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In our calendar, you can find all the events organised or sponsored by the EU-Japan Centre, as well as other events related to EU-Japan relations.

01/12/2010 - Tokyo, Japan

"Priorities for the Renewed Economic, Industrial and Trade Policies of the EU and Japan" ()

Dates: Wednesday, 1 December 2010, 15:00 – 17:00

Venue: Tokyo Kaikan, 11th Floor, Gold Room (3-2-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo）

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Organised by: The EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation

Participation: Free (pre-registration required)

Language: English / Japanese (with simultaneous interpretation)

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Report

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Inquiry
The EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, Ms. Higuchi
Tel: +81 (0)3-3221-6161
Fax: +81 (0)3-3221-6226 Email

On Wednesday, 1 December 2010, the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation organised a seminar on “Priorities for the Renewed Economic, Industrial and Trade Policies of the EU and Japan" with interventions by:
- Mr. Heinz Zourek, Director-General, DG Enterprise & Industry (European Commission)
- Mr. Hideichi Okada, Vice-Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
- Mr. Tommy Kullberg, Chairman, European Business Council in Japan (EBC)
- Mr. Michio Ohkawa, Counselor, Toray Corporate Business Research Inc., Former Chairman, Japan-EU EIA Taskforce Chairman (2007/08)　

The EU and Japan have recently redefined their main strategic objectives for the next 10 years, including on industrial policy. The objective of this seminar was to present “Europe 2020” strategy and the Japanese Government’s “New Growth Strategy” from the point of view of policy makers and businesses, and understand how trade and industrial cooperation between the two regions could be further developed.

Mr. Zourek presented the objectives of “Europe 2020” strategy: to promote ‘smart growth’, ‘sustainable growth’ and ‘inclusive growth’, as defined by 5 measurable targets and 7 flagship initiatives. He underlined the importance of manufacturing industry for the European economy and focused on one of those flagship initiatives, the new “integrated industrial policy for a globalization era”, which the Commission proposed to provide the right environment for manufacturing industry to prosper and be competitive. Mr. Okada talked about Japan’s “New Growth Strategy”, which identifies key economic sectors to develop and major reforms of the Japanese production system to undertake in order to cope with new economic, environmental and societal challenges. He insisted on the necessity for Japanese companies to focus on international expansion to revive the economy. To date, Japan has concluded FTAs (Free Trade Agreements) with 10 countries and ASEAN, and is currently thinking about negotiating an EU-Japan “Economic Integration Agreement” and a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). A joint EU-Japan High Level Group is currently working on Non Tariffs Measures faced by European companies in Japan. Mr. Tommy Kullberg underlined the difficult access to the Japanese market for European companies, mainly caused by non tariff barriers. The recent move of the Japanese government (Investment Promotion Round Table, September-November 2010) is encouraging as regards discussions on reforms in the agricultural sector and the adoption of the “Basic Policy on Comprehensive Economic Partnerships”. As the EU and Japan represent altogether 44% of the World GDP and 23% of the World Trade, they should act promptly for further boosting their exchanges. Mr. Michio Ohkawa offered his view on the “Way forward for EU-Japan Economic Integration Agreement (EIA)”.

This seminar was attended by some 160 people from the business sector, Industrial Federations, EU Member States Embassies, Japanese Public Organisations, media and Academics. The discussion gave the opportunity to the audience to ask questions on various topics, such as (1) the potential sectors in which the EU and Japan can better cooperate, (2) how to address the lack of international-mindedness and English-language skills in Japan, (3) how to succeed on the Japanese market, (4) EU standards issue for non European producers, (5) the problem of agriculture in the context of TPP.

• Mr. Heinz Zourek
  Mr. Zourek was appointed to Director-General for DG Enterprise & Industry of the European Commission in 2005. Prior to taking the current post, he was Deputy Director-General for DG Enterprise & Industry (2001 – 2005) and Deputy Director-General for DG Internal Market responsible for coordinating “free movement of goods and services, public procurement, regulated professions, industrial and intellectual property rights and postal services” (1995 – 2001). Prior to joining the European Commission in 1995, Mr. Zourek served such posts as Member of the College of EFTA Surveillance Authority (1993 – 1995), Director for Confederation of Austrian Trade Unions Economic Policy Department (1990 – 1993) and Director of Chamber of Labour in Vienna. Mr. Zourek is an economist and graduated from University of Vienna.
• Mr. Hideichi Okada
  Mr. Okada joined MITI in 1976. After serving such posts as Director for Industrial Science and Technology and Environment of the Minister’s Secretariat of METI (2001), Executive Secretary to the Prime Minister (2001 - 06), Director-General for Commerce and Information Policy Trade Bureau (2007) and Director-General for Trade Policy Bureau (2008), he was appointed to Vice-Minister for International Affairs of METI in 2010. Mr. Okada graduated from the University of Tokyo, Department of Law, and Harvard Law School.
• Mr. Tommy Kullberg
  Mr. Kullberg has over 20 years of business and diplomatic career in relation to Japan. After having served such positions as the Head of the Swedish Trade Council, Commercial Counsellor for the Embassy of Sweden in Tokyo, and the President of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan, Mr. Kullberg founded IKEA Japan KK in 2002 and was CEO & President for the company until 2006. Mr. Kullberg was appointed to the Chairman of the European Business Council in Japan (EBC) in 2009 and is also currently Chairman of KULLBERG & PARTNERS KK.
• Mr. Michio Ohkawa
  Mr. Ohkawa joined Toyo Rayon Co., Ltd. (Toray Industries, Inc.) in 1963. After having worked as Managing Director for Corporate Planning Department (1999), Executive Director for Toray Corporate Business Research (1999), Executive Vice President for Toray Corporate Business Research (2000), he became now Counselor for Toray Industries in 2002. Mr. Ohkawa has also served as Chairman of the Policy Sub-Committee in the Committee on Asia & Oceania of Japan Business Federation, Member of the Sub-Committee on Unfair Trade Policies and Measures in the WTO Committee of the Industrial Structure Council, and the Japanese-side Chairman of the Japan-EU EIA Study Task Force. Mr. Ohkawa is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (Economics).