FEATURED NEWS

Public Comment on the Long-Term Decarbonisation Auction Scheme and Support Framework for Offshore Wind

Public Comments on Cabotage Rules Affecting Offshore Wind Developments

EBC Automotive Components Committee event, 18 March

Recommendations for Policy Reform to Streamline Expense Settlement in Japan

PRESS RELEASE: European Business Council Welcomes Reforms to Foreign Lawyer Registration Rules in Japan

The Sustainability Imperative: Decarbonization & Nature Restoration for a Resilient Future (September 12)

Events Calendar

UPDATES

  •     From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, We hope this message finds you well. Over the past week, the European Business Council in Japan has continued to engage actively with its member chambers and partners, while preparing a series of fo

    Author ImageYoko
    25 March, 2026

  • Author ImageYoko
    18 March, 2026

  •   From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, Over the past week, the European Business Council in Japan has continued to engage with partners and stakeholders to support dialogue on key societal and policy issues shaping the future of our economies.

    Author ImageYoko
    11 March, 2026

  •   From the EBC Dear Friends of the EBC, Our organization continues to actively engage with European and Japanese stakeholders to support constructive policy dialogue, strengthen business cooperation across regions, and foster discussions on key

    Author ImageYoko
    04 March, 2026

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DIGITAL WHITE PAPER

NEW ISSUES

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Ensure Parental Leave Is Actually Taken

    Committee:
    Sustainability & Social Responsibility
    status:
    New

    Japan has one of the world's most generous parental leave systems, entitling both mothers and fathers to up to one year of paid leave. Yet while over 84% of mothers use this right, male uptake has historically been far lower. The proportion of men taking parental leave reached a record 40.5% in fiscal 2024, still well short of the government's own 50% target, and far below Scandinavian countries where uptake exceeds 90%. The gap is not a lack of entitlement: 25.9% of fathers who did not take leave cited the company or supervisor's atmosphere discouraging it.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Allow Married Couples to Keep Different Surnames

    Committee:
    Sustainability & Social Responsibility
    status:
    New

    Japan is the only country in the world where married couples are legally required to use the same surname, and in around 95% of cases it is the wife who changes her name. This is increasingly recognised as a business issue: in June 2024, Keidanren called for swift legal reform, with its chairman stating that "amid an advance in women's empowerment and an increase in female executives, the issue of surnames is becoming a business risk." For EBC member companies, the current system creates friction for women who have built professional reputations under their maiden name. Only about half of Japanese companies permit the use of maiden names at work, and even then only partially.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Strengthen and Enforce Gender Disclosure Requirements

    Committee:
    Sustainability & Social Responsibility
    status:
    New

    Japan has taken steps to require gender pay gap reporting, but the framework remains weak relative to international standards. While companies with 301 or more employees must disclose their gender pay gap annually, no sanctions apply to non-compliant employers: the only consequence is potential public naming by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Companies with 100 or fewer employees still have only non-binding disclosure obligations. By contrast, the EU Pay Transparency Directive requires companies to act on gaps, includes joint pay assessments, and provides employees with rights to redress.

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URGENT ISSUES

No Issue found.

RESOLVED ISSUES

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Temporary in-activation of gaiben licence

    Committee:
    Legal Services
    status:
    Resolved

    With the increased use of secondments within the legal services field, it is not uncommon that registered gaiben temporarily leave Japan and then come back to again practise foreign law in Japan. For a domestic lawyer it is possible to either (1) continue paying their bar membership fees while remaining on the bar rolls with their original registration number or (2) stop paying fees whilst temporarily suspending their license only to re-activate it when returning to Japan through a simple application process. This is not possible for a gaiben. The only thing possible for a gaiben is to re-apply from scratch. The EBC sees no reason for this blatant discrimination of foreign lawyers.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Branches

    Committee:
    Legal Services
    status:
    Resolved

    Legislation was finally passed in 2014, permitting a gaiben law firm to incorporate  as a hojin, and thereby become eligible to open more than one branch. However, the 2014 legislation did not permit gaiben and bengoshi together to establish a hojin. The effect is to severely limit the usefulness of the 2014 legislation. We understand that the changes in the Act to permit gaiben and bengoshi to establish a hojin together have been enacted and we await confirmation that the changes have been implemented by no later than September 2020.

