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Belgium- Association Chamber of Commerce 日白協会兼商工会議所

TRADE FLOWS & CULTURAL NEWS Number 125 - December 2019

EDITORIAL By HE Ambassador Makita Shimokawa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of

When I arrived here last September as Ambassador special momentum which was generated then and of Japan to the Kingdom of Belgium, I recollected my which still lingers on today as we find ourselves on HE Ambassador Makita Shimokawa past business trips and travels to . Now, I the doorstep of the Olympic year of 2020. Let us con- was actually going to live and work here, and I can tinue to strengthen these close relations. In this issue see it is a bustling international city of just the right size with great food, and with much hospitability ex- As of 2018, there are 223 Japanese companies active 2 BJA Golf Cup 3 We need you tended to those who visit and reside here. This all in Belgium, an impressive number considering the 4 GC Europe wins Global makes Brussels a perfectly comfortable workplace size of the country, but no coincidence. The “capital Excellence Award 2019 for me, and I feel grateful. of Europe” offers excellent access to other major Eu- 7 Friendship committee ropean cities such as London, Paris and Amsterdam, news 8 EU committee news The year of 2016 had marked the magical celebra- and with a logistics infrastructure linking up Europe 10 EU-Japan news tions of the 150 Years of Friendship between Japan with the rest of the world, as well as the presence of 12 News for the members and Belgium, which was an occasion to look back a quality workforce, this country remains one of the 16 Cross-Chamber Networking on our common history. It was also a chance for new most important economic hubs for Japan in Europe. Night 17 The Japanese Collection opportunities and friendships. While the formal cel- The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement in Leuven – Louvain ebrations may have ended, let us make use of that (EPA) that came into force in February of this year will 20 News from the members play an important and beneficial role in bringing the 22 Personalia Japanese and Belgian economies ever more closely together.

Let us not look away from our challenges however. Advertising rates International economic uncertainty is increasing due to the rise of protectionism, with Brexit and 4 issues (March, June, the trade dispute between the US and China as September & December) the most visible examples. At the same time, the 1 page ...... € 3.500 expected economic growth rate of the Eurozone 1/2 page ...... € 1.600 and Belgium in 2019 has recently been revised downwards. However, Belgium is in a good position contact: BJA Office to cope with these challenges, as it has a lot of avenue Louise 287, box 7 networks due to political and geographical reasons. 1050 Brussels This is also where the presence of the BJA makes a difference, through its valuable contributions to the [email protected] exchanges of business and culture between Japan, T 02/644 14 05 Belgium and Europe. As Ambassador, I am here to

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Resp. editor: A. Kellens | 287, avenue Louise bte 7 | 1050 Brussels | T +32 (0)2 644 13 33 E [email protected] BJA quarterly newsletter | driemaandelijks tijdschrift (maart - juni - september - december) | Afgiftekantoor: Gent x Belgium-Japan Association & Chamber of Commerce | Royal Association | Founded in 1963 Registration n° 408.948.139 | RPR Court of Commerce Brussels We currently hold your contact details on our Trade Flows & Cultural News Database. We use this information for our own internal purposes only in order to send you this Trade Flows & Cultural Newsletter. If any of your details are incorrect or if you no longer wish to receive this publication, please inform us by e-mail at [email protected] www.bja.be BJA REPORT The 15th BJA Golf Cup and Golf Initiation 第1回ＢＪＡゴルフコンペとゴルフイニシエーション Saturday, 14 September 2019 – The National Golf Brussels

(left to right) Nori Kunimoto, CEO of Terumo Europe, Edward Bonsel, Under the guidance of the Pros, the Golf Initiation participants are diligently Ömer Turna, Partner at EY and the Captain of EU team shares the joy of Managing Director of Willis Towers Watson, and Yoshikazu Matsumoto, trying to learn how to grip the club correctly. his team victory with Jun Goto, COO of Panasonic Energy Europe and the Managing Director of Cast Inc., getting ready for a round of golf under Captain of Japan Team. a beautiful blue sky.

Once again, thanks to the generous sponsorship by EY, togeth- initiation program on one of the newest golf courses in the vi- er with a number of BJA company members and other organi- cinity of Brussels. Starting with a delicious lunch buffet, the zations, the BJA could welcome members and friends at The participants received refreshments throughout the day, cock- National Golf Brussels in Sterrebeek on Saturday, 14 Septem- tails before the dinner and numerous fantastic prizes to take ber 2019 for the 15th BJA Golf Cup and Golf Initiation, followed home with them before the event adjourned. by dinner and prize giving party. The EU vs. Japan team competition result always brings an ex- While the heat of the Indian summer was with us, over 30 golf ceptional excitement. After a sweet revenge by the EU team players enjoyed playing 18 holes with pleasant partners and to steel the victory from the Japan team last year, the EU team about 15 guests joined together to experience a complete golf successfully snatched the victory again in 2019. Mr Ömer Tur-

2 MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE NEWS

WE NEED YOU!

The task of the Membership Committee is to attract and retain members and to inform them of the workings of the BJA. The Committee is composed of two chairmen and four dedicated committee members, dynamic people who work for Japanese or Belgian companies in a variety of sectors. Did you know that 650 members have already joined the BJA? Not given to resting on its laurels, the Membership Committee has set itself the target of increasing that number to 700 in 2020!

To do so, we could resort to the mass media or new technologies of course but we feel that traditional networking will prove to be far more popular and accessible. This is where you come in! Have you come across any new acquaintances of late? Do you na, Partner at EY and the Captain of the EU team was so know any Belgian companies that have contacts in Japan and thrilled to reclaim the winning replica on behalf of his haven’t joined the BJA yet? Or do you know of any Japanese team while Mr Jun Goto, COO of Panasonic Energy Eu- companies that have a place of business in Belgium and aren’t rope and the Captain of the Japan team promised to take members of the BJA yet? If you feel you have an interesting revenge next year! contact, why not pass on his or her details to the members of the Committee? The BJA would like to thank once again wholeheartedly the sponsors for their generosity, and the enthusiastic We really appreciate your cooperation and look forward to participation of the members and partners. Thanks to all meeting you at our next event. of you, this annual BJA Golf event had ended with a great success! For those of you who have been toying with the idea of becom- ing an active member of our Committee make sure to contact The pictures are by courtesy of Mrs Françoise Demeter of H. De the BJA Membership Committee or the BJA Office! Beukelaer & Co.

Membership Committee Members

>> Mr BORREMANS, PHILIPPE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR, GROUP S [email protected] >> Mr MASAKI, KOH ICHI HEAD OF EUROPEAN AFFAIRS AND AGENCY CONVENTION BUSINESS CENTRE JAPAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION [email protected] >> Mr ORLANDO, SALVATORE HEAD OF EXPATRIATES, BNP PARIBAS FORTIS [email protected] >> Mr SCHEPENS, VINCENT ASSISTANT MANAGER, SALES & MARKETING ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS CO. [email protected] >> Mr VAN BENEDEN, OLIVIER MANAGING DIRECTOR, JAPAN CONSULTING OFFICE [email protected] >> Mr VAN HOOF, MARC MANAGING PARTNER, BE WELCOME [email protected]

3 ARTICLE

GC Europe wins Global Excellence Award 19

GC Europe NV has received the highest recognition from the European Founda- tion for Quality Management (EFQM*), and has become the first company in the dental industry, the first -based company and the first subsidiary com- pany of a Japanese corporation to win this award.

