The EU-Japan Centre has its head office in Tokyo and an office in Brussels. It is headed by two General Managers, one European and one Japanese, and has a total staff of 30 people.
The mission of the EU-Japan Centre, a non-profit organization, is to enhance all forms of industrial, trade and investment cooperation between Japan and the EU, and to strengthen the technological capabilities and the competitiveness of the European and Japanese industrial systems.The centre was founded with a view to contributing to industrial cooperation between the Community and Japan, as specified in the Council Decision which constitutes the centre's legal basis.
| 1987 | - Opening of the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation (Tokyo, Japan).
- Launch of annual comprehensive training missions in Japan, “Japan Industry Insight” (also known as HRTP), for EU managers.
- Launch of the “Renewable Energy” programme for EU and Japanese experts.
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| 1988 | - Launch of annual training missions in Japan focusing on “Innovation Made in Japan”, for EU managers.
- Launch of annual training missions in Japan focusing on “World Class Manufacturing”, for EU managers.
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| 1996 | - Launch of the “Vulcanus in Europe” programme offering language courses and internships in EU companies for Japanese students.
- Opening of the European Office of the EU-Japan Centre (Brussels, Belgium)
- The EU-Japan Centre is appointed as the Secretariat for the EU-Japan Business Round Table which brings together 50 leaders of EU and Japanese corporations.
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| 1997 | - Launch of the “Vulcanus in Japan” programme offering language courses and traineeships in Japanese companies for EU students.
- Launch of annual training missions in Japan on “Meet Asia in Japan” for EU managers.
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| 1998 | - Launch of annual training missions in Japan on “Distribution & Business Practices” for EU managers.
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| 2000 | - Launch of an ICT version of the "Japan Industry Insight" programme.
- Centre appointed “Coordinator in Europe” of Osaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry's annual “Global Venture Forum” – a forum for EU and Japanese companies in new, high-tech, and emerging fields of business.
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| 2001 | - Launch of an ICT version of the "Meet Asia in Japan" programme.
- Launch of a food and drink version of the "Distribution Business Practices" programme.
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| 2003 | - Launch of a series of seminars on EC policies targeting Japanese managers.
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| 2005 | - Extension of the “Vulcanus in Japan” programme to engineers in architecture.
- Publication of “EU-Japan Bridge”, the first directory ever of all EU-Japan related organisations.
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| 2007 | - Launch of annual missions on “FDI in Japan” for EU managers.
- Launch of seminars on EU-Japan intercultural management.
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| 2008 | - Launch of a series of seminars on Industrial Policy, Trade & Investment, and Environment & Energy.
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| 2010 | - The EU-Japan Centre is appointed coordinator for J-BILAT (EC support towards the participation of the Japanese research community in the EU 7th Research Framework Programme).
- The EU-Japan Centre is appointed coordinator of Enterprise Europe Network-Japan, with the support of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
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| 2011 | - The Centre signs a Memorandum of Understanding with ZENIT GmbH (representing the European Cluster Collaboration Platform) with the objective to strengthen business, research and technological cooperation between EU and Japanese clusters.
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| 2012 | - The Centre becomes part of the EU funded consortium GNSS.Asia with the aim to promote EU-Japan industrial cooperation on satellite navigation applications.
- The Centre starts a new comprehensive info service in English on government procurement tender notices in Japan.
- The centre has as its main strategic priorities the reinforced support for the internationalisation of SMEs and the post-Fukushima economic and business opportunities.
- Launch of Cluster Missions in Japan, with couples (cluster+SME) active in specific sectors.
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| 2013 | - Launch of “Step in Japan”, a landing pad for EU-based SMEs planning on entering into or expanding within Japan.The initiative encompasses a full range of essential support measures for businesses.
- Launch of "Lean visits in Europe" with a view to help European engineers improve their activities with a better understanding of best practice.
- Launch of "Minerva", a 6-month in-house fellowship scheme in Japan targeting young EU and Japanese academics, trade/economic analysts and civil servants, and designed to support its research and policy analysis of EU-Japan economic and industrial issues.
- In September 2013, a new BILAT project,"Japan-EU Partnership in Innovation, Science and Technology (JEUPISTE) was launched.
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| 2014 | - Launch of "Keys to Japan", whose objective is to assist EU SMEs with the definition and production of detailed, real-world and high quality market entry strategies in Japan.
