About: Japan
Honda’s electrifying Europe plans for 2025
At the Geneva Motor Show, Japanese car giant Honda pledged on Tuesday (5 March) to sell only electric cars in Europe by 2025. It also unveiled its first full electric battery car for European production.
Japanese village hits 81% recycling rate, aims for 100% by 2020
A Japanese village aims to be the first zero waste municipality in the world by 2020 and has already reached an 81% recycling rate. A member of the Japanese Zero Waste Academy told EURACTIV that the feat is replicable elsewhere.
Japanese giants team up to build batteries, battle China and Tesla
Carmaker Toyota and electronics titan Panasonic will pool resources and build electric vehicle batteries together as of 2020, according to sources familiar with the planned joint venture.
Malmström visits Washington as potential tariffs on cars overshadow trade talks
EU Commissioner for trade Cecilia Malmström travels to Washington on Tuesday (8 January) for a new round of trade talks with US officials, as potential tariffs on cars hold on European industry’s head.
MEPs clear EU-Japan trade deal for early 2019 start
After almost five years of negotiations, the European Parliament ratified the EU-Japan trade deal on Wednesday (12 December), sealing the biggest ever trade agreement negotiated by the European Union. VideoPromoted content
The EU-Japan EPA: A Springboard for a Freer, Fairer and more Open Trading System?
The economic relations between the EU and Japan have been strong for a long time, but are now about to take new steps forward as they have concluded an Economic Partnership Agreement that significantly will reduce barriers to trade.
Brussels ministerial paves the way to launching EU Central Asia strategy
The European Union is expected to define its strategy for Central Asia in early 2019. A preparatory meeting between the EU and the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) took place in Brussels on Friday (23 November).
EU-Japan free trade deal threatens the fight for legal timber
While moves towards greater international cooperation are welcome, the EU’s growing number of new free trade deals must be scrutinised. And in the case of the Japan-EU free trade agreement, the deal’s impact on the fight against illegal timber is a pressing concern, writes Perrine Fournier.
EU-Japan trade deal first to carry Paris climate clause
The world’s largest ever trade deal is also the first Europe has signed that commits both parties to upholding the UN climate accord. EURACTIV's media partner Climate Home News reports.
Iceland pledges inquest after blue whale scandal
Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir confirmed at last week's NATO summit that her country would launch an investigation into Iceland’s controversial whaling industry, following the killing of what is thought to be a protected blue whale.
EU, Japan to sign massive trade deal as US puts up barriers
The European Union's top officials arrive in Japan Tuesday (17 July) to sign the single market's biggest trade deal ever and present a united front as Washington upends the international trade order.
Commission rules out any concession to avoid Trump’s tariffs
EU commissioner for trade Cecilia Malmström demanded on Wednesday (18 April) a “permanent and unconditional” exemption from US President Donald Trump´s tariffs and said the UE would not negotiate anything "under threat”.
Free trade agreements struggle to convince on social, environmental standards
There are real concerns about the lowering of social and environmental standards in free trade agreements, and NGOs and economists point out the lack of binding control mechanisms in trade deals. EURACTIV.fr reports.
Political analyst: In Central Asia, the personality factor is very important
A change at the helm of Uzbekistan 18 months ago became a game-changer and greatly improved relations in Central Asia, where the personality factor remains very important. In an interview, researcher Anastassiya Reshetnyak assesses the geopolitical situation, relations in the region and with the EU.
Trump signs sweeping tariffs, defying trade war warnings
US President Donald Trump slapped steep trade tariffs on foreign steel and aluminium yesterday (8 March), drawing sharp protests from allies at home and abroad as the contentious move raised the spectre of a global trade war.
Brexit to decide future of Japanese car industry in the UK
Japanese car manufacturers with most of their production sites in the UK will lose access to the single market following Brexit, and are consequently threatening to leave. EURACTIV.fr reports.
UN’s Guterres warns against ‘sleepwalking’ into war over North Korea
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, warning against the danger of “sleepwalking” into war, said today (14 December) that Security Council resolutions on North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs must be fully implemented by Pyongyang and other countries.
EU-Japan Relations: Time for a Boost
The EU and Japan are cooperating on multiple fronts but there is much more these two strategic partners could be doing together, writes Fraser Cameron.
EU-Japan free trade deal still pencilled in for end of 2017
EU trade chief Cecilia Malmström on Friday (17 November) reconfirmed that her team wants to wrap up an agreement with Japan before the end of the year.
Mercury trade on the up despite new UN treaty
Mercury mining has skyrocketed in the last five years, according to a new UN report, despite efforts to reduce supply.
MEPs fear exposure to radioactive ‘Fukusushi’ if EU relaxes Japan import controls
The European Parliament’s environment committee (ENVI) adopted on Thursday (7 September) a resolution condemning the Commission’s plans to relax controls on the radioactivity of Japanese food and feed imports following the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
Katainen suggests dropping investment from trade deals
The European Union could drop investment from major free trade deals in an effort to ease ratification, Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen said on Monday (10 July) as Brussels is set to begin talks on the issue with Japan.
EU, Japan pledge to tie the trade knot within months
The European Union and Japan have agreed the broad lines of a trade deal on Thursday (6 July), promising to iron out the last details within months.