High-quality products, good customer relationships, sustainable growth: these are key attributes defining a company’s success. In order to assess and improve their performance, many private, public, and Non-profit organisations striving for tive applicant, but also submitted to a Leuven site is also a place where some of excellence take part in the EFQM Global jury of independent experts. They deter- the products are produced, mounted and Excellence Award. mine the applicant’s level of recognition, packed, and where training concepts are i.e. decide who will be an Excellence developed and courses are conducted. This renowned quality award is sup- Award Winner and who is recognized as ported by one of the most challenging outstanding in one or more categories, assessment processes. The theoretical for example Outstanding Achievement in framework for an assessment is based Sustainability. Only those organisations on eight fundamental concepts of excel- with a sustainable exceptional perfor- lence defined by the EFQM. These are: mance in all eight fundamental concepts >> Adding value for customers of excellence can win the EFQM Global >> Leading with vision, inspiration & Excellence Award. In principle, there can integrity be more than one or even no Award Win- >> Managing with agility ner each year, depending on the number >> Succeeding through the talent of of applicants able to adequately demon- people strate role model practices. >> Harnessing creativity & innovation Since its beginning in 1921, GC has >> Developing organisational capability This year, the Award Ceremony was held been recognised by dentists and den- >> Creating a sustainable future in Helsinki, , on 23 October. tal technicians for providing high qual- >> Sustaining Outstanding Results Among the selected finalists, GC Europe ity products and services. Through was the only candidate to become the partnering with dental professionals, In order to find out how each award ap- Global Excellence Award Winner. Among GC leads the way in promoting oral plicant is performing in these eight fun- the selected finalists were Swiss Post, health worldwide, always combining damental concepts, a group of specifi- Bosch Security Systems, BMW, SDLG, the latest scientific knowledge with cally trained and experienced managers Metsä Group, among others. foresight of the needs of the custom- spends a whole week at an applicant’s ers. The primary concern is oral health site. They conduct interviews with indi- Who is GC Europe? viduals working in diverse positions and The award-winning company GC Europe review documents to recognise good and is a subsidiary of GC Corporation, an es- role model practices. Based on their find- tablished dental company from Japan. ings, the assessors identify the strengths It is considered one of the leading oral of the company as well as areas for im- health companies worldwide. GC Europe provement. Finally, a feedback report is is a provider of products and services created and placed at the applicant’s for dental professionals, its head office disposal to facilitate and promote ad- and logistics warehouse being located vancements. The average time spent in Leuven, Belgium. From there, the com- for the assessment amounts to approxi- pany conducts business with dealer or- mately 500 hours per applicant. ganisations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and supports the The report is not only given to the respec- activities of 12 Regional Branches. The

* EFQM is a not-for-profit membership foundation with 30 years of experience in supporting organisations to reach sustainable Excellence. 4 ARTICLE

in the steadily aging societies. This re- principles in all areas. These consistent EFQM Global Excellence Award journey sulted in GC introducing the concept of efforts have ensured that GC associ- From its beginnings in Japan in 1921, GC Minimum Intervention. Its principles are ates are fundamentally connected to the has made the journey to excellence a identifying caries as soon as it occurs, company’s systems, allowing everyone hallmark of all its activities and to this preventing its incurrence whenever pos- to grow and prosper together. Associ- day, every new associate is aware of the sible and restoring the affected teeth ates of GC Europe are particularly proud role that he or she plays in helping the immediately, thereby ensuring that the of how European and Japanese influenc- company to achieve this. maximum amount of tooth structure is es converge in business harmoniously. conserved. The journey of GC Europe towards win- The core philosophy of GC Europe can be ning the Global Excellence Award start- GC is the world leader in glass ionomer summed up in one word – Semui. This ed in 2006. The company participated technology, a leading developer of in- translates into “thinking from the view- for the first time, and received the Com- novative systems for aesthetic dentist- point of others” and this way of think- mitted to Excellence recognition. GC ry and a driver of innovation in digital ing permeates throughout all aspects of Europe received a 4 star Recognised for dentistry. the company’s relationships with dental Excellence in 2008 and a 5 star Recog- practitioners and dental technicians nised for Excellence in 2010. The first Key strengths for which GC Europe is working with GC products, associates, time GC Europe became an EFQM Award considered role model suppliers and partners. finalist was in 2013. Three years later, in For almost a century, GC has demonstrat- 2016, the company won an EFQM Award ed a passionate commitment in forging a As a matter of fact, it is this strong cul- Prize in the category leading with vi- culture of continuous improvement. The ture of transparency and trust that was sion, inspiration & integrity and finally, company’s values, principles and way of highlighted as a particular strength of it is the EFQM Global Excellence Award GC Europe by the EFQM assessors. The Winner 2019. philosophy places ethical values over short-term growth objectives, and it sup- During this journey, the challenge was ports sustainable product development to keep momentum and energy. GC Eu- that benefits the whole society. rope took each EFQM assessment seri- ously and used the feedback report to Another strength identified by the as- evaluate its current performance and sessors is GC’s Quality Management continue to promote further improve- System (GQM). Since the foundation, GC ment in the identified areas. Skilled puts Quality Management as its core of and motivated GC associates, who are working is based on an exceptional and management. It establishes the way of committed to continuous improvement unique culture, GC No Kokoro, which has doing things for all associates and pro- and excellence, made it possible to its roots in Nakama spirit. This spirit is vides the entrepreneurial backbone of overcome the existing challenges and the basis of the company’s culture, pro- daily work in all areas. The system sup- to reach the ultimate goal of receiving moting a sense of people belonging to a ports creativity and innovation, and en- the EFQM’s highest possible recogni- community. Leaders in the company live sures that the impact of all innovation tion – the Global Excellence Award. and promote this culture, values and activities – in processes, product and programme development etc. – are as- sessed and refined day after day.

Finally, the concept of Minimum Inter- vention was honoured in the feedback report. It is one of the essential strate- gies GC Europe employs to improve global oral hygiene by challenging tra- ditional restorative dentistry and pro- moting preventative methodologies. Minimum Intervention is a vision of the future of dentistry and is the company’s most important contribution to human health to date.

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FRIENDSHIP COMMITTEE NEWS

Dear BJA Members, value to establishing a relationship where, while passively waiting for Allow me to start by saying that I didn’t expect that the BJA the interlocutor’s kindness, one be- Executive Director, Mrs Oto-Kellens, would ask me to take the comes mutually dependent on that helm of this important boat, the role of Chair of the BJA Friend- interlocutor. ship Committee. I must say that I am very honored. In fact, what would we do without friendship? After all, aren’t friends life In Japan, the Family is structured venture companions helping us to pursue the path of happi- with the ‘house (ie – 家)’. In Bel- ness? But let me briefly introduce myself so we can start our gium (Europe), the family is nuclear new friendship conversation. in the sense that the emphasis is on the independence of each member. I had been living in Japan for seven years, which allowed me to In Japan a ‘house’ is a system with discover Japan day by day in Kyushu (Sasebo), Kansai (Kyoto), a ‘head of family (honke – 本家)’ and Tokyo. I first went to the Nagasaki Junior College, then to the of ‘successors (bunke – 分家)’. The Nagasaki International University. After that, I went to Bukkyō Japanese are proud of this lineage. University in Kyoto where I studied Buddhism (as a scientist). I Japanese values of the ‘inside (uchi then enrolled at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, where I spend – 内)’ are formed by the diversity most of my time thinking about the possible link between of its social organization and its re- ‘Western’ and ‘Eastern’ philosophy. This drew me to Japan once lationship with the ‘outside (soto again, this time at the University of Tokyo, before ending up in – 外)’ to be found out of the ‘home’ Brussels writing a PhD thesis about the Japanese philosopher system. Members of the same group Ōmori Shōzō. While doing this, I became a freelance sworn have a sense of ‘uchi’ and form intimate relationships that re- translator and interpreter of Japanese to French and joined the spect hierarchical relationships such as age and generation. A Cool Japan Ambassador program. good example is the family emotion shared in the workplace, at school, and in the activities of a club such as the BJA Friendship My research focuses on Ōmori Shōzō, a leading Japanese phi- committee. losopher of the 20th-century. My goal is to give a philosophical analysis of his innovative concepts. I address the epistemologi- In that sense, I think that the BJA Friendship Committee is a cal problem of reality by means of the logical relationship be- place that one can find a moment of interpersonal trust, where tween Mind and World. I intend to give a comprehensive picture the feelings and emotions of the members are considered as of the ways in which the western philosophical tradition deals important as the communication obtained through language with this issue and its entailing paradoxes. In the process of and its words. The important thing is to form a ‘relational reci- my research, I have written many papers on these objects of procity’ by trusting the other and making efforts to accept his studies, which included an edited volume in French in 2016 thoughts and ideas. Through relationships of emotional toler- that discusses the reception of Cartesian philosophy in Japan; ance, I want that our members feel free to acquire a tacit under- and also, more recently was released another volume in French standing of each-other. The “amae” the feeling of dependency dealing with the philosophy of religion and spirituality in Japan. and the feeling of being able to count on the other is the basis of relationships of trust that do not necessarily rely solely on the This brings me to the view that I have about the BJA Friendship language of words. committee. In Japan, when we think about the meaning of the self, one could argue that the self is a personal consciousness If, in the European society, mutual understanding based on that has been constructed by multiple layers. This could be the words is a major premise, intentions and requirements are com- society, the family members or simply put, our friends, etc. municated considering distinctions and points of potential con- Amongst those layers, allow me to talk about the family and flict between people. In contrast, in Japan, with emotion-based come back to friendship after a short detour. communication, information sharing and communication about people’s intentions or opinions can be achieved without an ef- It is said that, in Japan, the communication style stems from fort to ‘convince’ the interlocutor inherent in a simple logic of the dependent relationship created at home between mother words. I sincerely hope that those first seeming paradoxes will and child. The use of a maternal figure is observed among mem- encounter a new kind of vision for the BJA Friendship commit- bers of various social groups outside the home. As symbolized tee, because as the relation between Europeans shows, every- by the mother’s presence in the family, it is a relationship of day friendship is a universal value in which I believe. compassion and acceptance of the other, where one feels safe and relieved. In Japanese, we talk about this using the one Pierre Bonneels, word ‘dependency (amae – 甘え)’. The Japanese attach great BJA Friendship Committee Chairman

