FEATURED NEWS

2024 EBC White Paper Launching event February 29

The EBC attended the European Joint Chambers Cocktail on 12 October 2023

On 4 October, the EBC management met with a delegation of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) / Japan Follow-up Committee.

On 4 October 2023, the EBC attended the reception for the Day of German Unity.

Mr. Nikolaus Boltze, Country Representative of ThyssenKrupp and Chair of the EBC Defence and Security Committee, gives a presentation to a Dutch delegation

The EBC management met Mr. Jens Eskelund, the new President of the European Chamber in China.

Events Calendar

UPDATES

  •   From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, On 27 May, we had the pleasure of attending the annual event of the Japan Automobile Importers Association (JAIA). The audience learned about the robust trend of electrification in Japan, with imported veh

    Author ImageYoko
    29 May, 2024

  • *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*   From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, On 14 May, Monica Nagashima, from InfluenceMap, presented a data-driven analysis of corporate climate lobbying trends in Japan to the EBC Sustainability Committee members. As Stefan Le

    Author ImageYoko
    22 May, 2024

  •   From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, On 8 May, we attended a conference featuring Mr. Kazuo Ueda, Governor of the Bank of Japan, who gave a speech on the “Virtuous Cycle between Wages and Prices and the Bank of Japan’s Monetary Po

    Author ImageYoko
    15 May, 2024

  •   From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, On 24 April, the OECD Centre for Responsible Business, Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, visited the EBC thanks to Stéfan Le Dû, Chair of our Sustainability Committee. Froukje Boele, Head o

    Author ImageYoko
    08 May, 2024

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DIGITAL WHITE PAPER

Kindly sponsored by CHANEL

NEW ISSUES

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Clarification of unprofitable products (measures to ensure stable supply)

    Committee:
    Medical Equipment
    status:
    New

    For unprofitable requests, selection requirements and standards are not clear, and it is difficult for companies to submit unprofitable requests.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Treatment of the cost accounting method

    Committee:
    Medical Equipment
    status:
    New

    Base material prices for newly listed products are, in principle, calculated by the similar function comparison method. However, if the price is 0.5 times or less of the foreign average price, from the viewpoint of stable supply, there is a system for applying for calculation using the cost calculation method. However, since there is no foreign price for products that have not yet been released in foreign countries, this rule is not applicable.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Shelf-life and sustainability

    Committee:
    Food & Agriculture
    status:
    New

    While this issue is not based on any law or regulation, food products or beverages that do not have at least 2/3 left of the shelf-life when reaching the supermarkets, or any other retail outlet, are difficult to sell. This means that European products that due to distance have to be transported for a relatively longer period of time are more difficult to sell. It is also true for domestic products, that when reaching end of shelf-life are often discarded despite being OK for consumption. This does, unfortunately, lead to food waste. The EBC believe that the authorities have a responsibility to better promote sustainability in the food and beverage sector.

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URGENT ISSUES

No Issue found.

RESOLVED ISSUES

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Malt and quota management system

    Committee:
    Food & Agriculture
    status:
    Resolved

    Japan had a tariff quota system for malt even from before the EPA, which introduced a quota for EU origin malt. However, only companies manufacturing beer themselves or importing exclusively for the use of a particular brewery were allowed to apply for a quota, discriminating against traders wishing to import on their own account for selling to multiple customers in small volumes or on short notice. Following multi-year efforts by the EBC and the EU, this was remedied in late 2021, opening the door to importers to provide for a large variety of EU-origin malts even in smaller quantities for the flourishing craft beer market, and for non-brewery users.  However, an administrative burden remains, which is unreasonable considering the quota is not fully utilized and all eligible quota applications are being granted.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Airport infrastructure

    Committee:
    Transportation & Communications
    status:
    Resolved

    The EBC encourages the continued opening up of HND airport slots. In addition, improved “on or near airport” facilities, including for catering and cargo are needed. The new air corridor at HND will enable a reduction in fuel consumption through a more direct approach, which will have a positive impact on the environment.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Travel restrictions

    Committee:
    Cross-Committee Issues
    status:
    Resolved

    The EBC fully understands and supports the Japanese government’s efforts to try to stem the spread of Covid-19 among the residents of Japan. However, it cannot be emphasised enough that European firms, as well as Japanese and other non-Japanese firms, have been suffering for months because they have not been able to bring in essential personnel from overseas. This is true both for specialists — such as engineers, researchers, and medical personnel — and for those in top management positions.

