Sharing the dream - Tokyo 2020 - By Mr Philippe Vander Putten, CEO BOIC (Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee) - Belgium-Japan ...
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Toegelaten gesloten verpakking: GENT X 03/50
PB- PP B- 00043
BELGIE(N) - BELGIQUE
Belgium-Japan Association
Chamber of Commerce
TRADE FLOWS & CULTURAL NEWS Number 115 - June 2017
EDITORIAL
Sharing the dream – Tokyo 2020
By Mr Philippe Vander Putten, CEO BOIC (Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee)
On 7 September 2013, our compatriot Jacques Rog- one’s encouragement and support, including from
ge, Honorary President of the International Olympic the corporate world.
Committee, revealed Tokyo as host city for the 2020 The BOIC has already signed several strategic coop- By Mr Philippe Vander Putten
Olympic Games (100 years after the Olympic Games eration agreements, including with All Nippon Air-
took place in Antwerp in 1920). Since that day, To- ways (ANA). This partnership will largely contribute In this issue
kyo 2020 is working hard to make the Games - the to creating an optimal, stimulating and comfortable
largest event of the world - the most innovative ever. environment for the athletes, allowing them to pre- 2 Tokyo 2020 Olympics
3 Yokoso Festival
Although the distance between Brussels and To- pare their competitions under optimum conditions 4 Tokyo Street Food
kyo is more than 9.000 km, our countries have a and perform at their best during the next Olympic 5 Security Seminar
strong historical bond. Last year, Their Majesties Games. As mentioned by His Excellency Mr Masa- 6 United Fund for Belgium,
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were invited to fumi Ishii, Japanese Ambassador in Belgium, in the 8 Japanese tea
9 News from the members
Japan to celebrate 150 years of diplomatic relations December Editorial: “Let us make the best use of 12 Gagaku & Budo
between our countries. We share a passion for tech- the direct flight and I am sure 2020 Tokyo Olympics 13 EU-Japan news
nology and innovation, many Belgian companies will help boost our exchange even further.” 15 Umicore news
belonging to the top of the international technologi- 16 Friendship Committee
Events
cal industry. Furthermore, through the framework of the Belgium- 17 News for the members
Japan Association & Chamber of Commerce (BJA), 20 Annual General Assembly
But Japan and Belgium also have a passion for the BOIC offers companies the opportunity to con- Meeting
sport. The mission of the Belgian Olympic and In- nect with Team Belgium by participating in unique 22 Personalia
terfederal Committee (BOIC) is to contribute to the events and linking their company with Team Bel-
image of a successful country by increasing consid- gium and the Olympic Rings.
Advertising rates
erably the number of Team Belgium athletes in the
world top 8 at the Olympic Games. We consider the Our partnership with BJA adds to both organiza- 4 issues (March, June,
values of excellence, friendship and respect of para- tions’ endeavors to elevate the friendship between September & December)
mount importance. Japan and Belgium, a friendship which has arisen
from our strong bond and mutual respect. It will 1 page ..................... € 3.500
Moreover, Belgium has good memories of the for- further strengthen our relationship in various fields, 1/2 page ................. € 1.600
mer Games in Japan’s capital in 1964. It was in and will certainly enrich our actions and compe-
Tokyo that Gaston Roelants won the gold medal in tences, not only for Tokyo 2020, but also after the contact: BJA Office
avenue Louise 287, box 7
the 3.000m steeplechase and that Patrick Sercu Olympic Games.
1050 Brussels
brought home gold in cycling. Both gold medalists
will of course be invited to Tokyo in 2020. Belgium has great sport talents and our Team Bel- info@bja.be
gium athletes look forward to participate in the T 02/644 14 05
The past summer Olympic Games in Rio were a great Olympic Games in beautiful Japan. Top athletes are
success for Team Belgium: 6 medals and 40% of our our core business, let us help them in making their
athletes in the Top 8. We will strive to do even better Olympic dream come true. Thank you for sharing
in Tokyo. That is why Team Belgium needs every- their dream!
Resp. editor: A. Kellens | 287, avenue Louise bte 7 | 1050 Brussels | T +32 (0)2 644 13 33 E info@bja.be
BJA quarterly newsletter | driemaandelijks tijdschrift (maart - juni - september - december) | Afgiftekantoor: Gent x
Belgium-Japan Association & Chamber of Commerce | Royal Association | Founded in 1963
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BJA REPORT
Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Meet Team Belgium!
Tokyo 2020 :
Thursday, 23 February 2017 – BOIC, Brussels
BJA members enjoyed a light lunch while networking with the BJA members listening to the insightful presentation from BOIC’s CEO 2016 judo Bronze Medallist Dirk Van Tichelt sharing his experience
athletes and the BOIC. Mr Vander Putten. of the Games.
Thanks to the generous support of the Belgian Olympic & In- To close the session, the three athletes shared their experience
terfederal Committee (BOIC), the BJA had the pleasure to invite of the 2016 games and their hopes for the Tokyo 2020 games
over 60 members to BOIC HQ for a seminar on the opportuni- with the members, who had the occasion to take pictures with
ties and benefits of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for companies. them and see the famous medals up-close!
Before the seminar, the members could enjoy a light lunch and
meet three Belgian Athletes of London 2012 and Rio 2016: Ms
Ann Zagré (110 hurdles), Mr Simon Gougnard (2016 Silver med-
allist in hockey) and Mr Dirk Van Tichelt (2016 Bronze medallist
in judo).
Mr Philippe Vander Putten, CEO of BOIC opened the seminar with
some remarks on Team Belgium’s past performances and future
challenges, followed by HE Mr Ishii, now former Ambassador of
Japan to Belgium, on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Mr Rob Vanhees,
Marketing & Partnerships Manager of BOIC then gave a presenta- Mr Oji Hitomi, President and Managing Director of Sumitomo Benelux & BJA Board Member, 2016
tion on Tokyo 2020 & Team Belgium: opportunities & benefits. hockey Silver Medallist Simon Gougnard and Olympian 110 hurdles Ann Zagré
2
ARTICLE
Yokoso Festival – 25 years Japanese Garden in Hasselt
By Ms Sara Davidson, Coordinator of the Japanese Garden
In 2017 we celebrate the 25th anniversary of our Japanese Gar-
den in the city of Hasselt. The garden will be full of people and
fun events throughout the year. Earlier this year we celebrated
the beautiful cherry blossoms in traditional Japanese fashion
with a big festival.
