Minerva Policy Reports

The EU-Japan Centre commissions occasional "Minerva" reports on policy intelligence issues aimed at helping EU industry and authorities understand recent trends and developments in Japan in different market segments. Most of these reports are available for direct download, some are only available on request. Please note that these reports have not been updated and some of them were published many years ago.

A video camera icon denotes when a webinar/recorded presentation is available in addition to the main report. Click on the camera icon to access the recording: . A PDF icon denotes that a set of slides or a document on a related topic is available. Click on the PDF icon to access them: . Reports listed in italics are internal reports, please contact simon@eu-japan.eu if you would like access to any of them.

Additional sectoral and market reports are available in the EU Business in Japan (EUBIJ) part of this website. Additional information on these and other topics can also be accessed via this website's tags page.

June 2024 Call

The EU-Japan Centre is commissioning a new set of reports that should be published in March 2025. These reports will cover a range of topics and when they have been finalised will be accessible on this webpage.

Industrial Sectors

Aerospace

• Space safety, security and defence in Japan (2020)
• Opportunities in Industrial and R&D cooperation potential for European SMEs in Japan in NewSpace (2018)
• Space Industry business opportunities in Japan: Analysis on the market potential for EU SMEs involved in the earth observation products and services (2016)
• Business partnership opportunities and technology transfer in the Space sector between EU and Japan (2014)

Agroindustry

• The dairy sector in Japan: Market access and business opportunities for European companies (2018)
• Market opportunities for EU agribusinesses in the context of the EU-Japan EPA (2017)  

Algaculture

• The microalgae/biomass industry in Japan - an assessment of cooperation and business potential with European companies (2016)

Automotive

• The automotive industry in the face of environmental, social and economic challenges (2024)

Ceramics

• Ceramic Products Market in Japan - challenges and opportunities for European SMEs (2015)

Cosmetics

• Japanese Cosmetics Market - obstacles and opportunities for European SMEs (2014)

Life sciences

• Opportunities for Cooperation between EU and Japan on Biotechnology in Healthcare: Japan Bioventures Landscape (2017)
• Human Assistant Robotics in Japan - challenges and opportunities for European companies (2015)

Nanotechnology

• Japanese Nanotech Cluster and Industry Landscape (2014)

Photonics

• Photonics for life science and industrial manufacturing, business and cooperation opportunities in Japan (2017)

Security & defence

• EU-Japan Cooperation in the Defence Industry and Technology - Transformation of Japan's Defence Policy (2022)
• The Japanese Ministry of Defense's equipment acquisition processes and policies - Is it becoming more accessible to European suppliers? (2015)
• Defence and Security - Industry & Market In Japan - Opportunities for European companies in five dual-use areas: Maritime security equipment, Unmanned vehicles, Aeronautic platform integration, Sensors and Avionics  (2015)
• EU-Japan Industrial Cooperation and Business Potential in the Defense Sector - Opportunities for European SMEs (2015)

Textiles

• Circularizing the Japanese Fashion & Textile economy; current situation, future prospects and opportunities for business cooperation for European companies and SMEs in Japan - Japanese circular fashion with potential in local economy (2022)

Digital Economy and Smart Cities

• Digital Transformation in Japan - assessing opportunities for EU SMEs (2022)
• Analysis of opportunities for EU SMEs in Japan‘s Data Economy and Artificial Intelligence in connection with Robotics (2019)
• Artificial intelligence in Japan and Opportunities for European Companies (2019)
• Blockchain in Japan (2018)
• Opportunities for venture firms, universities, and research institutes in the EU to conduct knowledge transfer with Japanese counterparts in nine digital technology areas (2017)
• Tokyo Smart City Development in Perspective of 2020 Olympics - opportunities for EU-Japan cooperation and business development (2014)
• Digital Economy in Japan and the EU - an assessment of the common challenges and the collaboration potential (2014)

Energy

Clean energy

• Local Decarbonization in Japan - municipalities, regions and clusters on the road to carbon neutrality (2021)
• Clean Energy Sector in Japan - an analysis on investment and industrial cooperation opportunities for EU SMEs (2013)

Hydrogen economy and hydrogen fuel cells

• Supply Chain Resilience in a Hydrogen Economy (2022)
• Hydrogen and fuel cells in Japan (2019)

Hydropower

• Hydro, tidal and wave energy in Japan - business, research and technological cooperation opportunities for European companies (2016)

Nuclear power

• Demand analysis on Japan's market in the decommissioning of the nuclear plant (2015)

Photovoltaics

• Solar energy, energy storage and virtual power plants in Japan (2018)
• Solar PV Market and Industry in Japan - opportunities for European SMEs (2014)

Wind energy

• Wind energy in Japan - technological cooperation and business potential for European companies (2016)

Industrial Revitalisation and Circularity

• Post-Pandemic Industries - opportunities for EU and Japanese businesses in adapting together, to a post Covid-19 world (2021)
• Japan's Circularity (2020)
• Recycling and waste management industry and market in Japan - opportunities for European companies (SME focus) (2015)

Internationalisation and EU-Japan Business Cooperation in Third Markets

• EU-Japan Business Cooperation in third markets - Focus on the Digital Economy (2020)
• Analysis of EU-Japan Business Cooperation in Third Countries (2019)
• Research and list-up Access to funding and financing Support for EU SME’s Internationalization to Japan (2019)
• EU-Japan Cluster & Region Cooperation (2019)

EU-Japan EPA, Trade and the Strategic Partnership Agreement

• EPA guide aimed at Japanese importers of European products (2018)
• Creation and update of a guide on importers, buyers and wholesale distributors in Japan for the promotion of EU-Japan SME partnerships (2015)
• Prospects for the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership – a global multi-level and SWOT analysis (2014)

Public Procurement and Technology Transfer

• Government Procurement in Japan - obstacles and opportunities for European SMEs (2013)
• Technology Transfer System in Japan - challenges and opportunities for European SMEs (2014)

Other

• The Country-of-Origin Effect in Japan (2018)
• EEN Japan - Strategy for expansion and effectiveness (2015)