Learn More About How You Can Improve Your Business Skills in Japan

JMEC information sessions give potential participants the opportunity to find out more about the JMEC program, to ask questions and to speak with program alumni. There is no fee to attend, but registration is required.

Click here for more information and registration.

On September 25th and 26th, 3 Dutch companies will participate in the EU gateway Construction and Building Technologies Exhibition to be held at Westin Tokyo. This will be a very good opportunity to find out more about Dutch latest technologies in this field. Please do not miss this valuable opportunity.

Click here for more information.

From European Business Council in Japan (EBC)

Dear EBC Committee Members and Friends of the EBC,

This year, we plan to resume production of the EBC White Paper, our hallmark annual report on the business and investment environment, in English and Japanese for release in mid November. This will be the 12th in the series. With a good chance that negotiations for an EU-Japan FTA will start in the near future, the White Paper will serve as an additional reference to our 2011 digital compendium of FTA recommendations, which we will continue to augment, update and submit to the European Commission. 

However, as usual, we cannot produce the White Paper without kind financial contributions from our members and supporters to help cover the costs of production, translation, and distribution. Moreover, sponsorship from members and supporters makes a huge contribution to establishing the credibility of the report.
So once again, we are asking EBC members and supporters to contribute as Blue-Star Sponsors, Special Sponsors or Sponsors in return for visible acknowledgment in the 2 volumes and we will also place all sponsor logos in colour on a dedicated page in our website for 12 months from publication.
Similar to last year, the EBC will also take advance orders for the white papers at 5,000 yen for one set (1 English and 1 Japanese version per set) to assist with cost-recovery. Companies placing advance orders will be listed in the white paper as Supporters.
The sponsorship and purchase price structure is as follows:
________________________________________
WHITE PAPER SPONSORSHIP (including complimentary set and postage)
Blue-Star Sponsorship: 150,000 yen (or more if you wish) Company logo on a 2-name page in WP
Special Sponsorship: 100,000 yen Company name on a 10-name page in WP
Sponsorship: 50,000 yen Company name on a 20-name page in WP
________________________________________
PURCHASE PRICE OF WHITE PAPERS (including postage)
5,000 yen per set: 1 English copy & 1 Japanese copy Company name on 50-name page in WP
 
Sponsorship and order reply forms are attached to this message. If you would like to support the white paper as a sponsor and/or place an advance order for copies please print out the forms and return them to the EBC secretariat by fax (03-3263-6223) or by e-mail (ebc@gol.com)

We look forward to your highly valued support of the white paper.

Best Regards
Alison Murray
Executive Director/EBC

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The NCCJ’s Annual General Meeting took place this year in the Deshima Lounge at the Netherlands Embassy, with new Chairman Hans van der Tang running the gathering.

Hans started with a brief rundown of the past year’s highlights, including the chamber’s assistance to the tsunami-struck town of Yamada-machi, in particular the donation of Y6 million and a much-needed Miffy-adorned school bus to help the town’s children commute to school. He also noted some of the successful events in the last year, notably the three Lotgenoten gatherings and the recent Giving Back to Japan 2 event, as well as personnel changes within the chamber since the last AGM, including Membership Committee Chairperson Wendela Elsen Nakajima being replaced by Bjorn Courage; Chairman Duco Delgorge replaced by Hans, who was replaced as secretary by Taco de Vries; and the departure of auditor Arno Groenewoud. There were some newcomers too, such as two new auditors, Diederik Ellemeet and Pieter Janson.

The committee chairmen then gave short presentations detailing their committees’ activities, beginning with Treasurer Jan Remie, who gave a brief rundown on the chamber’s very tidy finances.

 Activities Committee Vice-Chairman Richard van Rooij talked about events in the last year organized for the benefit of members, including a variety of presentations, the three well-regarded Lotgenoten, in which businesspeople discussed their experiences, knowledge and opinions on doing business in Japan; networking events and various joint chamber activities; and the activities with the Oranda-jima Foundation and the very successful Giving Back to Japan 2 event on May 16 this year, which attracted an audience of over 400 people. Activities also included a trip to view sumo training with people from prominent micro-motor maker Mabuchi Motor in September last year, and another excursion in March this year to tour Mitsubishi Heavy Industries production facilities.

 Membership in the NCCJ, as committee Chairman Bjorn Courage noted, has been somewhat limited, though stable, and showed a slight uptick in the last year, from 66 to 72 members in total. The committee is actively trying to recruit more, however, through its new LinkedIn NCCJ group, committee expansion, encouragement of referrals by existing members and creating flyers to spark interest in the chamber, as well as a Facebook page that is under considerations.

 Communications Chairman Maarten Molenaar outlined his committee’s efforts to boost the chamber’s brand and its ability to pass on relevant information to members and people outside the chamber. This was primarily through the new website, as well as a newsletter that is closely tied to the website, online ads, including banner ads from sponsors and job postings, and professional support for updating information such as chamber news and events, member news, etc.

 The External Relations Committee was also active in the last year. Chairman Takeo Nishitani described his committee’s successful efforts to create ties with outside organizations, as well as the committee part in negotiating a special favor from Dick Bruna to use his character Miffy on the school bus donated to the town of Yamada-machi. The committee is applying its expertise to events planned for the coming year, including speakers, tie-ups with other chambers, visits to industrial sites and the Deshima Business Award 2012.
 European Business Council Representative Taco de Vries gave a rundown on the activities of the EBC and its strenuous and varied efforts to improve the trade and investment environment for European companies in Japan.

To wind up the meeting, all regular members present voted for the new 11-member Management Committee to be chaired by Hans van der Tang, as well as the two auditors, Diederik Ellemeet and Pieter Janson. All the nominees being eminently qualified and suitable, and the quorum of 13 regular members being present, the motions were passed unanimously with a show of green voting cards.

 All business thus properly addressed, the participants then retired to the nearby La tana di Bacco restaurant to partake of its superb food and drinks.