Unfortunately the blossoms went back to sleep and won’t
show again until next year’s spring. But this doesn’t mean that
our garden does! The Japanese garden in Hasselt, is the big-
gest one of its kind in Europe and forms the perfect setting for
all of the following celebrations:
>> 2 June – 2 July: Exposition Kris Van de Sande
>> 7 June: Evening workshop ‘Evening photography’ in the
Japanese Garden
>> 11 June: Dansei Festival – Men’s day
>> 21 June: International Yoga Day
>> 24-25 June: Open Garden Days
>> 24-25 June: Koishow in the Kapermolenpark
>> 5 July: Evening workshop Haiku
>> 9 July: Tanabata – Festival of wishes These activities offer a variety of unique opportunities so ev-
>> 18-31 July: B-and-Bee spending the night in the garden erybody can find his or her perfect fit. For those of you who
>> 2 August: Evening workshop Origami, Kirigami, Kumihimo can’t decide, our personal favourites might be a guideline.
>> 5-20 August: Virga Jesse (Major street in the city center will During the Obon Matsuri, we open our doors in the evening to
be decorated in a Japanese fashion) offer our visitors a truly magical experience. The atmosphere
>> 6 August: Origami for peace created by the lanterns and decorations is unique and will give
>> 16 August: Obon Matsuri – Nocturne the visitors a fairy-tale like experience that they will not easily
>> 30 August: Evening workshop board games forget. During the festival you can submerge yourself in the
>> 2-3 September: Manga & Cosplay Festival Momiji-edition Japanese lifestyle by attending a Bon dance demonstration
>> 5 September – 31 October: Photography exposition Mu- or allowing a gifted storyteller to take you on a journey. The
nicipal Academy for the Fine Arts highlight of the night is when we burn the written wishes of
>> 16-17 September: Respect for the aged Day the festival in July and send them to the gods in order to make
>> 14-22 October: Chrysanthemum Festival them come true. This promises to be a spectacular sight.
>> 25 October: Evening workshop Japanese cuisine
>> 29 October: Flower offering ceremony Or what about the Chrysanthemum Festival in the fall? Where
>> 20 November: Birthday party Japanese Garden in the western culture this flower is often associated with fu-
nerals, in Japan it is the symbol of happiness and joy. This
flower, Kiku in the Japanese language, is even used as a sym-
bol of the emperor. Enough reasons to honour this beautiful
flower in our gardens and give it a place in the spotlights.
Of course we cannot place all of our events in the picture, oth-
erwise we would. But we hope to see you at a lot of them, so
you we can enjoy our magnificent garden together!
For more information:
3
ARTICLE
Tokyo Street Food
By Mrs Tomoko Kaji of Yamagata Europe
Tom Vandenberghe This is the 5th book in the Street Food series. After Bangkok, Hanoi,
Luk Thys Singapore & Penang and New York, this time culinary explorer Tom
Street Food Vandenberghe and food photographer Luk Thys journeyed to Japan
5 in search of new tales about cooking and eating. With their usual
eye for authenticity and nose for delicious food, they strolled the
Tom Kookstudio Eetavontuur bustling cities of Tokyo, Fukuoka and Osaka in their quest for culi-
Ramen (www.eetavontuur.be) nary discoveries.
3 Ramen Tom runs a cooking studio (‘Kookstudio Eetavontuur’) and a noodle
bar (‘Ramen’) in Ghent. At Ramen he offers authentic but original
Kookstudio Eetavontuur noodles, all handmade, and at Eetavontuur he organizes daily
cooking workshops on world kitchen, which are popular as events
with friends, or as team building with colleagues, etc. Last autumn
Haven( ) he also opened a lunch restaurant ‘Haven’ (which means ‘harbour’
or ‘port’), offering various Asian foods. It’s very rare for a non-Asian
chef to succeed in delicious Asian food. You can check out his web-
Tokyo site www.eetavontuur.be for more information.
鍜 2 This was Tom’s third visit to Japan. For this Tokyo edition, he was
also accompanied by Miho Shibuya and Tomoko Kaji – two Japa-
(www.gohan.be) nese ladies who have cooking in their genes. They both work for a
Tokyo Street Food Japanese company, in Antwerp and Ghent (Yamagata Europe) re-
spectively, but together they also run a modest catering business
Tom on the side, called Gohan (www.gohan.be).
Tokyo Street Food is not just a conventional cookery book with
recipes, but also contains travel stories and plenty of addresses
of places to go for great food. The first part of Tom’s Japan trip was
a kind of team building with his staff at Eetavontuur. Together they
discovered delicious dishes and cosy spots, not just in the big city
but also on the less beaten track. Apart from these food discov-
eries, you can read about their encounters, the warm hospitality
of the Japanese, splendid views, etc. For the second part he and
Luk were joined by Miho and Tomoko, and the four of them mainly
Tom’s story visited Osaka and Tokyo. Among many other places, they walked
through Tenjinbashisuji-shotengai, the longest shopping street in
Japan, and through a nice quarter with small restaurants in the Ten-
4 ma area of Osaka. In Tokyo they also paid a visit to small but cosy
izakaya’s, an old onigiri-restaurant in downtown Asakusa, food
1 trucks that appear at noon in a busy business district, and so on.
You can read all about this in the book, in the part called ‘Tom’s
story’. Tomoko writes about her childhood memories about food:
certain dishes, ingredients, smells, restaurants… She also explains
the difference between two types of okonomiyaki (Hiroshima style
and Osaka style).
So, Tom, Luk, Miho and Tomoko share their most remarkable find-
ings, the hottest addresses and the tastiest Japanese dishes, ac-
companied by beautiful pictures. It is not just interesting for people
who like to cook, but also for those who have travelled or would
like to travel to Japan. Immerse yourself in Japan’s inspirational
culture and gastronomy.
: www.lannoo.be/nl/tokyo-street-food
: www.lannoo.be/nl/tokyo-street-food-english-version
The original Dutch version and the English version are available from Lannoo:
www.lannoo.be/nl/tokyo-street-food
www.lannoo.be/nl/tokyo-street-food-english-version
4
BJA REPORT
Security Seminar
5
2017 420()
BJA( )
5
On April 20th 2017, the Belgium-Japan Association and Cham-
ber of Commerce organised a seminar in cooperation with the
Japanese Embassy and the Nihonjinkai, held at the Japanese
50 School in Brussels, on (personal) security matters. This semi-
nar was held in the Japanese language only with the aim to en-
PTA hance the awareness of the Japanese community in Belgium
on security measures. With a kind cooperation by the Police
department of the area of Auderghem, Uccle, and Watermael-
/ / Boitsfort communes, an advisor for protection on robbery and
5342 burglary gave a thorough presentation to over 50 participants
of the Brussels Japanese School, members of the Japanese As-
sociation in Belgium and the BJA.