7 NEWSLETTER

EU Committee news

THE EU-JAPAN CENTRE FOR INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION

The EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation is a non-profit attend face-to-face meetings with Japanese companies organisation co-managed by the European Commission (DG of their choice (2) and 3-day Japanese technological fair GROW) and the Japanese Government, Ministry of Economy, leading to possible business opportunities in the targeted Trade and Industry (METI). With head office in Tokyo and office sectors like Nanotech or Biotech. in Brussels, staffed with bi-lingual managers and coordina- >> World Class Manufacturing trainings (WCM June and WCM tors, the Centre is an important bridge between Europe and November): The 5-day World Class Manufacturing training Japan. For the past three decades, the EU-Japan Centre has provides an in-depth analysis of Japanese manufacturing played a significant role in preparing and executing a variety methodology and is aimed exclusively at EU managers of informative webinars, seminars and dedicated information with knowledge of WCM and an engineering background. helpdesk services for the benefit of EU SMEs, research organ- >> “Get ready for Japan” (GRFJ): GRFJ is a 2-week mission to isations and policy stakeholders. Its range of activities are cur- help 14 EU SMEs to get an in-depth understanding of how rently structured in 3 pillars. to do business in Japan and to have individual meetings 1. Policy Analysis and Recommendations with Japanese companies of their choice. 2. Promotion of Industrial Innovation and business R&D Coop- eration “The experience I gained during this GRFJ (2019) training 3. Business Support Services that aim at facilitating exchang- course has been increasing its value more and more, and al- es of experience and know-how between EU and Japanese ready now I can say that it is very important. All the information businesses: I have received is of great value and it is up to us how we use >> Vulcanus in Europe & Vulcanus in Japan: Every year, high- it. The overall atmosphere and organization of training contrib- ly skilled and motivated students from Europe or Japan uted to a better understanding of Japan. The most important are selected to undertake industrial internships in Japan lessons learned during the training were the knowledge of or Europe. the mentality and way of thinking and business negotiation of >> Lean visits in Europe: The aim of 2-day visits is to help the Japanese. Definitely, this training course should help our raise EU industrial competitiveness. During each visit, se- company in accessing the local market and networking with lected EU companies will learn lean principles in action Japanese companies.” with lectures, shop-floor visits, coaching and detailed ex- (Participant from Czech Republic, attended GRFJ 2019) planations provided by a host company in the EU. >> Cluster/SME missions to Japan: Each Cluster/SME mis- sion lasts 4 days and includes: (1) 1-day partnering event More information: fully organised by the Centre to initiate collaboration be- www.eu-japan.eu tween industry associations or cluster organisations. As www.eubusinessinjapan.eu a result, selected participants have an opportunity to [email protected]

8 NEWSLETTER

EU Committee news

設 立 から3年を迎えた日欧産業協力センター

日欧産業協力センターは、1986 年 の日・EC 閣僚会議にお す。日欧産業協力センターは日本政府よりホライズン 2020 ける合意に基づき、日欧間の産業協力を担う中核的組織と の「ナショナル・コンタクト・ポイント」に認定され、日本か して設立されました。人材育成研修事業から始まり、日 EU らの 参 加 支 援 などを行 っています。 ビジネス・ラウンドテーブル事務局、政策関連事業、日欧企 業支援、科学技術・イノベーション協力支援、セミナーおよ 日欧技術移転ヘルプデスク ：日欧州の大学、研究機関、企 び人材研修事業等、幅広い分野に対応しています。 業や研究者に向けて、日欧間の技術移転に役立つ情報を発 信しています。 また今節は日 EU 経済連携協定発効に伴い、EPA ヘルプデ スクを設置し欧州中小企業に向け EPA に対する認知向上と ACJAA：宇宙関連産業における日欧ビジネスや技術連 機会利用支援のための情報・サービス提供にも力を入れて 携をサポートすることを目的としたプロジェクトです。 います。 欧州企業向けにも、日本のビジネス環境に関する理解を深 日本企業向けのビジネスサポートには以下のような事業があ め、協業の機会創出を目的に各種人材研修事業を行ってお ります。 り、毎年多くの欧州ビジネスパーソンを日本に派遣していま す。 エンタープライズ・ヨーロッパ・ネットワーク（） 中小企 業の国際化や国境を越えたビジネスパートナー探索の支援 - 最近のプログラム参加者から寄せられた感想：「この研修 を目的とした EU が 提 供 する中 小 企 業 支 援 サービ スで す。 日 で得た経験は、（時間が経つにつれて）そのありがたみが増 欧産業協力センターは、同ネットワークの日本における窓口 して、今ではとても重要であると（確信して）言えます。私 となっています。 が得た情報はすべてにおいて非常に価値があり、それをど のように活かすかは私たち次第です。全体的な雰囲気と研 理工系大学生向け 日本企業研修「ヴルカヌス・イン・ジャ 修の構成により日本への理解を深めることができました。 パ ン 」： 欧州の理工系学生を対象とした一年間の奨学金付プ 研修中に学んだ最も重要な事は、日本人のビジネスに対す ログ ラムで す。 日本での 4 ヶ月間の日本 語 研 修と 8 ヶ月間の るメンタリティや考え方、交渉に関する知識でした。間違い 日本企業におけるインターンシップから成り立っています。 なく、この研修は当社が現地マーケットにアクセスし、日本 日本人大学生向け欧州企業研修「ヴルカヌス・イン・ヨーロッ 企業とのネットワークを築くのに役立ちました。」（ Get Ready パ」 も 行 っています。 For Japan 2019 プログラム チェコ共和国企業参加者より）

ホライズン ナショナル・コンタクト・ポイント ホライ www.eu-japan.eu ズン 2020 は全欧州規模で実施される、最大規模の研究及 www.eubusinessinjapan.eu び革新的開発を促進するためのフレームワークプログラムで [email protected]

