On this webpage : The BRT's 2023 annual meeting | Submission of the BRT's 2023 Recommendations to VP Jourová | Submission of the BRT's 2022 Recommendations to PM Kishida | Brief overview of the BRT and a 2-minute video guide to the BRT
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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.
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Tokyo - 17 January 2023 - Masaki Sakuyama (former BRT Chair, Japan-side and former Senior Advisor to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) and Nikolaus Boltze (BRT Member, representing Philippe Wahl, BRT Chair, EU-side) submitted the BRT's 2022 Recommendations to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
An important part of the BRT’s work is its interaction with the Japanese and EU Authorities. This interaction takes various forms including discussions during the annual meeting, the Joint Recommendations and Working Party Recommendations to the EU and Japanese Authorities and exchanges outside the annual meeting. Mr Sakuyama and Mr Boltze formally delivered the BRT’s 2022 Recommendations to the Government of Japan during a Courtesy Call on PM Kishida.
(Left to right: Nikolaus Boltze & Masaki Sakuyama for the BRT and Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan)
During the brief meeting, Mr Sakuyama explained that the 2022 annual meeting addressed digital and green issues. He welcomed the creation of the Japan-EU Digital Partnership and hoped that the Japanese and EU Authorities would continue to work with the business community to promote policies based on the EPA. Mr Boltze explained that the BRT discussed ways to strengthen cooperation on digitalisation, on climate change and green transformation and on resilient supply chains.
Responding, PM Kishida expressed his appreciation for the BRT’s support and recommendations and hoped to continue to work closely with the EU and Japanese business communities to further develop EU-Japan cooperation.
Also present: Jean-Eric Paquet (Ambassador of the EU to Japan), Hiroyuki Namazu (Director-General, Economic Affairs Bureau, MOFA), Kyoko Kashiwabara (Director-General, Multilateral Trade System Department, Trade Policy Bureau, METI), the EU-Japan Centre’s Managing Directors and representatives of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.
(Left to right: EU-Japan Centre Managing Directors Manuel Hubert & Yasuo Yanabe and EU Ambassador Jean-Eric Paquet)
The BRT’s 2022 Recommendations will also be submitted to the EU Authorities.
The Courtesy Call was reported on the official website (Japanese version here) and Twitter feed of the Prime Minister's Office of Japan, and on the websites of MOFA and the EU Delegation to Japan. For other links, see the 2022 annual meeting cuttings webpage.
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 91 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 19 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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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.