5
ARTICLE
United Fund for Belgium, the link between companies and charity
By Mrs Catherine Alexandre, Executive Director of United Fund for Belgium
United Fund for Belgium helps companies and their staff to offer donations and
time to charitable causes, safe in the knowledge that this is being done in the most
effective and reliable way possible. Through the efforts of more than 50 compa-
nies, UFB is responsible for ensuring that around EUR 700,000 of donations are
well spent. These companies include members of the Belgium-Japan Association
& Chamber of Commerce, such as Japan Tobacco International, Linklaters or Marsh
& Mclennan. As a non-profit organization, United Fund for Belgium channels the
entirety of these donations to around 80 charity organizations. It finances concrete
projects focusing on 4 social areas: the reduction of poverty, child welfare, support
for handicapped children and adults, and social integration.
According to Catherine Alexandre, Ex- projects for support. UFB funds projects the Brussels Grand-Place, as well as in 5
ecutive Director at United Fund for Bel- in a balanced way in all regions and all individual studios elsewhere in the city.
gium, “Our partners and supporters are provinces of Belgium, and its represen- The home also provides meals and social
essential to our existence. United Fund tatives visit every association before any guidance in order to get people out of
for Belgium only exists thanks to its do- project is financed, to assist the asso- their situation. Its staff can offer help in
nors, which are all companies that are ciation and to ensure that the project is French, Flemish, Arabic and English, and
committed to being responsible corpo- worthy and viable. The members of the there is a weekly medical service.
rate citizens and making a positive im- Allocation Committee which selects the
pact in the communities in which they projects to be financed are all volunteers Last year, King Philippe visited the Home
operate”. She goes on explaining that, who have long been active in their local
“It is our role to create a direct link with communities and are very familiar with
the social network on behalf of the CSR charitable activities in their local areas.
departments of these companies. Every
year, thousands of persons benefit from This is important to Linklaters, an inter-
the actions we organize. We especially national law firm that wants to be an ac-
favour small and medium sized associa- tive and positive contributor to society
tions that do not dispose of a highly de- at large. As Linklaters says, “UFB has
veloped fundraising system”. proven over the past few years to be a
very reliable, well governed and profes-
Those remarks are echoed by Japan sional association that Linklaters can
Tobacco International: “It is fantastic trust”. Linklaters refers to “UFB’s excel-
that UFB screens and selects projects lent screening and selection skills in re-
throughout Belgium (the entire country) lation to charities”.
which are worthy of our support. That re-
assures us that the donations are well al- So, what kind of projects are financed
located. In addition, 100% of the dona- by UFB?
tions are distributed to charities and that As explained earlier, the focus is on
is exceptional”. Indeed, UFB distributes the reduction of poverty, child welfare, Baudouin to mark its 130th anniversary –
the full amount (100%) of the donations support for handicapped children and it is the oldest such shelter in Brussels.
it receives. It is able to do this because adults, and social integration. An excel- But the Home Baudouin had a very prac-
it covers its operational costs through lent example is the Home Baudouin, sup- tical problem. Its kitchen no longer satis-
special donations, proceeds from events ported by Japan Tobacco International fied the standards of the Federal Agency
and the income from an endowment (JTI). The Home Baudouin is a shelter for for Food Security (AFSCA). It needed
fund – the Martin Kallen Fund – that has people at the margin of society and in ur- renovation, which is where United Fund
been created for this purpose. Redistrib- gent need due to the misfortunes of life for Belgium - and Japan Tobacco Inter-
uting 100% of donations is unique in – whether due to family tragedy, addic- national - came in. Thanks to funding
Belgium. tion to alcohol or drugs, or other reasons. provided by Japan Tobacco International
It can provide accommodation for up to and its staff, the kitchen was fully reno-
Another particular feature of UFB’s ac- 70 people, spread over the three dor- vated and the vital work of the Home
tivities is the care with which it selects mitories of a building situated close to Baudouin could continue.
6
ARTICLE
Another example is the Marjan associa- a higher level of employee involvement,
tion based in Duffel, in the Province of or both. The UFB team acknowledges
Antwerp. Its activities include the provi- these trends, and wants to be respon-
sion of information, awareness raising, sive, whenever feasible, to requests
advocacy and lobbying for people with from CSR or HR departments of corporate
disabilities. It also organises all kinds of donors to give presentations, identify
activities for people with disabilities, in- particular types of social initiatives, and
cluding swimming for people with physi- help organize volunteering activities or
cal, sensory, cognitive, auditory or visual in-house campaigns.
impairments at the pool in Duffel. But it
is difficult for some people to participate Indeed, Linklaters’ experience shows that
in this enjoyable activity, simply because working with UFB need not involve only
there is no lift to help them in and out of making donations. Many people want
the water. The UFB is now helping to fi- to volunteer their time as well, and UFB
nance the installation of a lift. helps companies help their staff in doing
on child welfare, the reduction of poverty, exactly this. Linklaters has assisted UFB
In more detail, last year around 38% supporting disabled people and social by giving legal advice on a regular basis,
of the funds provided were meant for integration”. as well as by running the Brussels 20K
projects to support handicapped chil- race and participating in UFB’s Christmas
dren and adults, around 35% went to United Fund for Belgium tries hard to be market and Easter egg actions. In 2016,
child welfare, and around 27% to the responsive to the needs of the Corporate Linklaters also hosted UFB’s annual
reduction of poverty and the promotion Social Responsibility programmes of its “hand-over ceremony”, at which multiple
of social integration. This included 25 partners. Marsh & Mclennan, a group charitable organisations presented their
projects for the improvement of facilities active in businesses such as insurance activities and explained how the gifts re-
(kitchens, window frames, carpentry, broking, risk management, talent, health, ceived from UFB will benefit the people
etc.), 26 projects for specialized equip- retirement, investment and management they care for.
ment (lifting aids, adapted playground, consulting, explains that, “Our Corporate
material for physiotherapy rooms) and Social Responsibility programs are led Marsh & Mclennan has a similar perspec-
the provision of 35 specially adapted ve- from the top and focus on partnerships tive of its cooperation with United Fund
hicles (minivans, refrigerated food deliv- that make a lasting difference and we for Belgium. According to Jean-Pierre de
ery vehicles, etc.). want to help the local community. Since Chestret, the Chief Financial Officer of
2011, UFB is a solid partner, and we have Marsh Belgium, “We encourage people
In that context, Linklaters describes why a strong relationship, focus on Belgian to take one day, during their working
it works with UFB: “Our community in- charities. UFB makes a substantial differ- days, to be a volunteer. 42% of our em-
vestment programme in Belgium focuses ence to underprivileged people and com- ployees are engaged in these volunteers’
on two major themes: growing the capa- munities across Belgium and all the mon- days. And our annual engagement survey
bilities of non-profit organisations, and ey we give going directly into programs. shows that they are happier at work than
helping young people to realize their as- That is also important for us.” the others!”
pirations. The activities of United Fund for
Belgium fit perfectly into this programme, UFB recognises the desire on the part of If your company wants to help people in need in
and Linklaters fully endorses UFB’s mis- donors to enhance the quality of their Belgium by supporting United Fund for Belgium,
sion to efficiently support small- and corporate commitment, either by estab- please contact: C. Alexandre, Executive Director
medium-sized charitable institutions and lishing a closer relationship with some of UFB, tel 0475 919103.
projects located in Belgium with a focus the supported charities, or by stimulating
7
ARTICLE
There is tea, and there is tea, and then there is tea for Summer!