  • published_date_iconPublished:

    Malt and quota management system

    Committee:
    Food & Agriculture
    status:
    Resolved

    Japan had a tariff quota system for malt even from before the EPA, which introduced a quota for EU origin malt. However, only companies manufacturing beer themselves or importing exclusively for the use of a particular brewery were allowed to apply for a quota, discriminating against traders wishing to import on their own account for selling to multiple customers in small volumes or on short notice. Following multi-year efforts by the EBC and the EU, this was remedied in late 2021, opening the door to importers to provide for a large variety of EU-origin malts even in smaller quantities for the flourishing craft beer market, and for non-brewery users.  However, an administrative burden remains, which is unreasonable considering the quota is not fully utilized and all eligible quota applications are being granted.

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Eurobiz_June2022_cover_HI

Eurobiz Japan

JUNE 2022

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NEWS FEED
  • Japanese Govt to Set Up Global Hubs for AI Robotics Research (The Japan News)
  • Tokyo Govt to Encourage Offshore Wind Power by Surveying Seabed near Izu Islands (The Japan News)
  • Japan, Germany defense ministers discuss potential new pact to deepen ties (Kyodo News)
  • New Service to Provide Coverage During Network Outages; ‘Japan Roaming’ Allows Companies to Use Each Other’s Networks (The Japan News)
  • Japan to strengthen screening of foreign investments (Japan Today)
  • Japan to double science, tech spending to $380bn over 5 years (Nikkei Asia)
  • European wind power giant to build Japan assembly plant by FY 2029 (Kyodo News)
  • Japan Defense Agency to Develop AI Intelligence Analysis System for Ground Self-Defense Force by 2027 (The Japan News)
  • Government to Establish ‘Command Center’ for Developing Nuclear Power Personnel; Hopes to Replenish Ranks of Aging Industry, Reverse Post-Fukushima Decline (The Japan News)
  • Tokyo Conference 2026 Opens, Discusses Rebuilding Multilateralism; Former PM Kishida Cochair of 1st Asian Leaders Roundtable (The Japan News)
  • Japan to tighten immigration control for foreign tourists under new ‘JESTA’ system (The Mainichi)
  • Japan moves to establish pre-entry immigration checks, hike residency fees (Japan Today)
  • Japan Aims for Over 30% Global Share in AI Robot Market, Among 61 Tech, Products Selected for Priority Investment (The Japan News)
  • Japan to target $254bn in homemade semiconductor sales by 2040 (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan’s gender pay gap progress slows in 2024, female managers still rare (Kyodo News)
  • Japan Drafts New Measures against Tech Leakage on Government Funded R&D Projects (The Japan News)
  • Japan to Set Up National Intelligence Bureau as Hub for Countering Foreign Influence, According to Bill Proposal (The Japan News)
  • Gov’t to craft guidelines on dual pricing at tourism facilities (Japan Today)
  • Japan moves to bring intelligence agency functions under one roof (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • Japan aims to draw up int’l recommendation to curb space debris near moon (Japan Today)
  • Japan version of CFIUS to include screening of indirect foreign investments (Nikkei Asia)
  • Cargo, investment play part in Japan’s space industry in global race (The Mainichi)
  • Tokyo to increase subsidy for local commissioners amid shortage (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • Japan to revise law to protect new crop varieties from unauthorized export (Japan Today)
  • Japan bill requires airlines deny boarding to unauthorized visitors (Nikkei Asia)
  • Japan aims for 32% expansion of used-goods market by 2030 (Kyodo News)
  • Japan to hold int’l conference on plastic pollution in Tokyo in March (Japan Today)
  • Bill to require mega solar farm operators to recycle panels (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • LDP to propose gov’t allow lethal arm exports (Japan Today)
  • Transport Companies See Opportunity in Narita Expansion; Airlines, Railways Prepare to Meet Expected Growth in Demand (The Japan News)
  • Japan nixes advance deportation notice to lawyers of foreigners (The Mainichi)
  • Japan unveils new medical fees with inflation surcharge from June (Kyodo News+)
  • Japan to Strictly Control Exports of Lethal Defense Equipment While Mulling Expanding Exports’ Range (The Japan News)
  • Japanese Govt to Reduce Risks for Companies Investing in Overseas Projects Vital for Economic Security (The Japan News)
  • Japan plans to draft standalone strategy to beef up intelligence (The Asahi Shimbun)
  • U.N. Plans to Set Safety Regulation Standards on Automated Driving That Can Cover All Operations under Specific Conditions (The Japan News)
  • Japan’s Public, Private Sectors Plan to Sell Dual-Use Products to Nordic Countries as Delegation Touring Europe (The Japan News)

Join & Support

EBC members can not only learn about important changes taking place in Japan, but also play a critical role in influencing change themselves.

Some 300 of the over 2,500 affiliated local European companies and individuals participate directly in one or more of the EBC’s 22 industry committees covering a wide variety of economic sectors.