EBC Newsletter – March 10, 2021

EBC Newsletter – March 10, 2021

 

 

From the EBC

Dear Friends of the EBC,

Last month, the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) celebrated its second year of implementation. On this occasion, a survey has been launched to learn from the relevant operators about the impact of the agreement on their business in Japan. Do not hesitate to give your feedback on this important instrument aimed at facilitating business!

As you know, the Tokyo Olympics are getting closer. An Austrian company is currently building a group of hospitality houses for the Games in the Toyosu Nations Village. The Austrian Business Council communicates that, due to a withdrawal, one of these houses or parts of it would be available for use by a National Olympic Committee or by companies, official sponsors of the games or not (see details below).

Finally, we are pleased to relay two webinars organised by:
1/ JETRO, on “Regional Business Opportunities in Japan” for foreign companies in Sendai and Kitakyushu;
2/ MOFA, on “Achieving Greater Investments in the Digital Era” focused on how to further expand investment in the field of digital innovation.

Enjoy your reading!

We hope you stay positive and healthy during this difficult time.

Valerie Moschetti
EBC Chief Operating Officer

EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement survey

The purpose of this Survey is for the EU to collect feedback on the impact of the EPA on EU businesses as well as to gather information on existing market access challenges that EU companies face when entering the Japanese market. The EU will use the results of this survey to improve the business climate for EU companies operating in Japan.
The survey can be found at the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EPA_Survey_2020_2021_Year2

Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 –The Toyosu Nations‘ Village

Optimism towards having the Games this year in summer is gathering speed but you might see few of the athletes actually being able to participate in events or gatherings over the town. Very likely their presence will be limited to the sports arenas and the Olympic area in Toyosu. One of the largest areas for hospitality houses in company presentations in the Toyosu area, the so-called The Nations’ Village, is offering an additional space (house) for interested companies, organizations or countries.

The attached presentation provides a short overview of The Nations’ Village, the available space and the company (“Hochsitz”) that built and owns the houses in The Nations’ Village, including their references from former major sport events like the Olympic Games Sochi 2014, Rio 2016, Pyeongchang 2018, America’s Cup 2017 e.a.

If interested in more details or talking directly to the building company, please contact Mr. Bernd Loidl (English, German) at: [email protected]

JETRO Online Seminar – “Discover Regional Business Opportunities in Japan”

JETRO will hold an online seminar inviting speakers from academic field, Tohoku University and National Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu College focusing on the issue of Japanese aging society. As Japan’s population ages, startups are emerging to improve the efficiency of healthcare, automation, and mobility. And the need for technologies and services from these companies, including foreign companies, is growing.

In this seminar, the following two cases will be discussed: Sendai City is working on the extension of healthy lifespan for the elderly, and Kitakyushu City is focusing on integration of Industry 4.0 at the manufacturing site. These cases will provide hints for foreign companies on how to expand business in Japan.

Join this webinar to get information about above.

About the webinar
Date: Wed, 24th March 5:00PM – 6:15PM(JST), 8:00AM-9:15AM(GMT)

Language:English
※Lecture 1, lecture 2, and panel discussion will be conducted in Japanese. Simultaneous interpretation will be available.

Free of charge

Flyer: https://www5.jetro.go.jp/newsletter/jaf/2021/0324webseminar.pdf

Register:https://www.jetro.go.jp/form5/pub/jaf/webseminar_region

Programme:

  • 17:00-17:10 Opening Session(JETRO)
  • 17:10-17:20 Lecture1: “Industry-Academia Collaboration for dementia prevention”, Professor Yasuyuki Taki, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University
  • 17:20-17:30 Lecture 2: “Human Resources Development and the Digitalization of Manufacturing”, Professor Shigeru Kuchii, Department of Creative Engineering, Robotics and Mechatronics Course, National Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu College
  • 17:30-18:00 Panel discussion (Moderator: JETRO)
    Panelists:
    Professor Yasuyuki Taki, Tohoku University
    Professor Shigeru Kuchii, National Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu College
    Mr. Kenichi Yamada, Enterprise Location Section, Economic Affairs Bureau, City of Sendai
    Ms. Yumiko Inoue, International Business Team, Startup Promotion Division, Industry and Economics Bureau, City of Kitakyushu
  • 18:00~18:15 Q&A

