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The monthly e-news of the EU Business in Japan (EUBIJ) support covers the latest information on upcoming webinars, latest Japanese companies' profiles, special focus section, press review and much more! To register to our EUBIJ newsletters, please click here. To consult the EU-Japan Centre's flagship quarterly newsletters, please click here.

The EU-Japan Centre is launching the 6th edition of its Biotech mission in Japan. The mission will take place from Tuesday October 13 to Friday October 16, 2020.We are all aware that daily life in many places around the world has been suspended for weeks now in order to slow down the spread of the COVID-19.Several countries are slowly planning to ease restrictions on social life, transport and cross-border travel imposed since mid-March.At this stage, we don’t know yet how long this “unlocking...

Virtual Training on Access2Markets, ROSA and Access2Procurement organised by the European Commission - DG Trade on 10 February 2022, 09:00-11:00 CET (tbc) covering Access2Markets, its different import and export sections, barriers, Single Entry Point, Statistics, ROSA the Rules of Origin self-assessment tool, Access2Procurement and a Q&A session.

Prefecture flag Main City: Niigata Population: 2,177,000 people, ranking 15/47 prefecture (2021) Area: 12,582 km2 Geographical / Landscape description Niigata Prefecture stretches about 240 km along the Sea of Japan, from the southwest to the northeast, with a coastal plain between the mountains and the sea. The prefecture is generally divided into four geographical areas: Joetsu in the south, Chuetsu in the centre, Kaetsu in the north, and Sado Island. The mouth of the Shinano River, the...

The EU-Japan Centre is currently organizing the “Cluster & SME Support Mission”, a matchmaking event which will take place in Japan in October 2014, and which is open to EU based clusters and SMEs. These missions typically last for 5 days and are composed of market-specific business seminars, group company visits, one-on-one meetings and various other networking events to create opportunities for EU participants. More information about these events and about how to register for them can be found...

Prefecture flag Main City: Oita Population: 1,167,000 people, ranking 33/47 prefecture (2015) [1] Area: 6,339 km2 [2] Geographical / Landscape description Oita Prefecture is on the north-eastern section of the island of Kyushu. With many mountains, 70% of Oita is covered by forests, and the rivers and streams that flow from the mountain ranges give the prefecture rich water sources. Thanks to the Kirishima Range, a volcanic belt that runs vertically through the prefecture, Oita is the prefecture...

Prefecture flag Main City: Okayama Population: 1,922,000 people, ranking 20/47 (2015) [1] Area: 7,112 km² [2] Geographical / Landscape description Okayama Prefecture borders Hyogo, Tottori and Hiroshima Prefectures. Most of the population is concentrated around the historic towns of Kurashiki and Okayama. The small villages in the northern mountain region are aging and declining in population - more than half of the prefecture’s municipalities are officially designated as depopulated. [2]...

Prefecture flag Main City: Naha Population: 1,434,000 people, ranking 25/47 prefectures (2015) [1] Area: 2,271 km2 [2] Geographical / Landscape description Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture of Japan. It comprises hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1,000km long. [2] Climate The island experiences temperatures above 20 °C for most of the year with a subtropical marine climate. [2] Recent history, culture Following the end of World War II, Okinawa was put under the administration...

— Latest update: July 2023 — Japan may enjoy an international reputation for innovation, but this does not extend to the educational sector at large. Digital education technology has remained a backup in Japan, which has a hard time catching up with most of the developed world when it comes to adapting technology to meet the needs of a modern classroom. The worldwide pandemic brought the lack of accessibility to online classes for Japanese students to light. Indeed, only 5 % of Japanese children...

European startups and innovative companies with an interest in Japan can express their interest in becoming a Centre's nominee for startup events (both online and hybrid) taking place in autumn 2023.

— Latest update: October 2024 — In recent years, research and the changes regarding digitalization and the utilization of information and communication technologies (ICT) has been substantial. With the advancements of mobile communication systems and the sharp increase of people’s use of the Internet the consolidation of 5G worldwide and the gradual digitalization of society are expected to take a bigger role in the upcoming years. Optical communication technology and the telecommunications...

— Latest update: May 2025 — The concern for the safety of the food has been one of the main motives of the Japanese food consumption, and the new surge in organic farming interest lies in the cleavage between high farming yield and concern for assurance of health for the food. While still limited in scope, the Organic Agriculture Market continues to grow, and it is thought to be further encouraged by the growing concern for sustainable development. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Japan...

Prefecture flag Main City: Osaka Population: 8,839,000 people, ranking 3/47 prefectures (2015) [1] Area: 1,899 km2 [2] Geographical / Landscape description Osaka is the second smallest prefecture in Japan and home of the third largest city of Japan. As of 1 April 2012, 11% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as natural park. [2] Climate Osaka belongs to the humid subtropical climate zone. Its winters are generally mild and rarely see snowfall. Spring in Osaka starts off mild...

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has established Japan’s first insurance scheme to cover the cost of overseas intellectual property (IP) litigation, to reduce financial burden of SMEs that become embroiled in disputes over IP infringements in other countries. The premium will be halved for SMEs enrolling in this insurance scheme if they belong to a nationwide organization. The rise in the number of Japanese SMEs filing patent applications overseas has been accompanied by a growing tendency for such...

Our next webinar:Webinar 53: Packaging for the food marketThis webinar is targeted at: EU companies seeking to export food and packaging materials for food to Japan.The EU-Japan Centre is pleased to invite you to the next webinar of the "About Japan" Webinar Series.To REGISTER:If you are already a member, you will first have to log in and then go to: https://www.eubusinessinjapan.eu/library/event/webinar-53-packaging-for-the-food-marketIf you are not yet a member, you will first have to register...

— Latest update: September 2023 — As the third largest producer of paper and paperboard in the world, the Japanese paper industry is undergoing a vast transformation in recent years, as the need for traditional paper products is decreasing and the demand for high-technology materials like nanofiber is increasing at an enormous pace. Companies are also using their expertise in power generation from biomass materials to expand into the electricity sector. Japan Paper Association, About Paper...

Preparing to expand a business overseas requires more than just attention to financial issues. Cultural awareness and an understanding of the market are vital.