9 NEWSLETTER

EU-Japan news

MEETING BETWEEN PRIME MINISTER ABE AND PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL (FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM) MICHEL

On 25 September, Mr Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, the Europa Connectivity Forum, and that he intended to work who was visiting New York to attend the 74th session of the together to expand these kinds of cooperation. In response, United Nations (UN) General Assembly, held a meeting with President-elect Michel explained about issues to which he H.E. Mr , President-elect of the European Coun- gave priority as the President-elect of the European Council, cil, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium. The overview of including the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU, the meeting is as follows. climate change, Africa, and other foreign policy themes, and stated that he intended to cooperate with Japan, which shared At the outset, Prime Minister Abe stated that he was pleased the values of democracy and the rule of law. Furthermore, to be able to meet again for the first time in approximately two Prime Minister Abe welcomed the initiatives by the EU toward years, and congratulated Mr Michel on his election as Presi- further easing of import restrictions on Japanese food prod- dent-elect of the European Council. Furthermore, Prime Minis- ucts, etc., and then called for its cooperation toward elimina- ter Abe stated that the EU was an important partner of Japan tion of the restrictions as early as possible. that shared the universal values of freedom, democracy, hu- man rights, and the rule of law, and that he intended to work Regarding North Korea, Prime Minister Abe stated that it is closely with President-elect Michel to further develop Japan- necessary to realize the CVID of all weapons of mass destruc- EU relations. In response, President-elect Michel stated that tion and ballistic missiles of all ranges, and it is crucial to he was pleased to be able to meet Prime Minister Abe again, implement of the United Nations Security Council resolutions expressed his gratitude for the congratulations, and stated to realize it. Furthermore, he called for the understanding and that he intended to continue to further deepen not only Japan- cooperation towards the early resolution of the abductions is- Belgium relations but also cooperation on issues common to sue, and President-elect Michel expressed his understanding. Japan and the EU. Concerning Japan-Belgium relations, the two leaders con- Regarding Japan-EU relations, Prime Minister Abe stated that firmed that the ties between the imperial household of Ja- the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) was op- pan and the royal family of Belgium are the foundation of erating well and that he intended to make use of the agree- the friendly relations between their two countries, and they ment to further expand trade and investment. He also stated agreed to develop the relations of their two countries in a wide that cooperation based on the Japan-EU Strategic Partnership range of fields. Agreement (SPA) was proceeding steadily, most particularly in Source: www.mofa.go.jp/erp/ep/page4e_001100.html

>> keep reading from p.1

actively increase the involvement of the Embassy of Japan in ist attacks of 2016 have left a deep impression in our collective the activities of the BJA, in order for us to stand firm together memory, all indicates that the threat of terrorism is declining. against uncertain economic times. Nonetheless, we are actively cooperating with the Belgian au- thorities as well to make Japanese businesses feel at ease here. We have looked at our past and our future. What about the present? Preserving the business environment which has been When I reflect upon the role the Embassy of Japan in Belgium established with such great care and energy is just as impor- can play in all of this, I envision it to be a place that is open, and tant. A current issue which is of concern to many is the delay easily accessible to all. So contact us, or pay us a visit, we will in the issuance of the so-called single permits. I can say that be there for you. the Embassy of Japan in Belgium is working together with the Belgian authorities around this issue and is aiming for a quick Twitter Account of HE Ambassador Shimokawa: resolution of the matter. Safety is another. Although the terror- twitter.com/ambshimokawa

10 NEWSLETTER

EU-Japan news

EU AND JAPAN CHART NEW GROUND IN GLOBAL CONNECTIVITY

On Friday 27 September 2019, the Euro- ropean Union wants to engage more and to socially and environmentally. pean Commission launched its Europa reinforce the connections between Europe Generating global debate on the European Connectivity Forum – an innovative multi- and Asia in a mutually-beneficial way.” approach to connectivity stakeholder international conference The Europa Connectivity Forum is politically aimed at fostering dialogue and strength- The EU and Japan: taking the lead on sus- underpinned by the Joint Communication ening ties between governments, financial tainable connectivity ‘Connecting Europe and Asia – Building institutions, and private sector actors in At the invitation of President Juncker, Blocks for an EU Strategy’, launched by the Europe and beyond. Building on the al- Shinzō Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, was European Commission and the High Repre- ready close cooperation between the EU the Forum’s special guest and delivered sentative in September 2018. In the Strat- and its Asia-Pacific partners, this first edi- a keynote speech at the opening plenary. egy, the EU sets out its approach to connec- tion of the Forum was held under the theme President Juncker and Prime Minister Abe tivity, which has been at the very heart of EU-Asia Connectivity: Building Bridges for a concluded a Partnership on Sustainable successful European integration. Sustainable Future. Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure be- The Forum, which was livestreamed, high- The President of the European Commis- tween the and Japan, un- lighted the major opportunities of stronger sion, Jean-Claude Juncker, who delivered derlining further the strategic importance connectivity, as well as explore the many a keynote speech in the opening plenary of the EU-Japan partnership that both par- challenges. These range from multilateral session, said: “What we do politically must ties have been committed to strengthen governance aspects and the vast financ- respond to the expectations and worries over the last years. ing needs – making it essential to partner of our citizens. Increased connectivity is This new Partnership is the first of its kind, up with the private sector and mobilise part of this response, because it benefits highlighting connectivity as a key priority private investments – to the importance of our people and our economies. Because it in the European Union’s work as a global developing mutually agreed, interoperable creates stability and prosperity for all.” He actor. It confirms Europe’s ambition to standards and norms to underpin 21st cen- added: “Our European approach to connec- work together with like-minded partners in tury transport, energy, digital and human tivity is at the heart of our partnership with promoting connectivity that is sustainable connectivity. Source: ec.europa.eu/ Asia, and we have a clear message: the Eu- across the board – fiscally, economically, commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_19_5851

HIGH-REPRESENTATIVE AND VICE-PRESIDENT FEDERICA MOGHERINI VISITS TOKYO TO BUILD ON SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS IN EU-JAPAN RELATIONS

On 22 October, the High Representative and Vice-President of the operation bilaterally, multilaterally and in third countries on trans- European Commission Federica Mogherini represented the Eu- port, energy, digital and people-to-people contacts. The EU is also ropean Union at the enthronement ceremony of His Majesty the committed to strengthening its security cooperation in and with Emperor in Tokyo, alongside representatives of over 190 Asia, and in this context is ready to develop a security and defence countries and international organisations. The High Representative cooperation partnership with Japan, including on cyber and mari- on the occasion of this visit also met with the Minister for Foreign time security and crisis management. The High Representative also Affairs, Toshimitsu Motegi, and the Minister of Defence, Taro Kono. exchanged views with both Ministers on regional and international Her meetings provided an opportunity to revisit some of the land- issues, including the Korean Peninsula, the South China Sea, the mark achievements that have marked the past five years of EU-Ja- Gulf region and Afghanistan. pan relations. Signed at the 2018 EU-Japan Summit, the Strategic High Representative Mogherini also met with Fumio Kishida, mem- Partnership Agreement, provisionally applied since February 2019, ber of the Diet and former Minister for Foreign Affairs. She thanked and the Economic Partnership Agreement, in force since February him for his support in preparing the Strategic Partnership Agree- 2019, are landmark deals that have provided a solid basis to de- ment and the Economic Partnership Agreement during his mandate velop our close cooperation, promote our shared interests, and as Foreign Minister. bring tangible benefits to people’s lives through increased trade The High Representative also met with Japanese academics and and investment. representatives of think tanks and civil society. She emphasised With Ministers Motegi and Kono, the High Representative dis- that shared interests and the convergence of views of the EU and cussed areas on which the EU and Japan have agreed to cooperate Japan on many issues of global relevance, from free trade to de- more closely, notably connectivity as well as security and defence mocracy, human rights, and from nuclear non-proliferation to ef- matters. The Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Qual- fective multilateralism, will continue to provide the bedrock of the ity Infrastructure, which Prime Minister Abe and President Juncker EU-Japan partnership and friendship. signed in Brussels on 27 September, paves the way for close co- Source: eeas.europa.eu/delegations/japan/69309/high-representativevice-president- federica-mogherini-visits-tokyo-build-significant_en 11 NEWSLETTER

