Here is a selection of news reports, events and other items that referenced/involved the BRT or one or more of its members:
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.
Tokyo - 15 November 2022 - The 24th annual meeting of the EU-Japan Business Round Table brings together businessleaders and representatives of the Authorities of the EU and Japan to discuss issues of common interest. It was co-chaired by Philippe Wahl (La Poste Groupe) and Masaki Sakuyama (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation).
The meeting also adopted the BRT's 2022 Joint Recommendations and set of Recommendations by its four Working Parties. Additional details about the meeting can be found on the dedicated 2022 annual meeting webpage.
19/05/2022 – Philippe Wahl (Chairman and CEO, Le Groupe La Poste) & Masaki Sakuyama (Senior Corporate Advisor, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) - co-Chairs of the EU-Japan Business Round Table - issue a statement on the outcome of the 28th EU-Japan Summit.
The statement was prepared by Le Groupe La Poste and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. It contains the BRT co-Chairs' reaction to the outcome of the 12 May 2022 EU-Japan Summit and the content of the Summit's official "Joint Statement" and "Japan-EU Digital Partnership" statement.
English and Japanese versions of the BRT co-Chairs' statement are available.
The issuing of the statement was reported on the EU-Japan Centre's Japanese Facebook page.
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On 9 February 2022, the joint recommendations of the European Union-Japan Business Round Table (BRT) were presented to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida by the two BRT co-chairs, Masaki Sakuyama (Senior Advisor at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) and Philippe Wahl (Chairman and CEO of La Poste Groupe) who was represented by Michael Mroczek, Chair of the European Business Council in Japan, at a ceremony in Tokyo.
Adopted at last November’s annual BRT Meeting, the recommendations noted the key aspects of digital transition, decarbonisation and trade regulatory cooperation towards a more digital and greener future for both sides. They also underlined the importance of the free movement of businesspeople, which has been strongly impacted by the COVID pandemic with risks of delayed and cancelled investments. EU Ambassador to Japan Patricia Flor as well as representatives from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present.
Handover Michael Mroczek (Chair of the European Business Council in Japan) representing Philippe Wahl (BRT EU-side Chair and Chairman & CEO of La Poste Groupe) observes Masaki Sakuyama (BRT Japan-side Chair and Senior Advisor at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) submit the BRT's 2021 Recommendations to Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan.
For more on the handover and on the 2021 annual meeting see the official meeting webpage and the related cuttings webpage. The handover was reported on the website of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (English page here, Japanese page here).
July 2021 - The July edition of Eurobiz Japan includes an interview with / profile of Masaki Sakuyama, co-chairman of the EU–Japan Business Round Table, chairman of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.
The first part of the article entitled, Making a difference behind the scenes, looks at the BRT and its work - Mr Sakuyama's role, key issues for the BRT, reactions from the Government of Japan, BRT's 'achievements', the BRT's evolution and the involvement of the EBC in Japan.
The second part of the interview addresses Mitsubishi Electric and its activities.
Eurobiz Japan is the magazine of the European Business Council in Japan. The article was promoted on the eurobiz facebook page.
25/05/2020 - The EU-Japan Business Round Table (BRT) has issued a Position Paper on the challenges posed by coronavirus, steps that it believes can and should be taken and ideas that could help rebuild the EU and Japanese economies.
The paper was prepared by Mitsubishi Electric and Le Groupe La Poste in consultation with the BRT's 55 Members. The first part of the paper summarises the challenges facing the whole world and identifies areas in which the BRT believes the EU and Japan can cooperate and show leadership. The second part of the paper suggests some steps that could help mitigate medical and economic aspects of the pandemic. The final part of the paper identifies 4 issues the BRT believes could provide opportunities for the EU and Japan as we emerge from the current crisis.
There are two versions of the Position Paper - an English one and a Japanese one.
Brussels - 27/09/2019 - BRT Japan-side Chairman Masaki Sakuyama (Chairman of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) took part in the EU-Asia Connectivity Forum - Building Bridges for a Sustainable Future event, organised by the European Commission.
Mr Sakuyama delivered the keynote address during the session on "The Standards and Norms of Connectivity".
For a summary of his address and a copy of his slides, please see the BRT at the 2019 EU-Asia Connectivity Forum webpage.
01 February 2019 - To mark the entry into force of the EPA and linked SPA agreement, the EU-Japan Business Round Table issued a statement, entitled "A New Era for the EU and Japan Starts Today" and which begins...
For the full statement and links to information and practical guides aimed at helping EU and Japanese companies take full advantage of the EPA please see the EPA page of this website. The Statement is also available in Japanese and in a bilingual PDF.
17 July 2018 - BRT Japan-side Chairman, Masaki Sakuyama (Chairman, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) and Danny Risberg (Chairman, EBC in Japan, for the BRT's EU-side) represent the BRT at the ceremony to mark the signing of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and Strategic Partnership Agreement.
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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.
The EU-Japan Centre’s activities are subject to the allocation of a Grant Agreement by the European Commission for 2024-2026
