EB May2019.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EUROBIZ JAPAN EUROBIZ JAPAN • Tidying up space The EU and Japan tackle the space debris problem MAY 2019 MAY • Far more than fashion Enrico Vattani, head of the Italian Embassy’s Economic and Commercial Section • The slow rise of the MAY 2019 cashless society Japan lags behind in e-money adoption PONTUS HÄGGSTRÖM, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF FCA JAPAN LTD. THE MAGAZINE OF THE EUROPEAN BUSINESS / THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL CHAMBER OF (EU) COMMERCE IN JAPAN IN JAPAN LA DOLCE VITA FCA Japan focuses on the joy of driving THE MAGAZINE OF THE EUROPEAN BUSINESS COUNCIL IN JAPAN / THE EUROPEAN (EU) CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN JAPAN GET IN ON THE SLOPE FLOOR The Vale Rusutsu, voted Japan’s best ski resort at the 2018 World Ski Awards, is inviting you to become a stakeholder in its all-season mountain resort currently being developed. High mountains, high returns The resort — designed by Kamori Kanko, Hokkaido’s largest tourism and leisure company, and managed by four-time ski award-winning team, NISADE — has exceptional potential for a high return on investment, thanks to its luxurious facilities, ski-in and ski-out access and an onsen. Properties to suit any taste There are four types of room to invest in: one bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom, and dual room, which has two one- bedroom accommodations. Be quick! These strata title properties are available to invest in now — but be sure to act fast, as half have already been sold! For more information, please visit www.thevalerusutsu.com or contact us at [email protected] Contents May 2019 4 32 First Focus Event Report The making of a metropolis 9 From the Editor 20 33 The Agenda 10 Investing in Japan 34 La dolce vita Executive notes By Toby Waters Sun setting on solar? By Dan Sloan 14 Tidying up space 35 The EU and Japan tackle the Innovations space debris problem Smart dust in the wind By Justin McCurry By Tim Hornyak 18 38 The slow rise of the On the Green cashless society The importance of deliberate Japan lags in e-money adoption 14 practice By Gavin Blair By Fred Varcoe 20 39 The Interview Illuminating Voices Enrico Vattani, head of the Ireland and LGBTI rights Economic and Commercial By Paul Kavanagh Section at the Embassy of Italy By Andrew Howitt 42 Cellar Notes 24 The cork versus screwcap Country Spotlight debate Italy By Allison Bettin By Toby Waters 43 28 Down Time EBC Personality Antoine Bourgeois / Massimo Allegri 28 Paweł Komender By Andrew Howitt 44 30 Work Place In Committee Edenred Japan Intellectual Property Rights By Geoff Botting 31 The Mission of the SME Corner European Business Council To promote an impediment-free From dream to dish environment for European business By Marta Sanna in Japan. COVER PHOTO BY KAGEAKI SMITH 2 EUROBIZ JAPAN • MAY 2019 TIZIANA ALAMPRESE, MARKETING DIRECTOR 10 La dolce vita By Toby Waters 4 EUROBIZ JAPAN • MAY 2019 First Focus From 27 April to 6 May, Japan enjoyed a once-in-a-generation, 10-day-long Golden Week holiday in celebration of the new emperor’s ascension to the throne, the conclu- sion of the Heisei era, and the start of the new imperial age, Reiwa. As a result, the nation travelled in record numbers. Travel agency JTB forecast that 24 million people would take domestic trips and 662,000 would go overseas. It’s far too soon to be planning for the next extended Golden Week holiday, but at least we can look forward to what’s down the line in this new period of Japanese history. Last stop for Heisei. All aboard for Reiwa. Photo by Simon Launay unsplash.com MAY 2019 • EUROBIZ JAPAN 5 CONTRIBUTORS MASTHEAD Writing in and about Japan since Tokyo journalist Tim Hornyak has Publisher Production and Vickie Paradise Green distribution 2000, Gavin Blair contributes covered technology in Japan for [email protected] Daisuke Inoue articles to magazines, websites and IDG News, CNET, Scientific Amer- [email protected] newspapers in Asia, Europe and the ican and other media. He is the Editor-in-chief Andrew Howitt Published by Paradigm US on a wide range of topics, many author of Loving the Machine: The [email protected] 6F Daiwa Osaki of them business related. Art and Science of Japanese Robots. 