On this webpage : BRT & EU-Japan Business-to-Government discussions | Partnerships between BRT companies | The BRT is mentioned by the 2nd EU-Japan Digital Partnership Council | Submission of the BRT's 2023 Recommendations to PM Kishida | Submission of the BRT's 2023 Recommendations to the METI and MOFA Ministers and MIC State Minister | The BRT's 2023 annual meeting | Submission of the BRT's 2023 Recommendations to VP Jourová | Brief overview of the BRT and a 2-minute video guide to the BRT
This website and the BRT Secretariat are managed by the
Engagement with the EU and Japanese Authorities outside the framework of the BRT annual meeting is an important part of the BRT's work.
In early 2024, the EU and Japanese Authorities invited the BRT to take part in two stakeholder events linked to formal government-to-government level dialogues so it could give its perspective on EU-Japan industrial policy and on the Japan-EU Digital Partnership. Click here for more details and here for a report from the June 2024 edition of "EU-Japan NEWS".
Partnerships are a sign of the strategic importance that Japan plays for the BRT's EU-side member companies and that Europe plays for the BRT's Japan-side member companies. Examples include:
Brussels - 30 April 2024 - The official Joint Statement issued following the 2nd EU-Japan Digital Partnership Council highlighted the role the BRT can play in helping the Digital Partnership Council ensure stakeholder engagement.
The Digital Partnership Council is a government-to-government dialogue led by Thierry Breton (the European Commissioner for the Internal Market), Taro Kono (the Japanese Minister for Digital Transformation), Takeaki Matsumoto (the Japanese Minister of Internal Affairs & Communications) and Taku Ishii (the Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade & Industry).
English and Japanese versions of the Joint Statement were issued. By clicking on one of the below extracts you can see the full statement.
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The meeting was reported on the websites of the European Commission, MIC and Digital Agency. In addition to issuing the Joint Statement, Messrs Breton and Kono also agreed an 'EU-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation on Digital Identities and Trust services to implement Data Free Flow with Trust'. The agreement of an MoC was reported on the EC and Digital Agency websites.
Tokyo - 16 February 2024 - Nobuhiro Endo (Japan-side BRT Chair and Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation) and Belén Garijo (EU-side BRT Chair and Chair of the Executive Board and CEO, Merck) who was represented by Christopher Thomas (Representative Director, President of Merck Ltd., Japan) submitted the BRT's 2023 Recommendations to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Dr. Endo and Mr Thomas formally delivered the BRT’s 2023 Recommendations adopted at the BRT's 2023 Annual Meeting to the Government of Japan during a Courtesy Call on PM Kishida.
During the meeting, Dr. Endo explained that the BRT’s 2023 Annual Meeting focused on the theme of cooperation in economic security, held an exchange of views on "sustainable growth," recognised that the green and digital transformation remain an important theme, and reported that standardisation and deregulation were important pillars of the discussion. Mr Thomas noted that in this era of swift change, there is a growing emphasis on fostering economic partnerships and investments with nations that share common values and political systems.
Responding, PM Kishida stated that the recommendations of the BRT would contribute to the strengthening of EU-Japan economic relations, and that he would like to cooperate closely with the public and private sectors to further the development of EU-Japan cooperation, taking into account the BRT’s recommendations
Satoshi Katahira (Director-General, Economic Affairs Bureau, MOFA), Takehiko Matsuo (Director General, Trade Policy Bureau, METI), Yasuo Tawara (Director General, Global Strategy Bureau, MIC), Haitze Siemers (Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Japan), the EU-Japan Centre’s Managing Directors and a representative of NEC Corporation were also present.
Information about the BRT's courtesy call to PM Kishida has been posted on the official website of the Prime Minister's Office of Japan and the website of MOFA and MOFA's post on X.
The BRT’s 2023 Recommendations were submitted to European Commission Vice President Jourová during the 2023 Annual Meeting.
For more information about the 2023 recommendations and the annual meeting, please visit the 25th EU-Japan Business Round Table Annual Meeting webpage.
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| Left to right: Nobuhiro Endo (Japan-side BRT Chair), Fumio Kishida (Prime Minister of Japan) and Christopher Thomas (Representative EU-side BRT co-Chair) |
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Tokyo – 23 January 2024 – Nobuhiro Endo (Japan-side BRT Chair and Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation) submitted the BRT's 2023 Recommendations to the METI and MOFA Ministers and MIC State Minister.
Dr. Endo paid courtesy calls on Ken Saito, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Koichi Watanabe, State Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, on 22 January and on Yoko Kamikawa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on 23 January, to hand over the recommendations adopted at the BRT's 2023 Annual Meeting.
