Difficulties in accessing external financing and attracting investment can prevent EU SMEs from benefiting from the opportunities triggered by the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the signature of the EU-Japan Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure. If on the one hand, finance remains one of the biggest obstacles to SMEs internationalisation beyond the EU; on the other hand, EU SMEs are highly unaware of available financing support schemes. Striving to fill this gap, the current report draws on desk review and participatory interviews to nearly 60 stakeholders in view of providing an overview on the availability of financing opportunities for EU SMEs internationalisation in Japan.

By Joana Vaz in the framework of the Minerva EU-Japan Market and Policy Intelligence Programme .