3-chome Bldg. Editor 3-6-28 Osaki, Shinagawa- •“I’d always wondered why •“An article I wrote Toby Waters ku, Tokyo 141-0032 there were still restaurants for Scientific American was Tel: 03-5719-4660 Creative Director Fax: 03-3492-1202 and shops in Japan that didn’t about Hitachi’s radio-frequency Paddy O’Connor www.paradigm.co.jp take credit cards. The answer is ID chips, just 0.4mm wide. That straightforward: processing fees was in 2008. Today, entire com- Art Director Published monthly in Mizuho Hayashi Tokyo. All rights reserved. that are more than double the puters are being made that are The views and opinions global average. Even with new smaller. They form ‘smart dust’, Account Executives expressed herein (other cashless payment systems, the which can track goods, animals Tamás Dóczi than editorials by the EBC) Eduardo Antonio Pabón are solely the opinions and fees are often around the same and environmental conditions, [email protected] views of their authors. The level, explaining why Japan is a even harvest energy. This is one EBC and Paradigm are not laggard and cash is still king.” technology to keep an eye on — if responsible or liable for any portions thereof. you can see it.” European Business Council in Japan (EBC) The European (EU) Chamber of Commerce in Japan The EBC is the trade policy arm of 17 European national chambers of commerce and business associations in Japan Chairman Michael Mroczek First Vice-Chairman Michael Loefflad Allison Bettin received her degree Paul Kavanagh has been Ireland’s Second Vice-Chairman Carl Eklund Treasurer Erik Ullner in journalism at the University of ambassador to Japan since Sep- Executive Director Francesco Formiconi Hong Kong before relocating to tember 2018. He has also served as Policy Director Bjorn Kongstad Tokyo. She has written for Eurobiz Irish representative to the United Communications & PR Yoko Hijikuro Japan for more than three years Nations, and as ambassador to [email protected] on topics such as environmental France, China and the United Arab technology, international econom- Emirates. Subscription is free for members of the EBC and national European chambers of commerce. ics, and wine. •“In the space of one genera- Subscription rates are: one year ¥9,000; two years ¥15,000; three years ¥22,000; ¥800 per copy. Rates include domestic •“It was during my brief work- tion, Ireland’s attitudes towards postage or surface postage for overseas subscribers. Add ing holiday in Australia that I LGBTI people have completely ¥7,500 per year if overseas airmail is preferred. Please allow was exposed to all the benefits of shifted. We have gone from two weeks for changes of address to take effect. Subscrip- tion requests should be sent to [email protected] the screwcap. But I still wasn’t prosecuting homosexual acts convinced that age-worthy wines to advocating for LGBTI rights If you prefer not to receive this magazine, and for all matters should lose the cork. After writ- on the global stage. In Ireland, related to distribution, please send an e-mail to [email protected] ing this month’s ‘Cellar Notes’, Japan and elsewhere, the work to I’m on the screwcap bandwagon end discrimination in all forms Eurobiz Japan welcomes story ideas from readers and (as long as they continue to continues, but every individual proposals from writers and photographers. Letters to the editor may be edited for length and style. become more eco-friendly).” can play a part in changing society’s attitudes.” 6 EUROBIZ JAPAN • MAY 2019 PUBLICITY MAKE THE MOST OF SUMMER For two weeks, from 21 July to 3 August, junior boarding school – will be opening in April The Summer Programme, taught in English, the annual Jinseki Summer School will be 2020. The summer school offers a multilingual explores a range of different themes with a core giving children the chance to learn, explore learning environment that keeps children active, question on each prepared for the students, who nature and make friends in one of the most stimulated and entertained with daily learning, consider possible answers themselves under the beautiful parts of Japan. exercise and activities in either our Academic guidance of a teacher. Summer course students Programme or Summer Programme. who don’t speak English will steadily gain he Jinseki Summer School is Taught by visiting lecturers from a Swiss English and global thinking skills thanks to the based in the peaceful town elementary boarding school, the Academic exploratory curriculum, which leverages children’s of Jinseki-kogen, Hiroshima Programme for native English speakers helps natural curiosity. Prefecture, with the gorgeous students to expand their knowledge of science, We make sure that each child receives two Chugoku mountain range, rivers maths, art, history, geography, PSHE and hours of sports and exercise a day, and we work Tand waterfalls as its backdrop. It is also where international mindedness all across one project, with the United Sports Foundation to promote the Jinseki International School – Japan’s first which is completed at the end of the programme. adventurousness, enjoyment and unity for children through physical activity. We also organise a number of activities for the evenings, including local cultural experiences and star-gazing. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are made with natural, healthy food from the local area, with vegetables and meat from nearby farms, and seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, at the centre of all four islands of Japan.