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Published:
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environment Product Declaration (EPD)
Committee:
Materialsstatus:
NewLCAs and EPDs are becoming more common both as suppliers are disclosing the information as part of their transparency efforts and as buyers are requesting this to fulfil their environmental goals and requirement. In the EU, some standards, such as EN 15804+A4 for the construction related materials, and platforms for EPD, such as Environdec, are being used. In Japan we have Ecoleaf. As more and more data are being covered by LCA and EPD it is important that there is harmonisation between various systems to avoid that additional costs. This can become significant considering the number of products of a given company. It should be mentioned that some collaboration already exists.
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Published:
Temporary in-activation of gaiben licence
Committee:
Legal Servicesstatus:
NewWith 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 tills 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 blantant discrimination of foreign lawyers.
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Published:
Denan Act or PSE requirements
Committee:
Retail & Wholesalestatus:
NewMost electrical appliances on the Japanese market need to be labelled with a PSE symbol: either a so called maru-PSE or a hishigata-PSE. For this to be possible the products need to undergo the applicable testing and certification, and also be reported to the Japanese authorities as a “Notification of business,” or Import Business Report, with information such as type classification, katashiki, and manufacture information. While some of these requirements are mirrored in other jurisdictions, Japan stands out in some respect. Every single product needs to be checked beforehand either at production site or a warehouse, and a report of this inspection needs to be kept for 3 years by importers. Furthermore, tests and approvals from Europe can only be partially used or not used at all as the Japanese standards are still not harmonized with international standards in the latter case.
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 – November 22, 2022
From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, Today, we would like to share with you a few events organised by us, our stakeholders or close partner organisations : EBC Briefing on the 2022 White Paper If you are interested in sectors such...
22 November, 2022EBC Newsletter – November 16, 2022
From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, Our survey to better understand the difficulties encountered by European companies and investors to do business in Japan is coming to a close. We are extending it until 21 November. Your responses h
16 November, 2022EBC Newsletter – November 9, 2022
*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|* From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, Now Japan reopened its borders, the European Business Council is investigating to better understand the difficulties encountered by European companies and investors to do business in Ja
09 November, 2022EBC Newsletter – November 2, 2022
From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, Since 11 October, Japan is opened again to tourists. If you arrive from the EU and if you have a valid vaccination certificate, you don’t need a PCR test. From 1st November, a new App,...
02 November, 2022
- 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:
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.
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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.
NEWS FEED
- Japan relying more on renewables, nuclear power for energy: report (Japan Today)
- Japan mulls creating new defense body for fighting cyberattacks (Kyodo News+)
- Expert panel to be set up to review technical intern program (The Japan News)
- Japan sets up panel to review foreign trainee program (Japan Today)
- Japan nuclear watchdog considers extending reactor life (Japan Today)
- Panel wants Japanese public to pay more for defense buildup (Japan Today)
- OECD sticks to slower growth in 2023, upgrades Japan outlook (The Mainichi)
- Japan relying more on renewables, nuclear power for energy: report (The Mainichi)
- Japan farmers shift from rice to feed crops as price of imported grain surges (The Japan News)
- Human rights, environment now factors when procuring palm oil (The Japan News)
- Japan finance chief vows all-out efforts to fight inflation (KyodoNews+)
- METI to set 60％ renewable energy target for auto manufacturing (The Japan News)
- Japanese project encourages men to lead change for gender equality (Kyodo News+)
- Historic fund to aid climate change-hit nations OK’d at U.N. talks (Kyodo News+)
- Major Japanese firms team up to collect waste cooking oil for sustainable aviation fuel (The Japan News)
- Japan, Britain, Italy moving forward on fighter jet project (The Asahi Shimbun)
- IAEA: Decision on Fukushima wastewater release up to Japan (Japan Today)
- Japan extends participation in International Space Station to 2030 (Japan Today)
- Japan to resume offshore wind auctions in December with revised rules (The Japan Times)
- Japan to accept int’l cruises after 2-yr ban due to pandemic (Kyodo News+)
- Japan’s economy shrinks annualized real 1.2% in July-September (Kyodo News+)
- Japan to agree to extend ISS operations until 2030 (The Japan News)
- Cabinet approves ¥29.1 tril extra budget for economic package (Japan Today)
- Japan looks to finalize nuclear reactor service extension by year-end (Kyodo News+)
- Govt. to create ‘comprehensive defense budget’ framework to meet 2％ target (The Japan News)
- Japan aims to revive inbound tourism to pre-pandemic levels by 2025 (Kyodo News+)
- Keidanren calls for new words for hiring experienced workers (The Japan News)
- Japan’s Digital Agency to catalog private-sector tech (The Japan News)
- Kishida vows to enhance defense capabilities (The Japan News)
- New local taxes cast shadow on Japan’s solar-power drive (The Japan News)
- Govt to spend over 1 trillion yen on bolstering supply chains (The Japan News) (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 23 industry committees covering a wide variety of economic sectors.