The EU-Japan Centre aims at supporting not only business cooperation between EU and Japanese companies in the EU or in Japan, but also in foreign markets. To do so, business support can be provided through various means such as matchmaking events, seminars and direct support to EU and Japanese companies contacting our info desk (conditions apply). For this kind of support, the EU-Japan Centre works closely in cooperation with EU Member States’ trade promotion organisations under the “Team Europe” approach.
If you are:
- an EU or a Japanese company,
- with proven experience and/or a concrete project targeting a foreign market outside Japan and outside the EU (e.g. Southeast Asia, Africa, Ukraine, etc.),
Looking for:
- Business / commercial / technology partners, buyers or investors to undertake a joint project
the EU-Japan Centre can support you in your search of partners and information.
Companies involved in EU-Japan projects in foreign markets are often large companies. However, the EU-Japan Centre supports and encourages small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in considering such projects, with the help of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN).
Previously, the International Joint Projects Helpdesk was called the EU-Japan Business Cooperation with ASEAN, Africa and Latin America Helpdesk. The scope of the helpdesk was opened to allow more business opportunities for EU and Japanese companies in foreign markets. Therefore, the scope is no longer restricted to the above three regions and target markets will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
WHAT TYPES OF INTERNATIONAL JOINT PROJECTS ARE COVERED?
The EU-Japan Centre aims at connecting EU and Japanese companies so that they can work together in foreign markets. These projects can take various forms such as joint ventures, consortia, merger & acquisition or contractor/supplier agreements. Such projects are often conducted in partnership with local companies and public entities and can also be referred to as trilateral business cooperation.
Business case studies
EU and Japanese companies have been working together in foreign markets for many years. For the time being, the EU-Japan Centre has identified over 40 existing EU-Japan projects in two regions: Africa and Southeast Asia. The EU-Japan Centre compiled these business case studies by monitoring EU and Japanese companies’ activities in foreign markets (e.g. news articles, press releases and other public sources) and by conducting interviews with some companies involved to gain a deeper understanding of these partnerships and identify best practices. The EU-Japan Centre continues its monitoring activities and will publish more case studies in other regions.
Business case studies in Africa – Available here.
Business case studies in Southeast Asia – Available here.
For a quick overview, please check our mapping here.
EVENTS
Ongoing and upcoming events
Matchmaking event at the Kawasaki International Eco-Tech Fair 2024
13-15 November 2024
The EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, Kawasaki City and UNIDO ITPO Tokyo are co-organising an exclusive matchmaking event at the Kawasaki International Eco-Tech Fair from 13 to 15 November 2024.
EU participants will be able to meet Japanese companies and representatives from the Philippines (Cebu) and Cambodia to discuss EU-Japan joint projects in the Philippines and Cambodia.
A call for applications is open for EU companies and their subsidiaries in Japan and Southeast Asia active in the following fields:
- Resource management and resource recycling
- Waste management
- Circular economy
- Renewable energy
- Environmental solutions
- Water treatment and water management
- Other green solutions
- Consulting on projects related to the above fields in Southeast Asia
- Project management in Southeast Asia
Apply by 8 October 2024 at midnight (Tokyo time).
More details and application form available here.
Past events
Green Business Mission in Japan
27 February to 1 March 2024
The profiles of the companies selected for this mission are available here.
The business mission is organised every year by the EU-Japan Centre for EU small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and industrial clusters. The business mission took place at the Smart Energy Week in Tokyo. As an additional component of the business mission, the EU-Japan Centre also offered to support EU companies looking for Japanese business partners for projects outside Japan (e.g. ASEAN, Africa and Latin America).
More information here.
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19 October 2023: Conference, Individual Meetings with Financing Organisations and Networking (hybrid in Tokyo and online)
The event was organised by the Delegation of the European Union to Japan, the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation and the EU-Japan Connectivity Partnership Programme.
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EU-Japan Business Matchmaking with Vietnam
The one-year matchmaking platform is now closed. It ended in March 2023.
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17 February 2023: Pitching and Networking (hybrid in Tokyo and online)
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Business Mission: "EU-Japan Green Business Cooperation with Vietnam"
16 November 2022: Online Pitching - Recording available here.
28 to 30 November 2022: Business mission at the Green Economy Forum & Exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
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TICAD 8 Official Side Event "Africa-Japan-EU Trilateral Business Cooperation" (webinar)
Recording available here.
31 August 2022
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EU-Japan Business Matchmaking with Vietnam – Kick-off event
Event report available here.
7 to 9 March 2022
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Event report available here.
14 to 18 February 2022
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3rd Japan-Africa Business Forum (JABF 2021)
Event report available here.
29 June to 16 July 2021
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Conference “EU-Japan business collaborations in third markets”
Event report available here.
3 December 2019
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EU-Japan Business Round Table (BRT)
- 7 November 2023 – Details available here.
- 15 November 2022 – Details available here.
- 4 November 2021 – Agenda available here.
- 5 November 2020 – Agenda available here.
- 15 May 2019 – Agenda available here.
STUDIES AND OTHER RELATED INFORMATION
Various studies on the topic of EU-Japan business cooperation in foreign markets have been conducted in recent years. Learn more about business opportunities and case studies with the below resources.
- Study “Analysis of EU-Japan business cooperation in third countries”, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, 2020.
- The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan organised the French Japanese Business Summit 2020 on the topic of “Growth opportunities in Africa: towards new partnerships”.
- Study “EU-Japan business cooperation in third markets – Focus on the digital economy”, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, 2021.
- EU-Japan joint study on connectivity cooperation in the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership countries and Central Asia, 2021.
- Article "EU-Japan Business Collaboration in and with ASEAN, African and Latin American countries" published in the 50th Anniversary Magazine of the Portugal-Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (p.20-21).
- Survey "Business cooperation between Japanese and EU companies in third markets" (in Japanese), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), 2022.
- Practical guide: "Financial Resources Available for Private Sector Firms under the EU-Japan Connectivity Partnership", 2023. Available here.
- The annual report “Economic outlook – German Business in Japan” published by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (AHK Japan) includes a chapter about “Business in third markets”. This chapter presents key numbers about business cooperation between German and Japanese companies outside Germany and Japan. Read the reports here.
POLICY AND FINANCIAL FRAMEWORKS
Several agreements and memoranda of understanding have been signed between the EU and Japan to help foster EU-Japan business cooperation in foreign markets.
- Partnership on sustainable connectivity and quality infrastructure between the European Union and Japan, 2019. Available here.
- Global Gateway, a European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in the digital, energy and transport sectors. Through this strategy, the EU plans major investments in infrastructure development around the world.
- Memorandum of Understanding between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), 2018. More info here. The two banks expanded the MoU in 2021 to target new areas of cooperation. More info here.
- Memorandum of Understanding between the EIB and the Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) in 2018. More info here.
- Memorandum of Understanding between the EIB and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), 2019. More info here. The two institutions renewed the MoU in March 2023. More info here.
- Memorandum of Understanding between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and NEXI in 2020. More info here. The MoU was amended in February 2024 to enhance cooperation including in Ukraine. More info here.
CONTACT
If you wish to contact the person in charge of the International Joint Projects team, please send an email.
