JBCE Takes Part in 27th EU-Japan BRT

JBCE took part in the 27th EU–Japan Business Round Table on 16 April 2026!

JBCE President, Mikihito Saito, joined a high-level panel on Economic Security, alongside Roberto Viola (Director General, DG CNECT), Takehiko Matsuo (Vice-Minister for International Affairs, METI), Shigehiro Tanaka (Corporate Senior Executive Vice President and CGAO (Executive Officer), NEC Corporation), Masako Imamura (Head of Communications, Siemens K.K.) and Lasse Hamilton Heidemann (Senior Director for Outreach, DIGITALEUROPE).

JBCE was proud to co-chair Working Party 1 (Trade Relations; Investment and Regulatory Cooperation; Financial Services; Accounting and Taxation) together with the European Business Council in Japan (EBC). This year’s recommendations focused on strengthening competitiveness and economic security through deeper EU–Japan collaboration. Key priorities include:

• Inaugurating the EU-Japan Competitiveness Alliance with a joint understanding on competitiveness and economic security.
• Promoting fair markets through common non-price criteria.
• Jointly demonstrating a strong determination against protectionism, while ensuring regulatory predictability and avoiding excessive burdens in compliance requirements.
• Advancing Japan’s participation as an Associated Country to Horizon Europe.
• Enhancing EU-Japan collaboration on competitiveness and economic security by leveraging frameworks like the Economic Partnership Agreement, the High-Level Economic Dialogue and the Industrial Policy Dialogue.

A strong message emerged from the Working Party: expanding cooperation with like-minded partners is essential. A “Made with Common Values” approach, grounded in trust, openness, and shared principles, will be key to boosting competitiveness while safeguarding economic security.

Special thanks to the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation for organising a successful BRT and the European Business Council in Japan for the excellent cooperation.

JBCE looks forward to seeing the Working Party 1 and BRT joint recommendations translated into action and remains fully committed to strengthening EU-Japan relations, with common values at the core.