By Mr Michael van den Puttte of Azumaya Antwerp
Real Japanese green tea The best way to store the tea is in special
Many people who have visited Japan cans with double closure, or in re-clos- Cold brew
have noticed green tea tastes very differ- able packaging. For the best taste, fresh In cold brew, cold water is used to infuse
ent from what they are used to in Europe. tea leaves need to be used. the tea with cold water for several hours.
Once they have experienced the taste of Because of the cold water, the tannins
this real Japanese green tea, they also Hard vs soft are not released, so there will be no bit-
find it difficult to find this quality of green The water quality, temperature and infu- terness. On the other hand the tea has
tea in Europe. sion time are very important. Hard water up to 24 hours time to release its flavor,
will give little umami taste, which is an so it has a very rich taste. Sencha Fuka-
important aspect of Japanese green tea. mushi is a very good tea for this: it has
Many tea drinkers in Europe use soft a strong taste, even when adding ice
mineral water, like Spa or Mont Roucous. cubes it will keep its taste.
An even better way of preparing the wa-
ter is to use Nanbu Teki, a Japanese high
quality iron that improves the water qual-
ity drastically.
How to brew the tea
After boiling the water with Nanbu Teki,
depending on the kind of tea, the water
Black tea vs green tea is cooled down before making the tea.
To find out where this problem comes
from, it is important to understand the Many Europeans think green tea is bitter.
difference between black tea and green This is because the water used is too hot,
tea. Black tea is oxidated under con- or the tea is infused for too long. Then
trolled circumstances in the country of too many tannins are released, and the
origin. By oxidating the tea, it can be tea will indeed be bitter. Every tea has its
transported and stored open to air. In specifics, but as a rule of thumb you can
Europe, the tea business as well as the use these guidelines:
consumers know the handing of black >> Sencha: 1-2 minutes, water 65-75°
tea and herbal infusions, which are often >> Hojicha, Bancha, Genmaicha: 2-5
stored and treated open to air for years. minute , water 90° Gyokuro can also be infused with cold
>> Gyokuro: 3 minutes , water 50° water. Because of the high quality of
In Japan, the process of steaming is kept Gyokuro, it will have a great taste already
very short. After steaming the tea is dried, Cold tea in Summer after 15 minutes of infusion. In very hot
rolled and packed in sealed packaging. Summer can be a difficult period for tea climate condition, like in Kyoto, they
Usually everything is done in 1 day: har- lovers. Many people prefer cold drinks even infuse Gyokuro using ice cubes in-
vest in the morning, then steamed dried instead to hot ones during hot summer stead of water!
and packed on the same day. days. Many of the commercially available
ice tea in Europe are not tasty and con- Cocktails
Because green tea is steamed to stop the tain huge amounts of sugar. In Japan you Finally, you can even use
oxidation, it needs to be protected from can buy sugar-free green tea everywhere, the cold green tea for cock-
exposure to air. This is why storage is cru- but these are very difficult to find in Eu- tails! Try mixing 24 hr. in-
cial to preserve the freshness and taste rope. But don’t despair: there is an easy fusion Sencha Fukamushi
of the tea. Many European tea drinkers solution to make good Japanese ice tea with gin and sake, for a dry
store green tea in the wrong way, be- yourself: cold brew. Martini. If you prefer a more
cause they do not understand the dif- sweat cocktail, you can add
ference. Japanese green tea is very sen- a drop of lemon syrup to
sitive to exposure to air, humidity and sweeten it up.
sunlight. It is advised to open only one Cheers!
or 2 packs at the same time, and to finish
it within 4-6 weeks. This is why Japanese For more information, please
green tea is often sold in smaller sealed contact Michael@azumaya.eu or
packaging. visit www.azumaya.eu
8
NEWSLETTER
news from the members
FULL-SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY VINTAGE PRODUCTIONS
CELEBRATES ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Vintage Productions is located in Ant- been a pioneer in digitizing communi- PCs. As well as that, we offer our own
werp, Belgium, and provides multina- cation. After the CD-ROM, we took the e-learning platform, which is developed
tionals with integrated communication next big step by developing an online in-house.”
concepts and tools to get their mes- platform which serves as a central re- And it doesn’t stop there. Nowadays,
sages across. Today, on the occasion of pository of marketing information for communication is constantly exploring
Vintage’s 25th anniversary, CEO Claudia our clients.” new horizons. “Our focus has also shift-
Voss takes the time to look back at 25 ed to Virtual Reality,” she continues.
years of international communication. Cross-platform interactive tools “From a communication point of view,
“It’s incredible how drastically commu- Later on, Vintage invested heavily in 3D VR [Virtual Reality] improves the user
nication has evolved,” she says, “and virtualization and online, interactive experience enormously. For one of our
it’s still changing rapidly. I remember, tools as part of marketing communica- clients, we are currently working on a
about fifteen years ago, how revolution- tion. “It took us years of studying and VR project which will certainly set a new
ary it was when we introduced Ricoh continuous development of skills to benchmark and prove our capabilities
and Honda to CD-ROM as a new way reach the top-quality level that we of- once again.”
to distribute press information at fairs. fer today,” Claudia Voss says, “but we
Those were the good old days, when took the right decision! Vintage was Vintage’s products and services range
the entire Vintage team was involved in one of the first agencies to provide 3D from corporate identity design and
packing CD discs and booklets in our of- photo-realistic images, state-of-the-art brochures to websites, animations, e-
fice kitchen.” animations, responsive websites and learning tools, augmented reality apps
interactive brochures that can be used and more. Visit www.vintage.eu to see
“As a matter of fact, Vintage has always on iOS and Android tablets as well as some reference cases.