news for the members

400 YEARS OF MANNEKEN-PIS

The original statue of Manneken-Pis is 400 years old. From 16 Pop-up display at the GardeRobe MannekenPis October 2019 to 15 May 2020, the City of Brussels is celebrat- From 16 October 2019 to 31 May 2020, a pop-up display at ing this anniversary with a program that highlights the history the GardeRobe MannekenPis highlights the history of the of the fountain. costumes of Manneken-Pis and the dressing of the statue. GardeRobe MannekenPis In the 15th century, Manneken-Pis already played an essential Rue du Chêne 19 role in the drinking water supply in Brussels. In 1619, the au- 1000 Brussels thorities in Brussels ordered a new version of the statue from From Tuesday to Sunday from 10h to 17h the sculptor Hieronymus Duquesnoy for the renovation of the fountain: the column, the basin and the statue were then re- >> Design a costume for the 400th placed. anniversary of the Manneken-Pis To celebrate his 400th birthday, the museums are inviting This 400th anniversary of Manneken-Pis is celebrated with young Brussels citizens to create a new outfit for Manneken- several events: Pis. Every primary school in the City of Brussels can submit a drawing or prototype. A jury will select an entry, which will >> Manneken-Pis treasure hunt be produced either by the winning class or by the statue’s at Winter Wonders official dresser. Tagged as the 400th anniversary outfit, the From 29 November 2019 to 5 January 2020, visitors of the design will be added to the GardeRobe’s collection, follow- Winter Wonders (and Christmas market) can look for Man- ing an official presentation ceremony at the City Hall on 7 neken-Pis. A large treasure hunt is being organized at the May 2020. An exhibition will also present all of the schools’ trail of the Christmas event in Brussels. A geolocalisation entries. app takes players of all ages on a treasure hunt and offers the chance to win a prize in the shape of Manneken-Pis, this >> Souvenir coin year’s guest of honour at Winter Wonders. The Royal Mint of Belgium and the Royal Dutch Mint are of- ficially producing the new Belgian 2.50 euro coin marked >> Manneken-Pis at the City Museum ‘400 years of Manneken Pis’. This coin, specially struck to Visit the Brussels City Museum and explore its room dedi- honour Manneken-Pis, is packaged in a colourful coincard cated to the famous fountain and its history: and is legal tender in Belgium. The coin is available at: www. Manneken-Pis Room herdenkingsmunten.be Brussels City Museum Grand-Place Source: From Tuesday to Sunday from 10h to 17h brussels-express.eu/400-years-of-manneken-pis The entrance ticket for the Museum also gives access to the GardeRobe MannekenPis.

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news for the members

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR THE 16TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR JAPANESE STUDIES (EAJS) AT GHENT UNIVERSITY

The Japanese Studies Department at Ghent University has been selected to host the 16th International Conference of the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS), August 26-29, 2020. The Japanese Studies program is well- established at Ghent University and in recent years we have seen an increase in student numbers and in teaching and research staff. The Japanese Studies De- partment has built a network of 14 Japa- nese partner universities and organizes student workshops with Kanazawa, Ky- ushu and Tohoku Universities on a year- ly basis. We will also host the Japanese Language Proficiency Test in 2019 for the second time. Furthermore, we work closely together with the City of Ghent in its sister-partnership with Kanazawa and we also house the Kanazawa Uni- versity Liaison Office for Europe. As part of their curriculum, our students can fol- low a two-year minor in Economic Stud- ies. Moreover, in order to obtain their MA degree, all students at our Depart- public and Japanese Studies through a national and influential audience and to ment are now required to take up intern- photo exhibition on Japan and other cul- increase your visibility and good reputa- ships at companies and public institu- tural events in the city of Ghent. tion amongst relevant professionals. tions in Belgium as well as Japan. However, in order to organize an aca- Should you wish to become a sponsor of We are glad and honored that the EAJS demic event this size and guarantee the 16th International European Confer- Council decided to award the organiza- the quality of the event, we highly de- ence for Japanese Studies or to find out tion of the 2020 conference to Ghent, pend on public, corporate and private more about different sponsorship types, the EAJS conference being a major in- sponsorship. While we already received do not hesitate to contact: andreas.nie- ternational event in Japanese Studies, support letters from the Japanese Em- [email protected]. which attracts more than 1000 partici- bassy, the City of Ghent, as well as from pants from Europe, Japan and the US. the Province of East-Flanders, we also Sincerely, The conference brings together experts reach out to the international business The organizing committee, in the field of Japanese Studies as well community and BJA members for finan- as language teachers to increase knowl- cial support. We can offer our sponsors Andreas Niehaus, edge about Japanese history, society, promotion on our conference website, Mick Deneckere, religion, politics and economy and pro- in the printed program, in the confer- Marlies Holvoet vides a platform to discuss recent de- ence report and at the venue itself. As velopments in Japanese linguistics and a sponsor of the 16th International Con- language teaching. It will also provide ference of Japanese Studies, there will Contact: the opportunity to connect the general be ample opportunity to reach an inter- [email protected]

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news for the members

Mitsuko Uchida & Jörg Widmann © Claudia Höhne Bach Collegium Japan & Masaaki Suzuki © Marco Borggreve Screens of Memories - Naomi Kawase © Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

SUPPORT PROMINENT JAPANESE ARTISTS IN THE HEART OF EUROPE

BOZAR – Centre for fine arts 1960s proposed in the Centre for Fine The refined orchestral sounds of Japa- The Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR) lo- Arts during the winter of 2016-2017 nese composer Toru Takemitsu’s How cated in Brussels, the capital of Eu- season. Slow the Wind will resonate through rope, welcomes more than 1.2 million the Henry Le Boeuf Hall on the 4th of visitors each year to nearly 6.000 ac- Given the breadth of its activities, March 2020. The NHK Symphony Or- tivities such as: exhibitions, concerts, as well as its unparalleled network chestra from Tokyo will be led by con- projections, debates as well as corpo- throughout Europe and beyond, BO- ductor Paavo Järvi and accompanied rate events in its landmark building in ZAR is uniquely positioned to initiate by Khatia Buniatishvili on piano. The Brussels. a pan-European dialogue with Japan. intimate piece How Slow the Wind will The increasingly multicultural and in- render every corner of the orchestra BOZAR is a multidisciplinary platform terdependent reality of today’s societ- audible, and sets the scene for the for contemporary intercultural dia- ies, as well as their rapidly changing concert as a whole. Pianist Khatia logue with an international mission nature, lends a sense of urgency to the Buniatishvili will lead the entire or- guided by a commitment to artistic efforts of building bridges between chestra through her powerful piano excellence. people. technique for a piano concerto by Beethoven as well as Rachmaninoff’s Furthermore BOZAR has a long tradi- Upcoming Japanese artists second symphony. tion of promoting Japanese art and During the 2019-2020 season, BOZAR culture throughout its program. Ev- will offer new opportunities for Japa- Thirty years ago, Japanese organist ery year, prominent classical as well nese companies to participate in the and conductor Masaaki Suzuki (Kobe, as non-classical Japanese musicians foregrounding of Japanese culture in 1954) founded the Bach Collegium Ja- come and perform masterpieces in Brussels. Music wise, after the breath- pan, which he heads to this day. They the prestigious Henry Le Boeuf hall. taking performance of Mitsuko Uchida will be performing at BOZAR on the Besides that, important exhibitions with clarinettist and composer Jörg 21st of March 2020. The orchestra and are regularly hosted that propose new Widmann in October, two major con- choir are specialised in playing Ba- perspectives on Japanese culture, certs showcasing Japan’s contempo- roque music. Together they went on a the latest being a dive into Japanese rary classical music scene will be pre- wonderful journey through the whole expressionism from the 1950s and sented at BOZAR. of Bach’s oeuvre, with extremely fa-

