EBC Newsletter – June 26, 2024

Last week, the EBC Automotive Components Committee hosted a speaker event featuring Yutaka Kondo from Tier IV, the leading Japanese autonomous driving startup. Mr. Kondo guided attendees through advancements in autonomous driving technology. Participants engaged in a lively Q&A session on a wide range of topics, such as the choice of Linux as a basis for their software stack, the benefits of open-source software, and the rationale behind different open-source licenses. Topics such as commercialization scenarios, regulations, and AI were also touched upon. Mr. Kondo then explained how Tier IV integrates machine learning with rule-based algorithms to enhance their technology.
If you are interested in upcoming events or joining the committee, please get in touch with Bjorn Kongstad.

Finally, I would like to inform you that the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation organizes a zoom webinar on “New Developments in Japan-EU Hydrogen Cooperation -Towards the Realization of a Hydrogen Society” (today 26 June, 17:00). This webinar will explore expectations for Japan-EU hydrogen cooperation towards achieving a hydrogen society and discuss the challenges in advancing these initiatives. Please register from this ZOOM link to join.

The EBC team is looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Valerie Moschetti
EBC Chief Operating Officer

For more updates and information, please visit our website.

• The Japanese government plans to popularize the use of online birth registration from fiscal 2026 at the earliest, no longer requiring physical submission of necessary documents to a municipal government. The country’s family registration law requires a birth registration document along with a doctor-issued birth certificate to be submitted to local governments within 14 days of birth. (Kyodo News+)
• The government will introduce an online platform to allow foreign visitors to apply for travel authorization before embarking on their journey. Foreign nationals eligible for the nation’s visa waiver program will be able to use the envisioned platform to report their reason for travel, where they plan to stay and other details in order to obtain authorization before heading for Japan. (The Japan News)
• The European Union is seeking security and defense industry partnerships with Japan and South Korea aimed at joint development of military equipment, the Nikkei reported on Sunday, citing a senior EU commission official. These would mark the EU’s first such security and defense-related collaboration with Asian nations, the Japanese business newspaper said in a report from Brussels that did not identify the official. (Japan Today)
• Japan placed 18th in the latest ranking of a country’s performance in achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ranking was included in the annual report published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), an international research organization aligned with the United Nations, on June 17. (The Asahi Shimbun)

If you are interested in joining a committee meeting, please contact the EBC to confirm the time and meeting place.