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Eurobiz_June2022_cover_HI

Eurobiz Japan

JUNE 2022

VIEW ARCHIVE

NEWS FEED
  • Schuman Security and Defence Forum 2024: In Our Interconnected World, There is No ‘Faraway’ (The Japan News)
  • Japan to require firms to expand support for employees with kids (The Mainichi)
  • Japan to work with ASEAN to train 100,000 digital professionals (Kyodo News+)
  • Govt Plans Public-Private Info-Sharing on Cyber-Attacks; Railways, Utilities to Help Guard Against ‘Hybrid Warfare’ (The Japan News)
  • New Training and Employment System for Japan’s Foreign Workers Approved (News on Japan)
  • Govt Aims for 30％ Global Market Share of Japanese Next-Generation Vehicles; Inter-Company Cooperation, Collaboration Key (The Japan News)
  • Japan enacts law to restrict onshore wind farm construction (The Mainichi)
  • FAO Environment Director Pushes for Stronger Climate Action; Stresses Potential of Japan’s Agricultural Tech (The Japan News)
  • 3 Japanese Carmakers Eye Joint Software Development; Toyota, Honda, Nissan See Benefits in Standardization (The Japan News)
  • Japan Begins Review of Basic Energy Plan amid Spread of AI (The Japan News)
  • Japan to Formulate New National Strategy for Green Transformation with Target Year of 2040 (The Japan News)
  • New Law for Boosting Japan’s Economic Security to Enhance International Collaboration; Impacts on Personnel to be Considered (The Japan News)
  • Diet enacts law to create economic security clearance system (Japan Today)
  • Revocation of permanent residence status in contention in Japan Diet talks (The Mainichi)
  • Japan Launches New Project to Address Gender Pay Gap (News on Japan)
  • Japan Post, Seino to team up on deliveries to counter driver shortage (Japan Today)
  • Japan’s Commitment to Inclusive Employment Highlighted at OECD (News on Japan)
  • Japan Tightens Rules on Student Residency Requirements (News on Japan)
  • Keidanren in call to make Japan an ‘AI, robotics powerhouse’ (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • Japan, EU to Cooperate in Digital Regulation (The Japan News)
  • G7 agrees to phase out coal power by 2035 but gives leeway (Kyodo News+)
  • Govt to Launch Searchable Database of Budget Projects; Japan Project Aims to Boost Transparency, Efficiency (The Japan News)
  • Japan to Restrict Exports of Civilian Goods Sought by Militaries; Risk Assessment Could Be Mandatory for Sensors, Motors (The Japan News)
  • Japan Advances Towards Mass Production of Hydrogen Fuel Trains (News on Japan)
  • German-style Vocational Program Launches for First Time in Japan (The Japan News)
  • New group sets 2030 deadline for Japan to join nuke ban treaty (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • Japan to create a 1-trillion-yen fund to bolster space business (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Promotes Revised NISA Investment Program to Young People; Kishida Focusing on Moving Money From Savings to Investment in a Safe Environment (The Japan News)
  • Ministry panel starts work for vital reform of pension system (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • Japan Govt to Require Opening Up of Smartphone App Stores; Legislation Aimed at Big Tech Giants (The Japan News)
  • Japan Mulls Raising National Pension Age to 65 (News on Japan)
  • 20% of Japanese ‘functional’ foods have withdrawn labeled health claims: consumer agency (The Mainichi)
  • Japan’s FY2022 greenhouse gas emissions hit record low (Japan Today)
  • Govt to Set Up Japanese Version of CDC Next April; Aims to Speed Up Response to Infectious Disease Outbreak (The Japan News)

Join & Support

EBC members can not only learn about important changes taking place in Japan, but also play a critical role in influencing change themselves.

Some 300 of the over 2,500 affiliated local European companies and individuals participate directly in one or more of the EBC’s 22 industry committees covering a wide variety of economic sectors.