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news for the members

BOZAR by night © Yves Gervais Henry Le Bœuf hall © Bruno Vessiez Henry Le Boeuf hall © J Latteur

vourable reviews from audiences at BOZAR offers a wide variety of ways to contemporary visual artists to host a home and abroad. The clarity, auster- support those artistic projects accord- scientist or researcher in the indepen- ity and spiritual power for which Ma- ing to company’s needs. From spon- dent & inspiring environment of their saaki is famed, are appropriate to this soring an exhibition or concert to a studios, reversing the usual approach performance of Bach’s St John Pas- VIP business event to invite privileged whereby artists are invited to work at sion. clients, BOZAR can offer unique tailor- R&D departments of universities or made solutions. companies. With the objective of cre- Regarding other artistic disciplines, ating bridges, BOZAR is ready to ex- BOZAR hopes to present in the sum- Platform of creative exchange plore new possible ways of collabora- mer 2020 the “INFINITY ROOM” by the Moreover, BOZAR and its wide net- tion that can get the most out of both Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama to offer work of partners allows companies to worlds. visitors the possibility to enter in a engage in a deeper creative exchange. different state of mind, to experience As a cultural platform where dialogue The ambition of BOZAR, through its an out-of-body experience created and diversity are central, BOZAR is wide cultural program, is to create cu- through repetition and light. In the committed to building deeper partner- riosity and discovery. The discovery of pipeline for 2021, an important retro- ships in line with the current needs of something new beyond boundaries, spective on the filmmaker Naomi Ka- companies. Those can take multiple which allows to engage in an experi- wase mixing film projections, installa- forms and lead often to a mutual and ence of inspiring beauty and reflex- tions and conferences of the artist is stimulating recognition of their work ion. As an individual or as a company, currently being planned. As is the case between artists and employees. For BOZAR is there to facilitate your way for her films, the installations Spring- example, an energy company co-orga- to those unique moments of cultural Summer–Fall–Winter and Screens of nizes with BOZAR a series of stimulat- enrichment. So don’t hesitate to get in Memories are strongly inspired by the ing talks, debates and performances touch. The prestigious setting and the filmmaker’s native town Nara. Those around the future of energy which al- extensive experience of the BOZAR- impressive panoramic installations lows creative approaches to feed busi- team awaits you. were already presented at the Centre ness reflections. On the other edge, Pompidou in Paris in fall 2018 and will the European project Studiotopia, be hosted by BOZAR in 2021. encourages renowned and emerging

For more information, please contact Gaspard Noesen at [email protected] or by phone: +32 2 507 84 57.

15 BJA REPORT 6th Young Professionals Cross-Chamber Networking Night Thursday, 17 October 2019 – Microsoft Innovation Center Brussels

The participants could try on the virtual reality helmets and Philippe Gosseye delivering his inspiring speech. Mathilde Brasseur, Manager Corporate Affairs Belux at JTI and BJA movements-controlled computers. member, networking with participants from other chambers.

The Cross-Chamber Network is an initiative born out of the The 120 participants were welcomed at the Microsoft Innova- wish of several chambers of commerce, including the BJA, to tion Center, where they could try Microsoft’s latest interactive increase their visibility and organize events together in order technologies, such as virtual reality and movement-controlled to expand the networking opportunities of their members, computers. They then listened to an inspiring speech by especially the younger generation. Together with Amcham Philippe Gosseye, Senior Director at Dell Technologies Market- Belgium, AmCham EU, the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Com- ing, on B2B marketing in the digital era. merce, the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce, ICC Belgium and with the support of several other chambers of commerce, The event ended with a networking cocktail where the partici- the BJA invited young professionals to a thrilling networking pants had the opportunity to make new business contacts and night kindly hosted by Microsoft. exchange ideas. Each of them received a copy of Mr Gosseye’s book ‘the Extraverted Nerd’.

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The Japanese Collection in Leuven – Louvain: An unbelievable history comes alive for its centennial

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE 1920S JAPANESE DONATION

The Ravages of the Great War subishi), the Sumitomo family and the One of the greatest but most forgotten Mitsui family, as well as by the National cultural heritages of KU Leuven and Bank of Japan. UCLouvain in terms of its global his- tory is about to celebrate its 100th an- A Time Capsule of Pre-modern Japan niversary: the 1920s Japanese book The donated money was to be used to donation. In 1926 the last shipment of, assemble a “Japan library” to give to in total, over 3,100 Japanese titles com- Leuven as a representation of “Japa- prising almost 14,000 volumes – most nese Civilization” in Europe. From the of them Early Modern books of the Edo very beginning, the aim was not only to Period (1600-1868) – arrived at Leuven contribute to the restoration but also to University. This Japanese donation is a turn Leuven into a center for the study of lesser-known part of the global dimen- Japanese culture and history, indicating sion of the international programme to Japan’s new self-confidence after the rebuild the famous University Library First World War. that had been destroyed in 1914. The Japanese National Committee The Visit of Prince Hirohito headed by Shibusawa employed Wada During the Paris Peace Conference in Mankichi, director of the library of Tokyo 1919, the Japanese delegation was Imperial University and head of the Li- asked to collaborate in the restoration brary Association. Wada, Japan’s father of the library. As a result, a Japanese Na- of library studies and a legendary bib- tional Committee was then established liophile, was to oversee the selection. in the following months. An important Consequently, the donation became milestone in the Japanese donation the most comprehensive collection of efforts was the visit to the ruins of the Early Modern Japanese books – mainly Leuven University Library by the Japa- from the 17th, 18th and early 19th century nese then-Crown Prince and later Shōwa – in Europe in terms of the meticulously Emperor Hirohito in June 1921. Upon his systematic way in which it was orga- return to Japan, the Imperial Household nized. The various books were carefully The Disastrous Earthquake of 1923 Ministry of Japan announced the dona- selected and categorized into several On 1 September 1923 the disastrous tion of 10,000 Yen – an immense sum at fields, ranging from literature, history, Great Kantō Earthquake struck the To- kyo-Yokohama region, with a death toll of more than 100,000 people and de- stroying large parts of Japan’s capital including its most important libraries. Many countries immediately started to collect donations for the survivors and to support the reconstruction. To the great admiration of many observers in Japan substantial contributions came from Belgium – which was itself still suffering from the ravages of the Great War – including books from Leuven University. Despite the loss of millions Crown Prince Hirohito visits the ruins of the Leuven University Library in 1921 Viscount Shibusawa Eiichi (1840-1931), the “Father of Japanese capitalism” of rare books in Tokyo, the Japanese National Committee, in close collabo- that time – to the reconstruction efforts. religion, philosophy and art to medi- ration with Belgian Ambassador Albert This led to further major donations by cine, engineering and industry – turn- de Bassompierre, pushed for the con- Japan’s most renowned business leader ing the donation into a time capsule of tinuation of the donation efforts and Shibusawa Eiichi, by influential affluent culture and knowledge of pre-modern the first shipments started to arrive in families such as the Iwasaki family (Mit- Japan. Leuven.

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The Japanese Collection in Leuven – Louvain: An unbelievable history comes alive for its centennial

The Second World War The new Library was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1940 during heavy fighting in the surroundings of Leuven. In Japan it was assumed that nothing had survived the catastrophe, but mi- raculously, both the almost 14000 Japa- nese books and the furniture survived the fire.

