EEEcccooonnnooommmiiiccc IIInnnttteeegggrrraaatttiiiooonnn:: TTThhheee NNNeeewww RRReeefffooorrrmmm PPPaaarrraaadddiiigggmmm TTThhheee EEEBBBCCC RRReeepppooorrrttt ooonnn ttthheee JJJaaapppaaannneeessseee BBBuuusssiiinnneeessssss EEEnnnvvviiirrrooonnnmmmeeennnttt 222000000888 The European Business Council in Japan Registered as the European (EU) Chamber of Commerce in Japan Economic Integration: The New Reform Paradigm The EBC Report on the Japanese Business Environment 2008 The European Business Council in Japan Registered as the European (EU) Chamber of Commerce in Japan European Business Council in Japan (registered as European (EU) Chamber of Commerce in Japan) The EBC is the trade policy arm of the following European business organisations in Japan: Austrian Business Council Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Japan British Chamber of Commerce in Japan Danish Chamber of Commerce in Japan Enterprise Estonia Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan Hellenic Foreign Trade Board Iceland Chamber of Commerce in Japan Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in Japan Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Japan Polish Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Japan Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan Executive Operating Board Chairman: Richard Collasse Senior Vice-Chairman: Hans Tempel Vice Chairman: Duco B. Delgorge Executive Operating Board: Michael A. Loefflad (Austria) Duco Delgorge (Belgium/Luxembourg) Richard Thornley (Britain) Clas Eilersen (Denmark) Erik Ullner (Finla nd) Michel Theoval (France) Hans Tempel (Germany) Gerard Keown (Ireland) Paolo Mattioli (Italy) Ronald Scherpenhuijsen Rom (Netherlands) Thorstein Strand (Norway) Mats Bruzaeus (Sweden) Alberto Groff (Switzerland) Executive Director: Alison Murray Policy Director: Jakob Edberg Executive Policy Officer: Bjorn Kongstad Communications Manager: Yoko Hijikuro About the EBC: The European Business Council (EBC) is the trade Economic Integration: The New Reform Paradigm: policy arm of the 18 European national chambers of The EBC Report on the Japanese Business Environment commerce and business associations in Japan. Established in 1972, the EBC works to improve the trade 2008 and investment environment for European companies doing business in Japan. The EBC currently represents some 3,000 local European companies and individuals who are members Editor and Principal Author: Jakob Edberg of their national chambers of commerce. Around 360 of the companies participate directly in the EBC’s 29 industry committees, whose work aims to improve the local business environment in a wide variety of economic sectors. Copyright © 2007 by the European Business Council in Japan The EBC speaks from a platform based on member consensus, representing the common view of companies from a major economic region in the world and one of Japan’s most important trading partners. All rights reserved The EBC works closely with the Delegation of the European Commission in Japan and the embassies of European countries to co-ordinate policy proposals and facilitate European business in Japan. Published by the European Business Council in Japan Registered as the European (EU) Chamber of Commerce in Japan For more information on the EBC and its activities, please contact the EBC secretariat at the following address: Sanbancho POULA Bldg. 2F, 6-7 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075 Sanbancho POULA Bldg. 2F Tel: 03-3263-6222 Fax: 03-3263-6223 6-7 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075 Tel: 03-3263-6222 Fax: 03-3263-6223 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.ebc-jp.com E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.ebc-jp.com CONTENTS Message from the Chairman ...........................................................................................4 Message from the Executive Director.............................................................................5 Introduction ....................................................................................................................8 Business fundamentals Human resources ....................................................................................................16 Intellectual property................................................................................................18 Retail & wholesale..................................................................................................20 Legal services .........................................................................................................22 Tax..........................................................................................................................24 Financial services Asset management ..................................................................................................28 Banking...................................................................................................................30 Insurance.................................................................................................................32 Transportation and communications Airlines ...................................................................................................................36 Business aviation ....................................................................................................38 Logistics & freight..................................................................................................40 Media & communications.......................................................................................42 Shipping..................................................................................................................44 Telecommunications...............................................................................................46 Telecommunications equipment. ............................................................................48 Health science Animal health..........................................................................................................52 Medical diagnostics ................................................................................................54 Medical equipment .................................................................................................56 Pharmaceuticals ......................................................................................................58 Vaccines..................................................................................................................60 Consumer goods Cosmetics................................................................................................................64 Cut flowers..............................................................................................................66 Liquor .....................................................................................................................68 Organic products.....................................................................................................70 Food........................................................................................................................72 Industry Automobiles............................................................................................................76 Automotive components.........................................................................................78 Aeronautics.............................................................................................................80 Space.......................................................................................................................82 Defence...................................................................................................................84 Construction............................................................................................................86 Materials .................................................................................................................88 Environmental technology......................................................................................90 Appendices Endorsements..........................................................................................................93 Blue Star Sponsors..................................................................................................94 Special Sponsors.....................................................................................................99 Sponsors................................................................................................................101 Supporters.............................................................................................................103 Executive Operating Board...................................................................................104 Board of Governors ..............................................................................................105 Contents 3 Message from the Chairman It is my plea sure to introduce t he 2008 ann ual re port of th e Euro pean Business Council in Japan (EBC) on t he Japanese business environment: Economic Integration: The New Reform Paradigm. This report presents the views of Europ ean business in Japan on developments over the past year and our recommendations for future economic reforms. It also builds on o ur 20 07