafted five years ago in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

“We look forward to continuing and expanding both our shared knowledge as well as identifying new outlets for expansion and benefits for the members of the Japan Association of Real Estate Appraisers, the Japanese Society of Independent Appraisers and the ASA,” said Krieser at the ceremony.

During the 9 day trip to Japan, Krieser taught an ASA Principles of Valuation course to a group of experienced appraisers and other professionals who are interested in entering the Machinery and Technical Specialties valuation field.

While there Krieser also met with the leadership of several of Japan’s largest appraisal firms, including: The Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Japan Real Estate; Daiwa Real Estate Appraisal Co. LTD; and The Tanizawa Sogo Appraisal Co. Ltd. In addition, he met with local leadership in the major accounting firm valuation groups, including at E&Y, Deloitte, KPMG, and Duff and Phelps, in order to discuss the expansion of ASA Machinery and Technical Specialties and Business Valuation education in Japan.

“The Japanese market for both MTS and BV related valuation is expanding rapidly and the ASA, along with our partner organization JASIA, is positioning itself to provide relevant education to the local appraisers in order to better serve this need,” Krieser said.

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