NIPPON EXPORT AWARD 2017-2018
The Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Conditions for Application
Commerce in Japan (BLCCJ) is happy to >> The award is open to any company ex-
announce the 9th edition of the Nippon porting to Japan, importing into Japan tion will be based on the following cri-
Export Award. With this prize we want or distributing within Japan, Belgian- teria:
to reward those companies that have Luxembourg products/services (so >> The presence in the Japanese market
made significant achievements in ex- non-members are welcome too) and the company significant achieve-
porting to Japan, importing into Japan, >> Companies must have been actively ment (either growth or size) in trade
or distributing within Japan, Belgian- exporting to Japan, importing into Ja- with Japan.
Luxembourg products or services. pan or distributing within Japan for a >> Showing vision in new niche markets,
minimum of 3 years. daring innovation to embark on new
Where and when? >> Companies without representative of- opportunities.
A first selection of 3 candidates will be fice in Japan are also eligible >> Perseverance in the conquest of the
made by the BLCCJ Organizing Commit- >> Previous winners can only reapply market, adaptation of the products
tee in September, the final winner will four years after their last participa- and services to the Japanese taste
be chosen by a professional jury after tion. and standards.
jury presentations in October. The of- >> Originality of approach (marketing,
ficial announcement of the winner will Selection Criteria distribution, environment protection,
take place during the annual BLCCJ gala The winning company will be the one design, research…)
ball in November, and will be confirmed who has shown the greatest export >> The company’s spirit (marketing, mer-
at an award ceremony at the Belgian or achievements in its sector. The selec- chandising…)
Luxembourg Embassy before the end of
the year.
For more information please contact the BLCCJ office:
E-mail: info@blccj.or.jp, Tel: +81 (0)3 6457 86 62
Website: blccj.or.jp/nippon-export-award 9
NEWSLETTER
news from the members
JAPANESE GARDEN FROM KANAZAWA OPENED AT GHENT UNIVERSITY
In 2016, the city of Kanazawa presented a Japanese garden to Kanazawa, the Japanese ambassador and the dean of the Fac-
the city of Ghent to celebrate 45 years of sister city relations, ulty of Arts and Philosophy. Its name, “Ranshô”, alludes to the
as well as to mark 150 years of diplomatic relations between teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius, who taught
Japan and Belgium. The garden was first built by Japanese gar- his students: “Even a river as big as the blue river will start as
deners from Kanazawa for the 2016 Floralies flower exhibition a small beck, which is not deeper than a cup of water.” The lay-
at the historical Bijloke site in Ghent and has now found its out of the garden refers to Kanazawa’s famous Kenroku garden
final location at the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy of Ghent as well as to the city’s traditional crafts and arts.”
University, which is also home to the Institute of Japanese
Studies. The garden was now officially opened by the mayor of See also: www.southandeastasia.ugent.be/Ransho_tuin
ISTART DESK – A “ONE-STOP” SOLUTION FOR INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND
SETTING UP YOUR BUSINESS IN BELGIUM
In April 2017 a partnership between Mul- companies with their international em- have both serviced many Japanese com-
tiburo and Be Welcome, resulted in the ployment questions and assisting new panies over the past years. With their
launch of a new concept “iStart Desk” & foreign investors in Belgium. “iStart Desk” concept they hope to ser-
with offices in Brussels and Antwerp. vice the Japanese companies in Belgium
The “iStart Desk” office in Antwerp was in an even more efficient way.
A perfect match between complemen- opened by Mr Marc Van Peel – Port Al-
tary services of Multiburo, with 30 years derman and Chairman of Antwerp Port For more information, please contact:
experience in flexible office solutions Authority during an exclusive network >> Mr Marc Van Hoof
and Be Welcome, a specialist in interna- event on April 27th. In September, a net- Be Welcome – iStart Desk
tional employment services & business work event will be organized in the Brus- >> Mrs Vicky Stroobants
start-ups. sels “iStart Desk” offices. Multiburo – iStart Desk
Website : www.istartdesk.com
This new concept will be the first “one- Be Welcome, being a BJA & committee Tel.: +32 3 304 96 00
stop” solution in Belgium, supporting member for many years, and Multiburo, Email: info@istartdesk.com
GOLF TO TOKYO - WITH THOMAS PIETERS & NICOLAS COLSAERTS
By Team Belgium
The BOIC already has its preparations Nicolas Colsaerts, Thomas Detry, Chloë players costs €2,020. You have the op-
fully underway for the next summer Leurquin and numerous other Olympi- tion to play with an Olympian in your
Olympics, both in terms of sporting ans. team. Thanks to your participation, your
events and fund raising, in order to sup- company is supporting Team Belgium
port our athletes better than ever before Practical info on the Road to Tokyo. For further info,
on their preparation for the Olympic >> Monday 04/09/2017 – 11 am to 11 pm visit the website teambelgium.be or
Games in Tokyo in 2020. >> Château golf de la Tournette in contact l.benlahssen@olympic.be.
Nivelles
Given that golf will be in the spotlight >> Format : 4 balls 2 best balls
more than ever before at Tokyo 2020, >> Star chef dinner
the BOIC organises the next Golf to To-
kyo on Monday 4 September in Château Be one of the happy few
golf de La Tournette (Nivelles), an exclu- You have the opportunity to take
sive golf tournament in the presence of part in this unique event with
Belgium’s golfing elite Thomas Pieters, your company. One team of 4
10NEWSLETTER
news from the members
FIVE-YEAR DEAL FOR PIONEERING RESEARCH CENTRE IMEC
Flanders has renewed its five-year agree- “This is Flanders’ best business card,” With the extra means, we’ll be able to do
ment with the technology innovation cen- said Muyters. “We need to guarantee this more efficiently than ever before.”
tre imec, increasing its financial support that it can maintain its high level of per-
from €79 million to €108 million a year. formance. Most importantly, the extra €29 Research has shown that each €1 invested
Innovation minister Philippe Muyters million is also meant to develop services in imec leads to €11 of added revenue and
signed the agreement this week at the to support local players.” €6 of extra investment in new jobs. Togeth-
Flanders After Tomorrow conference, held er, imec and iMinds have created 78 spin-
in Ghent’s opera house. Imec applies for 120 patents a year. Its offs, of which 60 are still in operation.
annual revenue runs close to half a bil-
The Leuven-based nano-technology re- lion euros, 80% of which comes from Eight of these presented their products
search centre merged with Ghent’s iMinds contracts with major international tech- at Flanders After Tomorrow. NeoScores, a
incubator last year, adding business de- nology companies, creating 6,000 jobs in digital platform for sheet music based in
velopment to its portfolio – a combination Flanders. Kontich, Antwerp province, demonstrated
the government of Flanders is now keen to its abilities with a live concert. Hasselt
capitalise on. World renown start-up Airobot presented its collision
“Everyone at Stanford University and avoidance software for drones used in
Muyters said that it’s time for Flemish com- in Silicon Valley knows our name, even building inspection, and Small Town He-
panies to make the shift to Industry 4.0, though there’s no imec in California,” said roes from Ghent gave an exclusive preview
the current trend of automation and data imec’s general director, Luc Van den Hove. of its platform combining kids’ TV with on-
exchange in manufacturing technologies. “So we attract innovation from around the line messaging.