The Partition in 1968 In 1968 when Leuven University split into KU Leuven and UCLouvain, the rious attempts on both sides, the full portance of the donation in several book donation was transported to potential of this important heritage of international publications. Indebted Louvain-la-Neuve where it has been both universities could not be realized to his efforts and to those of Ms Emi- well-preserved to this day. But in the until now. Professor Willy Vande Walle, lie Vilcot at UCLouvain, who tirelessly decades to follow it was forgotten by the founder of the Department of Japa- improved the state of preservation of the world, although the bookshelves nese Studies at KU Leuven, previously the collection in recent years, this joint were later reused at KU Leuven when already showcased a selection of the fundraising campaign of KU Leuven and the new East Asian Library was estab- collection in 2001 with the exhibition UCLouvain aims at finally letting the col- lished in the early 1980s. Despite se- “Orientalia”, and emphasized the im- lection come fully alive.

THE FUTURE: CO-OPERATION TO VALIDATE THE JAPANESE DONATION

The Japanese Collection mense symbolic value to both universi- donation as an integral part of our glob- In a joint effort by KU Leuven and UCLou- ties by representing their connection to al history. vain, a new professorship will be estab- Japan, and is to be properly restored. lished with the aim of developing the The KU Leuven and UCLouvain’s enormous potential of the Japanese From October 2020 to January 2021 a Co-operation Strengthened by Japan 1920s donation – not only for the aca- major exhibition on “1920s Japan in The University of Leuven is almost six demic community but also for the wider Leuven – The Japanese Book Donation centuries old. Many of Europe’s lead- public in Belgium and beyond. The full and Beyond”, organized by Prof Dr Jan ing scholars refined their talents in Leu- set of the 1920s bookshelves has an im- Schmidt and Dr Demmy Verbeke, will be ven. Writing the European continent’s held at KU Leuven. As a first cornerstone intellectual history without paying due to introduce the forgotten donation to attention to great minds like Erasmus, the public, the exhibition catalogue Vesalius, Mercator and many other published by Leuven University Press Lovanienses is next to impossible. Leu- will introduce its history and 100 repre- ven is where Georges Lemaître formulat- sentative books. Part of the fundraising ed his Big Bang theory and Christian de is intended to subsidize these efforts. Duve conducted research that won him the 1974 Nobel Prize in Medicine. These initial steps will lay the ground- work upon which the new professor- In 1968 the bilingual University of Leu- ship will develop the collection and also ven was split into the Dutch-speaking KU make it digitally accessible as a joint ef- Leuven and the French-speaking UCLou- fort of UCLouvain and KU Leuven along vain. Hailed as Europe’s most innovative with Japanese project partners such as university, KU Leuven offers a myriad of the National Museum of Japanese Histo- disciplines that all proudly belong to the ry in Sakura. Just in time for the upcom- top 100 in their field. Its publication re- ing 600th anniversary of our university, cord puts KU Leuven at the forefront of this fundraising effort will help to honor the global conversation. UCLouvain is Panorama’s of Mt. Yoshino in Yamato Province, the centennial of the 1920s Japanese one of the highest-ranked universities in by Kaibara Ekiken, 1713 Washū Yoshinoyama Shōkeizu (45F1, p. 461 in catalogue)

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the francophone world. It is a European HOW TO SUPPORT THIS pioneer in educational technology, and CO-OPERATION was the first French-speaking university in Europe to offer open online courses >> Donations to the KU Leuven UC Louvain on the edX platform. 20-21 Japan fund If you wish to support the KU Leuven UCLouvain 20-21 Fifty years after the scission, the two uni- Japan Fund, you can make a donation to the fund. Dona- versities have grown very close together. tions up to 5.000 EUR or less, can be made by a simple They relate to each other like daughters bank transfer to the KU Leuven IBAN account number of one and the same mother. Unity in BE45 7340 1941 7789, BIC code KREDBEBB, mentioning diversity, that is the reality of today. “1SK-FOJAPT-P3610”. There is intense research collaboration, the two sisters co-invest in multilingual programmes and joint For larger amounts, we ask you to sign a letter of intent research, they position themselves jointly in the capital city prior to the bank transfer. In this case, please contact of Brussels and on the international forum. The two together our legal advisors for further info or advice. form an academic powerhouse in Europe. They educate more than 80,000 students from over 100 nationalities. Their drive Donations starting from 40 EUR are tax-deductible. To to innovate is clear: €698 million in annual research invest- this end, you will receive a tax certificate. ment, hundreds of projects funded by European research pro- grammes, and a joint portfolio of almost 200 active spin-offs. >> Launching a funding appeal Are you interested in launching a funding appeal for the KU Leuven UCLouvain 20-21 Japan Fund on the occasion of a party or an activity? Please contact the KU Leuven University Fund so we can inform on how the invitees or par- ticipants can obtain a tax advan- tage.

>> Organizing an initiative or event Please contact the KU Leuven Uni- versity Fund for advice and support if you want to organise an initiative or event in favour of the KU Leuven – UC Louvain Fund.

>> Sponsorship for the KU Leuven – UCLouvain Fund Please contact the KU Leuven Uni- versity Fund if your company wants to support the KU Leuven UCLou- Today, the two universities are once again united in their com- vain 20-21 Japan Fund in the form mon objective of strengthening links with Japan and Japanese of a commercial sponsorship. In universities and maximizing the value of the Japanese col- return KU Leuven will mention the logo of your company lection donated to the university in the 1920s. The precious on its website. Your company will receive an invoice with collection was donated by Japan to symbolize the friendship the applicable VAT (for Belgium 21% VAT). The legal advi- between Japan and Belgium, after the library of Leuven was sors of the KU Leuven University Fund can assist you in completely destroyed and burned during the First World War. drawing up a sponsorship agreement. Today, the collection also symbolizes the intense collaboration and intertwining of the two parts of the Universitas Lovanien- Contact: sis. One hundred years after the donation, Japan reunites KU KU Leuven University Fund, +32 16 32 37 39 Leuven and UCLouvain again. or by e-mail: [email protected]

Pictures courtesy of KU Leuven and UCLouvain

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news from the members Creating meaningful connections.

Together, we offer you communication solutions that work in a well-balanced mix of innovative digital and traditional communication tools that will allow you to BOOK PUBLICATIONstreamline your business results and get the message across. « PHILOSOPHIE DE LA RELIGION ET SPIRITUALITÉ JAPONAISE »

Edited by BJA member Pierre Bonneels In the introduction, Pierre Bonneels thought. The analysis of notions such and Prof. Baudouin Decharneux, this and Baudouin Decharneux write about as flexibility, movement, moderation or book raises questions of philosophical the current light Perennial Philosophy idleness allows us to discover in Mon- and religious anthropology located in through the multiple facets of philo- taigne’s wisdom an original and trans- Japan. Within a broader framework than sophical thoughts present in the Japa- cultural contribution. In this compara- ‘Japanology’ itself, the book aims to es- nese socio-cultural space (Shintoism, tive context, particular attention is paid tablish how Japanese conceptions react Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, to the writings of the monk Kenkō and to to Western (mainly European) concep- Christianity, etc.). The attempt is to ex- the notions of Zen Buddhism. tions and vice versa. This approach is amine, briefly, how unity in diversity has based on the comparison, the heart of gradually been expressed in the repre- If you are looking for a book that helps the sciences of religions and focuses as sentations of fine arts, literature, insti- you to explain Japan’s spirituality deep much on the perceptions as on the repre- tutions and material culture in Japan roots, you will find a good companion in sentations of the cultures involved. The compared to the West. your venture. term spirituality is therefore carefully ex- amined in the light of its Western context Another BJA member, Prof. Andreas Book details : and its delicate application to the diver- Thele, brings together some aspectswww.alli ISBNgence.com 978-2-406-08411-2 www.castinc.eu sity of its Japanese manifestations. of Montaigne’s Essays with Japanese or ISBN 978-2-406-08412-9

Japanese culinary culture.

Azumaya, Japanese green tea experts, at events, workshops for you and companies. You can contact us via: [email protected]

www.azumaya.eu

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news from the members Creating meaningful connections.