BRT Working Party Leaders, Kuninori Kuroishi (Senior Advisor, Marubeni Corporation), Osamu Nagayama (Honorary Chairman, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) and Shigehiro Tanaka (Corporate Senior Executive Vice President Chief of External Relations, NEC Corporation) were also present.
During the meeting, Dr. Endo noted that the BRT’s 2023 Annual Meeting had focused on the theme of cooperation in economic security and the exchange of views towards "sustainable growth," and reported on the activities of the BRT working parties. METI Minister Saito expressed the importance of trust between the EU and Japan in the current global situation and was encouraged by the BRT's efforts. Foreign Minister Kamikawa commented that the BRT's 25-year effort is a model for solving issues through multi-stakeholder diplomacy, especially by the private sector.
Information about the BRT's courtesy call to METI Minister Saito has been posted on the METI website, details of the courtesy call on Foreign Minister Kamikawa has been posted on the MOFA website, and details of the courtesy call on State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Watanabe has been posted on the MIC website.
The BRT’s 2023 Recommendations will also be submitted to PM Kishida later having been submitted to European Commission Vice President Jourová during the 2023 Annual Meeting.
For more information about the 2023 recommendations and the annual meeting, please visit the 25th EU-Japan Business Round Table Annual Meeting webpage.
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| Left: Nobuhiro Endo (Japan-side BRT Chair and Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation) Right: METI Minister Saito |
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| Left：Nobuhiro Endo (Japan-side BRT Chair and Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation) Right: Foreign Minister Kamikawa |
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| Left to right: Yasuo Tanabe (Managing Director, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation) Shigehiro Tanaka (Corporate Senior Executive Vice President Chief of External Relations, NEC Corporation) State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Watanabe Nobuhiro Endo (BRT co-Chair and Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation ) Kuninori Kuroishi (Senior Advisor, Marubeni Corporation) Ryojun Take (Representative of Osamu Nagayama, Honorary Chairman, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) |
Brussels, 7 November 2023 - the 25th annual meeting of the EU-Japan Business Round Table took place in the Schuman Room at the European Commission's Berlaymont headquarters. It was co-chaired by Philippe Wahl (Chairman and CEO, La Poste Groupe) and Nobuhiro Endo (Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation).
Meeting documents, more photos and other information can be found on the 2023 annual meeting webpage and social media posts, articles and other items can be found on the 2023 annual meeting cuttings page.
During the meeting it was announced that Belén Garijo, Chair of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck would succeed Philippe Wahl as BRT Chair, EU-side. Ms Garijo was unable to attend the meeting in-person but recorded a message accepting the nomination.
7 November 2023 – During the 2023 BRT annual meeting, Nikolaus Boltze (for Philippe Wahl, BRT co-Chair) and Nobuhiro Endo (BRT co-Chair and Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation) officially submitted the BRT's 2023 Recommendations to Vice-President Věra Jourová who received them on behalf of the European Commission.
4 August 2023 – Philippe Wahl (Chairman and CEO, Le Groupe La Poste) & Nobuhiro Endo (Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation) – co-Chairs of the EU-Japan Business Round Table - issue a statement on the outcome of the 29th EU-Japan Summit.
The statement was prepared by Le Groupe La Poste and NEC Corporation. It contains the BRT co-Chairs' reaction to the outcome of the 13 July 2023 EU-Japan Summit. English, Japanese and bilingual versions of the BRT co-Chairs' statement are available.
Please submit any questions / comments via the contact us form.
This 2-minute video will introduce you to the BRT - its role, members, goals, working methods and links with the EU and Japanese Authorities.
This video includes archive footage from the BRT's first 24 years. More photos and videos can be found in the BRT annual meeting archive.
The EU-Japan Business Round Table (BRT) was established in its current form in 1999 to foster communication between Japanese and European industries. Its co-Chairs are Nobuhiro Endo (Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation) and Belén Garijo (Chair of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck). Its 92 members are senior executives from leading European and Japanese companies and organisations that represent a significant part of the EU and Japanese industry and cover a broad range of sectors of activity and 20 SMEs.
The BRT's main objectives are to submit recommendations to the Japanese and European Authorities so as to help develop trade and investment between the EU and Japan, and to encourage industrial cooperation in fields of common interest such as innovation, climate change, or industrial standards.
Use these links for a detailed introduction to the BRT, its work and members; to access the annual meeting archive; for archived news reports and articles about the BRT or to contact the BRT Secretariat at the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation.
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The EU-Japan Centre currently produces 5 newsletters :
Joint venture established in 1987 by the European Commission (DG GROW) and the Japanese Government (METI) for promoting all forms of industrial, trade and investment cooperation between the EU and Japan.
The EU-Japan Centre’s activities are subject to the allocation of a Grant Agreement by the European Commission for 2024-2026
