FEATURED NEWS

Public Comment on the Long-Term Decarbonisation Auction Scheme and Support Framework for Offshore Wind

Public Comments on Cabotage Rules Affecting Offshore Wind Developments

EBC Automotive Components Committee event, 18 March

Recommendations for Policy Reform to Streamline Expense Settlement in Japan

PRESS RELEASE: European Business Council Welcomes Reforms to Foreign Lawyer Registration Rules in Japan

The Sustainability Imperative: Decarbonization & Nature Restoration for a Resilient Future (September 12)

Events Calendar

UPDATES

DIGITAL WHITE PAPER

NEW ISSUES

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Science-Based Sustainability Education for Adults

    Committee:
    Sustainability & Social Responsibility
    status:
    New

    Surveys suggest that public awareness of climate change in Japan is relatively high, and climate denialism is far less prevalent than in some other developed countries. However, this awareness has not translated into widespread behavioral change or strong public pressure for structural reforms. The emphasis on symbolic communication, such as superficial references to the SDGs, risks reinforcing a passive understanding of sustainability across all age groups. There is a particular need to target adults, who hold decision-making power in government, business, and society at large. Given the urgency of the climate and ecological crises, meaningful action cannot wait for future generations to take the lead.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Regulations Against Greenwashing

    Committee:
    Sustainability & Social Responsibility
    status:
    New

    As interest in ESG and sustainability grows in Japan, so does the risk of greenwashing, where companies make misleading claims about the environmental impact of their products, services, or strategies. In the absence of clear legal definitions and active enforcement, misleading claims can persist unchallenged, eroding public trust and confusing both consumers and investors. Civil society groups have raised concerns that the current advertising oversight mechanisms in Japan are not equipped to respond effectively to such issues, with some complaints remaining unanswered for extended periods. This highlights the need for a more robust and transparent regulatory framework.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Consumer Awareness for Sustainable Food

    Committee:
    Sustainability & Social Responsibility
    status:
    New

    Consumer demand for sustainable food products in Japan remains relatively low compared to Europe. Despite growing awareness of environmental issues, sustainability considerations are still limited in everyday food purchasing decisions. This gap is driven by a lack of clear labeling, limited public communication, and weak differentiation in the marketplace.

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URGENT ISSUES

No Issue found.

RESOLVED ISSUES

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Temporary in-activation of gaiben licence

    Committee:
    Legal Services
    status:
    Resolved

    With the increased use of secondments within the legal services field, it is not uncommon that registered gaiben temporarily leave Japan and then come back to again practise foreign law in Japan. For a domestic lawyer it is possible to either (1) continue paying their bar membership fees while remaining on the bar rolls with their original registration number or (2) stop paying fees whilst temporarily suspending their license only to re-activate it when returning to Japan through a simple application process. This is not possible for a gaiben. The only thing possible for a gaiben is to re-apply from scratch. The EBC sees no reason for this blatant discrimination of foreign lawyers.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Branches

    Committee:
    Legal Services
    status:
    Resolved

    Legislation was finally passed in 2014, permitting a gaiben law firm to incorporate  as a hojin, and thereby become eligible to open more than one branch. However, the 2014 legislation did not permit gaiben and bengoshi together to establish a hojin. The effect is to severely limit the usefulness of the 2014 legislation. We understand that the changes in the Act to permit gaiben and bengoshi to establish a hojin together have been enacted and we await confirmation that the changes have been implemented by no later than September 2020.

  • 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.

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Eurobiz_June2022_cover_HI

Eurobiz Japan

JUNE 2022

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NEWS FEED
  • Europe space agency eyes Tokyo office, deeper collaboration with JAXA (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan backpedals on solar panel recycling law, eyes nonbinding guidelines (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan eyes subsidies for companies using renewables, nuclear power (Nikkei Asia)
  • Local authorities step up regulation of mega solar projects in Japan (Japan Today)
  • Japan’s Digital Agency, OpenAI to Collaborate on Development, Use of Gen AI (The Japan News)
  • Japan obliges firms to expand support for employees with preschoolers (Japan Today)
  • 98% of Japan business leaders support accepting more foreign workers: poll (Nikkei Asia)
  • Permanent residency visa revocation law gets guidelines (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • Japan seeks to boost new geothermal power generation (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan to start new foreign trainee program with job flexibility in 2027 (Japan Today)
  • Major Japanese utility to close oil-fired plants as reactors reopen (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan to Pause Work on Public Projects in Summer, as Risk of Heatstroke Rises Ever Higher (The Japan News)
  • Govt Expert Panel’s Report Recommends Exporting Defense Equipment ‘Without Restrictions’ (The Japan News)
  • 3 firms plan to pipe CO₂ under the sea in global warming fight (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • Japan to Develop Domestic AI Model With Government Support; Security Concerns Over Outflow of Data, False Information (The Japan News)
  • 2-year transfer rule planned for foreign workers in 8 sectors (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • Japan to revise investment rules for startups to woo foreign capital (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan, EU to Cooperate Over Storage Battery Supply Chain, Working to Lower Dependence on China (The Japan News)
  • Japan aims to scale energy-producing artificial photosynthesis by 2040 (The Mainichi)
  • Europe had ESG. Japan wants big role in disaster risk financing (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan offers more aid to offshore wind after Mitsubishi Corp. withdrawal (Nikkei Asia)
  • EU-backed fund plans Japan entry to invest in green start-ups (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan Govt to Support Perovskite Solar Cell Mass Production With ¥24.6 Bil. in Subsidies (The Japan News)
  • Japan to Establish System for Sharing EV Battery Degradation Data, in Collaboration with Firms Including Toyota, Honda (The Japan News)
  • Japanese Govt Formulates Draft Plan to Develop ‘World-Class Genomic Medicine’; Raising Awareness, Ensuring Fairness Among Tasks (The Japan News)
  • 80% of Japan’s auto parts makers set to transfer tariff costs to automakers (Nikkei Asia)
  • Most EU carmakers on track to meet emission targets: study (Japan Today)
  • Japan PM mulls mapping out economic steps to curb impact of rising prices (The Mainichi)
  • Japan aims for 1m users on new digital-skill matching platform (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan to support homegrown tech for base stations, wireless equipment (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan to toughen requirements for business manager visa applications (Kyodo News+)
  • Japan’s foreign labor plan to allow job switch in 7 sectors after 2 years (Japan Today)
  • Japanese steel and chemical producers pull back from carbon-cutting (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan, Norway Confirm Defense Cooperation (The Japan News)
  • Japan to fund companies expanding abroad in areas from chips to ships (Nikkei Asia)
  • Govt to Launch 1st Investigation into Cybersecurity Field, Plans to Create Measures to Foster Specialists Now in Short Supply (The Japan News)
  • Japan to back certification bodies’ M&A in bid to set quantum, AI standards (Nikkei Asia)
  • Fires prompt mandatory power banks, phones recycling (The Asahi Shimbun)

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.