EBC Newsletter – November 29, 2023

EBC Newsletter – November 29, 2023

 

From the EBC

Dear Friends of the EBC,

The EBC reminds you that its traditional White Paper launching event will take place on 14 December from 16:00 at the EU Delegation in Hiroo. Some of the EBC Committees will give a brief presentation of the issues they face on the Japanese market, and more importantly, the recommendations they make to the Japanese Government and in some cases also to the European Commission. We will update you soon on the program. To register, send an email to [email protected]
The EBC team is looking forward to seeing you there!

The Delegation of the European Union to Japan has launched a business survey under the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Implementation Facility Instrument regarding the fifth year of EPA implementation. The objectives of this short survey are to identify existing regulatory barriers that hamper EU exports to Japan and the needs for developing or aligning new standards or technical regulations which would facilitate and enhance trade between the EU and Japan. If you are directly affected by the problem, don’t hesitate to reply! The survey can be found at the following link : https://eu.research.net/r/HM3LTPZ . The deadline is 18 December 2023.

On 30 November (13:00-17:00), for the first time, the Prefectural Government of Osaka and Osaka City are holding a hybrid business matching event, which gathers fintech corporations and foreign investors. Interested companies can have a look at: Japanese / English

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

Valerie Moschetti
EBC Chief Operating Officer

What’s in the Media

  • To beef up defense capabilities, the government has pinpointed 14 civilian airports and 24 ports for upgrades and utilization by the Self-Defense Forces for training and emergencies. However, the focus will be on whether the local governments managing these airports and ports will approve the expansions and upgrades as gaining the support of local residents is vital. (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • A government panel on Friday compiled a final report on a new system to replace Japan’s controversial trainee program for foreigners, featuring improved rights protection with increased flexibility for workplace changes and tougher oversights. The final report will set the stage for the government to submit a bill to the ordinary parliamentary session next year to introduce the new system, which will end the Technical Intern Training Program that has been in place since 1993. (Japan Today)
  • Tokyo Gas Co. has started a carbon recycling service with a device that can create material for soap and fertilizers from gas emissions. However, the company must overcome a number of technical challenges before it can spread the use of the device and create a decarbonized society. One problem is the high introduction cost. Another is the fact that the device can recover only a small amount of CO2 from the gas emissions. (The Asahi Shimbun)

Upcoming EBC Committee Meetings

Date Committee Time / Location
Dec 1 (Fri) Liquor hybrid
0830~
Dec 6 (Wed) Energy hybrid
1330~
Dec 7 (Thu) Medical Equipment & Diagnostics Off-site
1430-~
Dec 11 (Mon) Materials hybrid
1730~
Dec 12 (Tue) Railways hybrid
1600~
Dec 13 (Wed) Legal Services TBC
1200~
Dec 19 (Tue) Sustainability & Social Responsibility Hybrid
0930~
Dec 21 (Thu) Telecommunications Equipment Web
1000~

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

Stakeholders of the EBC:

European Business Council JAPAN
Toranomon Hills Business Tower 15F, 1-17-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6415
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www.ebc-jp.com/