Together, we offer you communication solutions that work in a well-balanced mix of innovative digital and traditional communication tools that will allow you to streamline your business results and get the message across. 50 YEARS OF PRESENCE IN BELGIUM… AND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH JAPANESE COMPANIES

As Linklaters Belgium celebrates its 50th The model involved a truly international anniversary this year we look back at the grouping of attorneys of different na- firm’s historical presence in the country tionalities who shared expertise, clients and how the firm played a role in the and revenues, and were exclusively fo- development of Belgo-Japanese trade cused on business and tax laws. relationships. Their idea was quite revolutionary at the time – and it worked. The new firm grew and became the uncontested market leader over time. Today, we would call it a start-up, a disruptive force in the most positive sense. The firm’s ambition went far beyond Belgium. Under the leadership of Jean- Pierre de Bandt, the firm successfully opened offices in New-York and London, www.alligence.com www.castinc.eu then forged alliances with prominent Jean-Pierre de Bandt makes the cover of Trends Business firms in , , , weekly on May 1990. the , and as well as several Eastern European Coun- builds on the myriad of relationships tries. built internationally between Linklaters It then merged with Linklaters in 2002, and Japanese companies who expand- creating Linklaters De Bandt which has ed their business across the oceans in become Linklaters LLP today. the last decades and have become un- The firm was the first in Belgium to hire disputed international leaders.

The Firm celebrated its 50 year of Belgian presence on the Japanese associates and to count a Jap- 10th of October in Brussels. anese lawyer among its partners. It was also the first law firm to join a Belgian Linklaters traces its history back to 1838 official mission to Japan in 1984. Japanese culinary culture. when it was founded in the UK. It was Since then, the flame of the Belgo- already an established brand when it Japanese relationship within Linklaters opened an office in Brussels in 1973. has been passed to Tanguy Van Overs- Azumaya, Japanese green tea experts, at events, workshops for you and companies. But the firm’s local presence has diverse traeten, who is also the BJA’s Vice Presi- You can contact us via: [email protected] roots. dent and Chair of its Executive Commit- tee. Today, Linklaters is proud to serve many of the largest Japanese companies operating in Europe as well as Belgian (and more generally European) compa- nies with presence in Japan. Tanguy can also rely on our Linklaters’ office in Tokyo. The firm opened its -of fice in Japan back in 1987, with the first UK partner registering as a gaikokuho

Tanguy Van Overstraeten is awarded the Order of the jimu bengoshi (a foreign lawyer entitled HRH Prince Philippe of Belgium visits Linklaters Rising Sun, with Gold Rays and Rosette by His Excellency to practise his own country law). On 1 Brussels office on 24 March 2004. Ambassador Hajime Hayashi. April 2005, the day a new Bar Regulation In 1969, a group of young Belgian law- was introduced permitting international >> Tanguy Van Overstraeten yers, including Jean-Pierre de Bandt, firms to hire Japanese lawyers, Linklat- (BJA Vice President and Chair of the came back from the USA to create their ers established Japan’s first integrated Executive Committee) own law firm. Their vision was the part- partnership between Japanese ben- >> Bernd Meyring nership model that they had experi- goshi and foreign lawyers. (Managing Partner Linklaters enced in America. Our success with Japanese firms also Belgium) www.azumaya.eu

21 PERSONALIA

The BJA would like to extend a warm welcome to its newest members:

Corporate Member

Epiq

We are a worldwide provider of legal services, serving law オリヴィエ・アル タマン は 、 ブリュッセ ル に 本 拠 地 を 置くエ firms, corporations, financial institutions and government ピックのベネルクス三国のリージョナル・アカウンティング・ agencies—helping them streamline the administration of ディレクターで、顧客が頼る最初の窓口として重要な役割を business operations, class action and mass tort, court report- 担っています。アルタマンはグローバルな反トラスト法や訴 ing, eDiscovery, regulatory, compliance, restructuring, and 訟問題に精通しており、欧州連合における法的サポート、お bankruptcy matters. よびディスカバリードキュメントで卓越した経験を有してい ます。

デイヴィッド・サナーは、エピック・日本オフィスのジェネラル・ マネージャーとして日本チームを牽引しています。 アジアや欧州連合、米国間といったクロスボーダーのコン ピュターフォレンジック、 およびディスカバリ―ドキュメント に おいて豊 富 な 経 験 を有しています。

ジャスティン・コリンズは、エピックのヨーロッパ、中東、ア フリカ地域のリージョナル・バイスプレジデントで、クライ アント・リレーションシップおよびビジネス開発の責任者と して、ブリュッセル、フランクフルト、ロンドン、チューリッ ヒに拠点を置くチームを統括しています。2018 年の現職着 任以前に、20 年余りの IT マネージドサービスの経験を有し Olivier Aelterman is a Regional Account Director for the Ben- ています。 elux at Epiq, based in Brussels, where he acts as a primary contact and first-line guidance to his clients. Olivier has distin- guished experience in legal support and document discovery in the EU as well as a high-level background in global Antitrust and Litigation matters.

David Sannar is the General Manager for Epiq in Japan, where he oversees teams providing support for client matters and operations. David has significant experience managing cross- border computer forensics and document discovery matters between Asia, the EU and the United States.

Justin Collins is the Regional Vice President for Epiq in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). He is responsible for client re- lationships and business development in the region, and has teams in Brussels, Frankfurt, London and Zurich. Prior to join- Square de Meeûs 37 Level 4 - 1000 Brussels ing Epiq in 2018, Justin spent 20 years working in IT managed Tel: +32 (0)470 07 47 41 services. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.epiqglobal.com エピックはリーガルマーケットで、リーガルテクノロジー、コ Contacts: - Mr Justin Collins, ンサルティング、プロジェクトマネジメントなどのサービスを Vice President, Europe 提供するトップクラスのプロバイダです。法律事務所や事業 - Mr Olivier Aelterman, 会社、金融機関、政府機関を対象に、e ディスカバリ、 連 Regional Account Director, Benelux 邦破産手続、集団訴訟、コンプライアンス等に関わる膨大 - Mr David Sannar, かつ複 雑 な データやロジスティクスのマネジメントを支 援し General Manager, Japan ています。

22 PERSONALIA

Sponsor Member

Nippon Gases Belgium NV

Gas. Although you don’t always realize it, it is present in every Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation. A Japanese company with second of your life. Thanks to Nitrogen, your potato chips keep more than hundred years of experience in the industrial gases their first-day’s-freshness. The bubbles in your soft drinks are world. As a new Japanese company in Belgium we wanted to the result of carbon dioxide. The semiconductor chips in your get to know other Belgian-Japanese companies. That’s why we smartphone are made through the use of Electronic Gases and reached out to the Belgium-Japanese Chamber of Commerce. Oxygen makes it possible to breathe. We are delighted to be a member of BJA. We want to extend Let us present you, Nippon Gases. The manufacturer of all these our knowledge about the Japanese culture and way of working gases. We are able to deploy something as fundamental as air by meeting other companies and professionals who want to in ways that ensure that factories work cleaner, food tastes share their experiences with us. better and production processes run more efficiently. We have built an extensive product portfolio that consists of a variety of industrial, specialty and electronic gases as well as related ma- Lammerdries-Oost 25 - 2250 Olen terials, installations and technologies. In short, we are the gas Tel: +32 (0)14 250 411 professionals and together we want to improve your world. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nippongases.com/be In Europe, we are already active for more than 50 years, but Contacts: Mr Helder Teixeira, Managing Director Benelux since December 2018, we are Nippon Gases and part of the

Individual Members Regular members Student members Felix Devriese Nicolas Heremans Olivier Heremans

We would also like to express our appreciation to our BJA Sponsor Members >

23 www.tamron.be

De Beukelaer & Co. nv/sa - Boomsesteenweg 77 - B-2630 Aartselaar - www.debeukelaer.be

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