- Launch of Tax and Public Procurement Help-desk, intended to support the market access of EU companies (particularly SMEs) to Japan through the provision of free information and related training, materials and online resources.
- Launch of http://www.eubusinessinJapan.eu, the Japan-related information portal. In accordance with the objective of the European Commission to develop a global platform to provide EU companies with relevant information about business with third countries, the EU-Japan Centre has launched a new website which will serve as an online portal of information for all EU SMEs seeking to do business with or in Japan.
- Launch of "About Japan" webinars, monthly e-News and reports. Targeting EU companies and support organizations, the webinars are designed to improve your knowledge of conducting "business in Japan". During the webinars, participants will have the unique opportunity to listen to selected experts who have agreed to share their knowledge and expertise.
- Launch of "Kaizen" webinars: The annual series of webinars cover a full range of methods at basic level, offering attendees the key success factors for introducing and implementing KAIZEN within their company.
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| 2015 | - Launch of Japan Incoming Missions support within EEN framework. Incoming missions offer EU companies a chance to meet federations and companies from Japan in the EU.
- Launch of Cross Cultural Workshop in the EU. In cooperation with local members of EEN, the EU-Japan Centre offers EU companies a chance to get acquainted with the principles of Japanese business culture.
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| 2016 | - Launch of the "Japan Industry & Policy" monthly newsletter: The EU-Japan Centre regularly publishes "Industry and Policy News" from various Japanese language sources of potential interest, including newly released policy documents, surveys and official statements, in the context of EU-Japan industrial cooperation.
- Launch of EU-Japan Tech Transfer Help-desk. The EU-Japan Centre launches this new service aimed at supporting companies and individuals in their steps to search for and acquire technologies, as well as bridging the knowledge gap about current available technologies from both Japan and the EU. The service is backed by a web portal http://www.eu-jp-tthelpdesk.eu, which will provide general information on intellectual property rights, their use and possible monetization options.
- Launch of 1-day partnering event for Biotech mission to Japan: Pre-arranged B2B meetings organized for business representatives of EU companies to meet with Japanese companies of the Kansai region, prior to the BioJapan Expo.
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| 2017 | - Launch of 1-day partnering event for ICT mission to Japan: Pre-arranged EU-Japan ICT B2B meetings organized for business representatives of EU companies to meet Japanese companies in Tokyo, prior to the IT fair.
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| 2018 | - EPA Helpdesk/webinars series. To raise awareness of the opportunities offered by the Economic Partnership Agreement and to help EU SMEs take advantage of them, the EU-Japan Centre has launched an EPA Help-desk. Each month the EU-Japan Centre runs a specific EPA-related topic webinar and publishes an information pack composed of a Fact-sheet and Practical Guide covering a specific topic or sector.
- Organization of a Food & Drinks 5-day mission to focus on the organic sector, including an exhibition space at the FOODEX JAPAN.
- Launch of Get Ready for Japan, a 2-week mission to Japan to get an in-depth understanding of how to do business in Japan.
- Coordination with the EU Member States’ Trade Promotion Organisations: The Centre organises regular meetings with TPOs present in Japan for sharing information, and ensuring complementarities.
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| 2019 | - Launch of “Export Support Workshops” in the EU: in cooperation with local members of EEN, the Centre provides key information about Japanese export procedures and rules covering key sectors promoted by the EU-Japan EPA.
- Signature of the “Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure” between the EU and Japan, intending to facilitate financing of sustainable connectivity, including through possible joint projects, with the engagement of private sector.
- Launch of the EU-Japan Regional cooperation helpdesk to promote cooperation at the level of clusters, regions and prefectures. https://www.clustercollaboration.eu/news/launch-eu-japan-regional-cooperation-helpdesk.
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| 2020 | - Launch of “Export Support Webinars” (replacing workshops in the EU, following COVID19 related restrictions).
- Launch of a virtual "Lean Café" - an informal forum for lean practitioners to discuss lean issues and share ideas and best practice. Each Café discussion will address a different theme.
- Launch of an ad hoc series of "Shaping Business" recorded lectures, aimed primarily at young professionals, looking at some of the issues and themes affecting and shaping business now and in the future.
- Launch of a series of events on EU-Japan cooperation on climate action through industry, trade and climate policies.
- Launch of EU-Japan business collaboration in third markets with the objective of facilitating business cooperation notably in south east Asia and Africa.
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