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Published:
Overall sustainability governance
Committee:
Sustainability & Social Responsibilitystatus:
NewJapan under former Prime Minister Suga joined other countries in announcing that Japan will be carbon neutral by 2050. While the announcement was met with fanfare at the time, some of the momentum seems to have been lost. Not only where there no immediate follow-up, but concrete implementation has been slow.
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Published:
Climate action, responsible consumption and production
Committee:
Sustainability & Social Responsibilitystatus:
NewTo decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, increase resource efficiency and promote sustainable lifestyles, Japan needs to invest in renewable energy or energy savings technologies and align its business models to circular-based-economy through government promotion as well. Regarding responsible consumption and production, despite efforts on food loss and waste reduction, additional actions are still needed to further reduce food waste: it is estimated that 5.22 million tons of food waste is still produced annually in Japan.
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Published:
Gender equality
Committee:
Sustainability & Social Responsibilitystatus:
NewJapan, known to have the world’s highest rate of seniority, also has one of the fastest population declining paces in the world. Its economy is bound to drastically change in the following decades due to a decrease in population of 30 million by 2050. The Sustainability & Social Responsibility committee of the EBC supports Prime Minister Kishida’s “New Capitalism” encouraging investment in human capital as one of the main pillars of his growth strategy. We expect that this initiative will result into a more inclusive Japanese economy.
Events Calendar
September 5, 2022
The EBC met with Keidanren Chairman Masakazu Tokura
September 2, 2022
EBC statement on the public offering system for offshore wind power generation
July 11, 2022
EBC Statement on Passing of Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
June 10, 2022
Joint Statement on Japan’s Entry Restrictions
June 1, 2022
The Economic Security Promotion Law and its consequences for European companies – 22 June 2022
February 9, 2022
Survey on the Impact of Entry Restrictions
February 3, 2022
Joint Statement on Entry Restrictions in Japan
UPDATES
EBC Newsletter – February 8, 2023
From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, Last week the EBC has been busy organising events. Our conferences or Briefings report on our Committees’ activity and explain the latest Japanese or European policies and regulations impacting European co
08 February, 2023EBC Newsletter – January 25, 2023
From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, The EBC committees are made of European companies. They monitor the Japanese market, work on non-tariff barriers to produce the EBC White Paper, meet with ministries and various organizations and se
25 January, 2023EBC Newsletter – January 18, 2023
From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, On 30 January (4:00pm, EBC office), the EBC will hold a hybrid conference on “The Japanese Economy: Strategies to Cope with a Shrinking and Ageing Population” with Dr. Randall S. Jones, former Head
18 January, 2023
- 22 August, 2022
30 June, 2022
30 May, 2022
26 April, 2022
DIGITAL WHITE PAPER
Kindly sponsored by CHANEL
NEW ISSUES
URGENT ISSUES
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Published:
COVID-19
Committee:
Logistics & FreightOver a year after its outbreak COVID19 continues to affect the logistics sector. With travel restrictions all over the world, and in particular in Japan, operations are hampered. There is a need for transparent and long-term regulations and guidelines.
RESOLVED ISSUES
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Published:
Airport infrastructure
Committee:
Transportation & Communicationsstatus:
ResolvedThe 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.
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Published:
Travel restrictions
Committee:
Cross-Committee Issuesstatus:
ResolvedThe 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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Published:
Operational Safety Clause (OSC) and public procurement
Committee:
Railwaysstatus:
ResolvedJapan and the EU are both signatories to the WTO’s Plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). Despite this, Japan exempts railway procurement from the provisions of the GPA. The EBC understands that the EU-Japan EPA will open up railway related procurement to EU manufacturers no more than one year after the agreement enters into force. The EBC welcomes this and is also pleased that more cities will open up their procurement market to EU suppliers.
NEWS FEED
- IEA: Asia set to use half of world’s electricity by 2025 (The Mainichi)
- New System to Pay 20% More for Solar Power from Japan Businesses’ Rooftops (The Japan News)
- Japan’s food exports hit new high on seafood, whisky demand (News on Japan)
- U.N. member states urge Japan to improve treatment of migrants (Kyodo News+)
- Govt Eyes Domestic Production of Underwater Drones (The Japan News)
- Upgrades eyed for heatstroke alerts, public ‘cooling facilities’ (The Asahi Shimbun)
- Japan eyes EEZ to build more offshore wind power farms (The Asahi Shimbun)
- Electric car sales gain pace despite hurdles (Japan Today)
- Japan Job-Openings Ratio Logs 1st Rise in 4 Years in 2022 (Japan News)
- Offshore wind power next big thing in Japan’s green push? (The Asahi Shimbun)
- IMF upgrades its outlook for the global economy in 2023 (Japan Today)
- Women’s Economic Independence to Be Discussed at G-7 Meeting in June (Japan News)
- Japan health ministry experts agree to downgrade status of COVID-19 (Kyodo News+)
- IMF urges Japan to be more flexible in setting long-term bond yields (Kyodo News+)
- Japan’s Industry Body Eyes ¥7 Tril. Investment for Power Grids (The Japan News)
- Japan power companies seek 30-40% price hikes, adding to household budget burden (The Mainichi)
- Japan setting up rapid-response unit to counter disinformation (The Asahi Shimbun)
- Japan Govt to Submit Bill to Extend Nuclear Reactor Life Span (The Japan News)
- Japan cuts economic view in Jan. as COVID-19 surges in China (The Mainichi)
- Japan to Ease Rules on Lithium-Ion Battery Warehouses to Increase Domestic Production for EVs (The Japan News)
- FOCUS: Japan PM Kishida’s intention to raise sales tax in focus at Diet (Kyodo News+)
- Job Stability, Work Reforms Thought Key to Upping Birth Rate (The Japan News)
- Japan Govt, BOJ to Discuss 2013 Joint Statement (The Japan News)
- PM Kishida’s speech to highlight child policy as investment for future (The Mainichi)
- Japan posts record trade deficit of 19.97 tril. yen in 2022 (Kyodo News+)
- Japan used car registrations in 2022 hit new record low (The Mainichi)
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.