The signing of the funding agreement gives world. Now we need to exploit our position
Source: www.flanderstoday.eu/innovation/
the task of facilitating this shift to imec. to the benefit of the Flemish economy. five-year-deal-pioneering-research-centre-imec
NEW ARRIVAL!
PREMIUM JAPANESE SAKE FROM FAMILY BREWERY KONISHI
Konishi Brewing Company is one of Ja- The household brand Shirayuki (“White About Brewery Het Anker
pan’s oldest sake breweries, with a family Snow”) is based on this family tradition Het Anker started brewing
history going back to the year 1550. The and age-old brewing techniques. The beer 5 generations ago in
brewery is in the hands of the 15th gen- brewery also produces a range of innova- the Grand Beguinage of
eration today. tive, premium sake which is sold under Mechelen. Over the years,
the family name “Konishi”. it developed into an in-
ternationally renowned
In 1988, leading to the sistership relation brewery. To this day, the
between the cities of Hasselt and Itami, traditional recipes remain
Konishi pioneered the import of Belgian the foundation of the brewing process
specialty beers to Japan. Among the and a variety of hops and spices gives
imported beers are the award-winning the beers their characteristic taste and
“Gouden Carolus” beers of Het Anker, the aroma. Visitors can unwind at the on-site
city brewery of Mechelen. brasserie and hotel or visit the nearby
whisky distillery. The guided brewery
The long-standing personal relationship tour can be booked every day of the week
between both family breweries and the (excl. Mon). For more information, check
solid belief in the quality of each other’s www.hetanker.be.
products results in this new exchange:
starting May 2017, Het Anker will start the For any sake-related inquiries, please
distribution of Konishi’s premium sake in contact Het Anker by email:
the Benelux. info@hetanker.be
11BJA REPORT
Gagaku & Budo: Japanese court music and martial arts performance
Sunday, 29 January 2017 – Bozar, Brussels
In the spirit of the 150th anniversary of diplomatic & cultural
relations between Belgium & Japan, Meiji Jingu, a prominent
Shinto shrine in Tokyo, decided to showcase performances of
Gagaku (Ancient Imperial Court Music and dance) and Budo
(Martial Arts), two of the jewels of Japanese tradition and cul-
ture to the Belgian public. The BJA had the pleasure to invite
80 members to attend this exceptional event.
After some welcome words by Mr Masahiro Sato, Director of the
Meiji Jingu Intercultural Research Institute and an introductory
film about the Meiji Jingu shrine’s history and missions, Prof.
Dr. Andreas Niehaus, of the Department of Japanology of the
Ghent University, explained to the audience the history of
Gagaku and the various instruments used by the ensemble.
Following these explanations, the audience could admire
three short Gagaku performances by Shinto priests and shrine
maidens of Meiji Jingu in full costume. The event ended with a
dazzling demonstration of Aikido and Kenjutsu by the masters
of the Meiji Jingu Budojo.
12NEWSLETTER
EU-Japan news
THE EU GATEWAY TO JAPAN: BUSINESS MISSION ON RAILWAY TECHNOLOGIES & SERVICES
27 NOVEMBER – 1 DECEMBER 2017
The EU Gateway to Japan is an initiative funded by the Euro- vices sector and the second mission to Japan.
pean Union to help high potential European companies estab-
lish long-lasting business collaborations and accelerate their The participating companies will travel to Japan to attend the
expansion into the Japanese market. The programme will orga- Mass-Trans Innovation Trade Fair with a built-up booth, hold
nise 12 market-scoping missions in the next 3 years. pre-arranged business to business meetings and attend a net-
working reception. You can find the Business Mission Informa-
EU Gateway | Business Avenues will hold a Market Scoping tion via following URL.
Mission in the Railway Technologies & Services sector, from
27 November – 1 December 2017 in Chiba City, in the Tokyo For more information
Metropolitan area, Japan. www.eu-gateway.eu/sites/default/files/collections/docu-
ment/file/Railway-Technologies-and-Services-Japan-Novem-
This will be the first mission in the Railway Technologies & Ser- ber-2017.pdf
25 YEARS OF COMMUNICATION with bite
As an independent full-service communication and marketing agency, Vintage Productions
Vintage Productions provides multinationals with integrated communication Lansstraat 3
concepts & tools that can be used throughout Europe. Ranging from corporate 2000 Antwerp
identity design, brochures and advertisements to websites and 3D animations, Belgium
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Make sure to check the reference cases on our website! www.vintage.euNEWSLETTER
EU-Japan news
COOPERATIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN COMMISSIONERS KUMAZAWA AND JOUROVÁ
On 20 March 2017, the Commissioner of the Personal Informa- the European Commission on 10th January, 2017 stated that
tion Protection Commission Japan (PPC) Haruhi Kumazawa the European Commission will actively engage with key trad-
and the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and ing partners starting from Japan in 2017, including by explor-
Gender Equality Vĕra Jourová held a cooperative dialogue on ing the possibility to adopt an adequacy finding. According
the personal data transfer between EU and Japan where the to that Communication, discussions on a possible adequacy
following issues were discussed. finding are a two-way dialogue that includes providing any
1. An enormous amount of trans-border data flows including necessary clarifications on the EU data protection rules in
personal information have been increasingly arising accom- view of the entry into application of the General Data Protec-
panied with the globalization of economic and social activi- tion Regulation. As such, Japan and the EU are sharing the
ties and the development of information and communica- same goal of realization of mutual and smooth cross-border
tions technologies. In this situation, as the EU and Japan transfer of personal data.
are mutually important partners, for the purpose of further With a view to improving the mutual understanding on
developments of both economies, it is highly important personal information protection systems, the Directorate-
to ensure mutual and smooth cross-border personal data General for Justice and Consumers and the Secretariat of
flow while guaranteeing a high level of protection of per- Personal Information Protection Commission have held co-
sonal information. This is also what Japanese and European operative dialogues vigorously.
stakeholders desire. Together, we also want to promote at 3. They agreed to intensify this cooperative dialogue and make
international level our common vision of how strong privacy efforts to build a consensus to realise mutual and smooth
standards, as a central factor for consumer trust, can con- cross-border transfer of personal data, including through
tribute to the further development of the data economy. further meetings between the European Commissioner and
2. So far, Japan’s objective has been to facilitate coordination the Commissioner of the Personal Information Protection
directed toward setting up a bilateral meeting on a regular Commission.
basis with the European Union, with putting into perspec- (…)
tive the possibilities of establishing a framework to enhance In relation to the above-mentioned dialogue, Prime Minister
mutual and smooth data transfer based on the PPC’s deci- Shinzo Abe at a Japan-EU Summit Meeting held in Brussels
sion “New Initiatives for Ensuring Smooth Cross-Border Per- on 21 March made his welcome remarks to the significant
sonal Data Flows”, made on 29 July 2016. progress underway by the Japan-EU personal data protection
Meanwhile, in the EU, the Communication “Exchanging and authorities.