About the Speakers:
Yasuyuki TAKI: Professor, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University
Professor Taki analyzes the correlation between the factors such as age and lifestyle and brain morphology, cerebral blood flow, cerebral white matter integrity, etc., by using brain magnetic resonance images of many healthy human subjects. Using neuroscience, he has collaborated with and supervised companies in various industries in Japan, including pharmaceutical, travel, food, and cosmetics.

Shigeru KUCHII: Professor, Department of Creative Engineering, Robotics and Mechatronics Course, National Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu College
Professor Kuchii focuses on the research and development of production systems utilizing robots, AI, and IoT for the DX and Fourth Industrial Revolution. As an instructor, he has won championships in the national technical college Robocon (robot contest) three times. Also, he aims to solve social issues by developing medical robots and social robots to support the elderly.

For inquiries:
Invest Japan Department, JETRO
(Watanabe, Hoshino, Saito, Saji)
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 03-3582-5234

MOFA – “Global Business Seminar – Achieving Greater Investments in the Digital Era”

Date/Time : March 19th, 2021 14:00 – 16:45
Venue: Virtual event ( ZOOM )
Information: English / Japanese
Organizer: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA)
Co-organizer: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
Co-operation: Cabinet Office (CAO), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)Participation Fee Free (pre-registration is required.)

What’s in the Media

  • Japan eyes limit of 2,000 daily arrivals as it opens for Olympics (News on Japan)
  • Japan to allow foreign residents to change or renew visa online (News on Japan)
  • Japanese brewers to display alcohol content by gram after gov’t request to tackle addiction (The Mainichi)
  • Japan adds 13 nations for extra quarantine steps over COVID-19 variants (The Mainichi)

Upcoming EBC Committee Meetings

Date Committee Time / Location
Mar 18 (Thursday) Insurance Web
07:30~
Mar 18 (Thursday) Medical Equipment & Diagnostics Committee Off-site
14:30~
Mar 19 (Friday) Automotive Components & Aftermarket EBC & Web
16:00~
Mar 25 (Thursday) Human Resources Web
09:00~
Mar 25 (Thursday) Telecommunications Equipment EBC and Web
10:00~
Mar 26 (Friday) Railways EBC & Web
16:00~

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

EBC White Paper

The EBC published its annual document on the Japanese regulatory business environment last July.

This year’s White Paper is called “Strengthening partnerships – in crisis and opportunity alike” . The opportunity is of course referring to the EU-Japan EPA that entered into force on February 1, 2019. Unfortunately, at the same time the COVID -19 crisis struck the world.

We are, however, confident that with our recommendations, the European and Japanese economies and companies will continue to prosper.

EBC Sponsorships Scheme

You can select among 6 categories of sponsorships. Depending on the category, the Sponsor will get:

  • Free Membership to the EBC and participation to all EBC sectoral committees;
  • His logo on the EBC website (homepage and/or dedicated sponsors’ web page);
  • His logo/name in the EBC White Paper;
  • His company banner/information material/keynote speaker at the EBC Briefings;
  • His company name listed in EuroBiz Japan (EBC monthly magazine).

We can also adapt your sponsorship / membership to your budget.

If you are interested in supporting the EBC, please have a look at the new Sponsorships Scheme and contact us at: [email protected] for further details!

Stakeholders of the EBC:

European Business Council JAPAN
Sanbancho POULA Bldg. 2F, 6-7 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075
102-0075東京都千代田区三番町6-7三番町POULAビル2F
TEL 03-3263-6222   |   FAX 03-3263-6223
www.ebc-jp.com/