Protecting Personal Data in a Globalised World” adopted by Source: www.ppc.go.jp/en/aboutus/roles/international/cooperation/20170320/
EU AND JAPAN CONCLUDE 18TH ROUND OF TRADE TALKS
The 18th round of negotiations between (Chief Negotiator) and representatives tual property rights, non-tariff measures,
the EU and Japan took place in Tokyo on from other relevant ministries and on the government procurement, and invest-
3-5 April 2017. This was the first round of EU side, Mr Mauro Petriccione, Deputy ment.
negotiation held since the leaders meet- Director-General, Directorate-General for The EU exports over €80bn of goods and
ing of 21 March 2017 between President Trade, the European Commission (Chief services to Japan every year. More than
Juncker, President Tusk and Prime Minis- Negotiator) and other representatives. 600,000 jobs in the EU are linked to
ter Abe during which they all reconfirmed Work progressed in a constructive atmo- exports to Japan. Japanese companies
their commitment to conclude the nego- sphere, with both sides working with a employ more than half a million people
tiations as early as possible. renewed sense of urgency in order to re- and form an integral part of the EU’s
The meeting was attended by, on the spect the objective set by the leaders to economy.
Japanese side, Ambassador Yoichi Su- conclude as soon as possible in 2017. All
Source:
zuki, Representative of the Government issues to be covered by the agreement trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.
of Japan for Free Trade and Economic were discussed, including the market cfm?id=1649&title=EU-and-Japan-conclude-18th-round-
of-trade-talks and http://www.mofa.go.jp/ecm/ie/pa-
Partnership Agreements Negotiations access for goods and services, intellec- ge24e_000205.html
14ARTICLE
A YOUNG BELGIAN PROFESSIONAL’S JAPAN ASSIGNMENT AND HIS ENCOUNTER WITH
JAPANESE BUSINESS CULTURE
By Mrs Yuri Kiyoshima, Consultant Immigration Services of Deloitte and BJA Editorial Committee Member
As an immigration and social security consultant at Deloitte His colleagues also introduced him to genuine Japanese cui-
Belgium, I am involved in the international mobility aspects sine during lunch times (in the centre of Tokyo, which is host
of Belgian professionals completing an assignment in Japan. to an extensive choice of restaurants!). Adriaan often joined
Together with our tax colleagues, we assist our clients and his colleagues for evening activities and during weekends,
their employees throughout the entire assignment cycle. We exploring more and more of the rich Japanese culture.
make sure that they are able to smoothly proceed with their
assignment and that their specific requirements are met Acclimatisation to local business culture is very important
while they are in Japan, in collaboration with our Japanese when working in Japan. Adriaan’s Japanese colleagues
colleagues. showed him how to greet a Japanese client during a client
visit, in addition to other important DOs and DON’Ts. For ex-
This article tells the tale of a young Belgian professional, ample, he learnt that in Japanese business culture, exchang-
Adriaan De Geyter, who recently returned from his 1-year- ing business cards is essential for a positive first impression
assignment in Japan. The article focuses on his experiences when meeting clients for the first time. These lessons were
and acclimatisation to Japanese culture and local business a good addition to some of the preparatory trainings he had
habits. already received from the Prince Albert Fund before his de-
parture.
Having obtained his Master in Engineering and General Man-
agement, and gaining a first working experience in the en- To further understand the culture and improve communica-
ergy and chemistry sector for three years, Adriaan felt that tion with clients and colleagues, he followed some evening
it was time to broaden his horizons. With a clear preference courses to learn the Japanese language. Despite the lan-
for a professional experience in Asia, he was successful in guage barrier, Adriaan was encouraged and helped by his
receiving a grant from the Prince Albert Fund (PAF). The PAF Japanese hosts and was able to act as a bridge between the
is dedicated to helping young talented Belgian profession- Belgian and the Japanese colleagues.
als acquire international project experience abroad. With
the grant secured, he approached Umicore, a Belgian-based During his assignment in Japan, Adriaan learned to adapt to
global materials technology and recycling group with op- the local culture and the Japanese way of working with cli-
erations in Japan among other countries. Their activities ents. Satisfying the demands of Japanese clients was a very
are seamlessly linked with Adriaan’s studies and initial ex- enriching experience for him.
perience. Given this clearly mutually beneficial opportunity,
Umicore and Adriaan decided to take up the challenge and One of the most important lessons from his assignment was
organised an international assignment in Japan. that building and maintaining long-term trustful relation-
ships with Japanese clients is crucial for business develop-
Umicore Japan has offices in Tokoname-city (Aichi Prefec- ment. Being adaptable to other cultures and environments
ture), Tokyo, Tsukuba (Ibaraki prefecture), and Himeji (Hyogo (in this case the unique Japanese culture) is crucial when
prefecture). During his assignment, Adriaan worked both at building a career, especially an international one. Adriaan’s
the Head Office in Tokyo and the Tsukuba Technical Center / Japanese experience and his newfound ability to view things
Plant. Umicore employs approximately 50 employees at their differently not only enhance his daily job performance at
Tokyo office, and Adriaan was one of the few foreigners dur- Umicore Belgium, but will also prove very useful for his future
ing that time. international ventures.
Adriaan received a warm welcome from his Japanese col- A big thank you to Mr Adriaan De Geyter, Value Chain Man-
leagues. They helped him with many practicalities, such as ager and Ms Ines Tomassi (Umicore International Mobility
finding his apartment, accompanying him to the city hall, etc. Manager).
15FRIENDSHIP COMMITTEE NEWS Friendship Committee
The objective of the Friendship Com-
mittee is to promote relations between
Friendship Committee Events
Belgians and Japanese living in Belgium
By Mrs Saori Nishida, Director Japan Connection through informal contacts. For that pur-
and BJA Friendship Committee Chair pose, the Friendship Committee mem-
bers organise regular activities of inter-
est to both communities. Activities are
Ukiyo-e exhibition – 12 February 2017 open to everybody. Family and friends
On Sunday, 12 February, the Friendship Committee visited the Ukiyo-e exhibition are very much welcome to share a won-
at the Cinquantenaire Museum as our first event of the year 2017. The museum derful time together.
has an enormous collection of Ukiyo-e prints – some of them are so rare and
precious that you cannot even find them in Japan. We spent a few hours there to
learn how Ukiyo-e is printed and to enjoy many beautiful Ukiyo-e prints.
Chair: Mrs Saori NISHIDA
>> Mr ADANT, WALTER
>> Mr BRAUWERS, PIERRE
>> Ms NAKAZONO, CHIHIRO
Visit to the Christmas Market – 11 December 2016 at St Catherine Square >> Ms NISHIDA, SAORI
On 11 December, the Friendship Committee organised its last event of 2016 and >> Ms RASSON, ANAÏS
visited the Christmas Market to see the Japan-inspired light show on the Saint >> Mr STEFANI, UMBERTO
Catherine Church facade, which was also a part of the celebration events mark- >> Ms VAN OVERSTRAETEN, MINAKO
ing the 150th year of friendship between Japan and Belgium. At the square in
front of the church, there were several stands selling Japanese food and drinks. Come join us on Facebook!
We surely enjoyed Belgian Christmas with a Japanese touch! www.facebook.com/groups/bja.fc
GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN -
SPRING 2017 CONFERMENT
OF DECORATIONS ON
FOREIGN NATIONALS
On April 29, 2017, the Government of
Ramen Night – 13 November 2016 at Kokuban Restaurant Japan has decided to confer Mr Jacques
Winter arrived in Brussels and we felt it was time to organise an event to warm Paul Beherman, Managing Director of
up. On 13 November, the Friendship Committee hosted Japanese noodles ‘Ra- Park Ragheno and former Director of the
men’ Night to enjoy the ramen and hot sake together. With a generous support Belgium-Japan Association and Cham-
from Kokuban restaurant at Schuman, 27 participants enjoyed several appetiser ber of Commerce (BJA) the Order of the
dishes, a bowl of ramen of their choice and hot sake. Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette for
Many participants enjoyed meeting new people. Love for ramen connected us his contribution to the strengthening of
and we all had a great time! economic relations between Japan and
Belgium.
The Belgium-Japan Association & Cham-
ber of Commerce would like to congratu-
late Mr Beherman for this prestigious
Decoration.
You can also find this message on the
Japanese Embassy’s website:
www.be.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/
news_170429.html
16NEWSLETTER
news for the members
OFFICIAL VISIT TO JAPAN OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF BELGIUM
A Belgian parliamentary delegation The last leg of the visit took the delega- of Music in Hiroshima, which was found-
headed by the Speaker of the House of tion to Hiroshima where Mr Bracke laid ed by a Belgian in 1947. The visit under-
Representatives, Mr Siegfried BRACKE, a wreath at the monument in the Hiro- lined the close relations and closed the
conducted an official visit to Japan from shima Peace Memorial Park to honour 150th anniversary year of friendship be-
26 February until 3 March, upon the in- the victims of the 1945 atomic bomb. tween Belgium and Japan.
vitation by the Speaker of the House of The visit was concluded with a visit and
Repesentatives of Japan, Mr Tadamori short concert at the Elizabeth University Source: Belgian Embassy in Tokyo Newsletter
OSHIMA.
After a ceremonial visit to the Meiji Belgian beer culture and amendment to the beer taxation regime in Japan
Shrine in Tokyo, Mr Bracke received an End of last year “Belgian beer culture” was added to the UNESCO ‘Representative List of the
audience by His Majesty the Emperor Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’. UNESCO was particularly impressed with the way
and met His Imperial Highness Crown the Belgian beer culture is intertwined with daily life. Making and appreciating beer is part
Prince Naruhito, Prime Minister Shinzo of the living heritage of a range of communities throughout Belgium and plays a role in daily
ABE and the President of the House of life, as well as for festive occasions. Almost 1,500 types of beer are produced in the country
Councillors. The parliamentary delega- using different fermentation methods.
tion also held meetings with the Europe In this context, we were all the more pleased with the approval by the Japanese Parliament of
Committee of Keidanren and with the an amendment to the Beer Taxation regime. Finally, different types of beer (fruit beers, wheat
Board Members of the Belgium-Luxem- beers, etc.), amongst which of course the Belgian beers, will be recognized in Japan as full
bourg Chamber of Commerce in Japan. beers, against a unified tax rate.
Besides Tokyo, the delegation also vis- Remarkably, the excellent timing of this vote coincided with the visit to Japan of a delegation
ited Kanazawa, the sister city of the Bel- of the Belgian House of representatives headed by its President, Mr Siegfried Bracke, and
gian city of Ghent, including visits to the added to the successful conclusion of the 150th anniversary of friendship between Belgium
famous Kenrokuen Gardens and the 21st and Japan.
Source: Belgian Embassy in Tokyo Newsletter
Century Art Museum.
AGREEMENT ON OOSTERWEEL ENDS TWO DECADES OF DISPUTE
The parties involved in negotiations munity groups – which formed specifi- The compromise covers the broad lines
over the Oosterweel Connection on cally to fight Oosterweel – because it of the Oosterweel Connection. Matters
the Antwerp ring road have agreed to brought heavy freight traffic through such as investment in public transport
the proposal drafted by the mediator populated areas of the city. A planned and other alternatives to the car, bud-
brought in by the government of Flan- viaduct, which would have passed over getary considerations and the enclo-
ders. The compromise was accepted by a school for disabled children, was sure of sections of the ring still have to
activist groups last month and has now struck down by the popular vote in a be worked out.
also been accepted by the government 2010 referendum.
and Antwerp’s city council. In the meantime, the agreement was
The proposal put forward by Flem- welcomed by Flemish minister-pres-
The Oosterweel Connection will close ish architect and mediator Alexander ident Geert Bourgeois, who thanked
the circle of Antwerp’s ring road, pro- D’Hooghe – brought in from the US the civil activist groups for their “spe-
viding a means for traffic from the port to develop a compromise option – re- cial expertise, admirable perseverance
area to travel north without having to placed the original plan with a two-part and readiness to seek a solution in the
drive in a large circuit around the ring solution. The original route would re- general interest”. The agreement was
as is now the case. main, but would be scaled back to serve also, he said, “a model for future co-
only local traffic; traffic from the port, operation”.
The original plan for the connection on the other hand, would be routed to a Source: FlandersToday
was fiercely opposed by three com- northern bypass far from the city centre.
17You can also read
