About: Japan
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.
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 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.
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 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.
EU-Japan one step closer to signing trade deal
The European Union and Japan will sign a political agreement during a summit on Thursday (6 June) that will pave the way towards inking a trade deal by the end of the year.
Malmström in Tokyo to clinch trade deal in time for G20
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker dispatched the EU's top trade officials to Tokyo Thursday (29 June) for crucial talks to seal a long-awaited deal with Japan.
EU-Japan trade deal learns nothing from ‘TTIP mistakes’
The European Commission is negotiating a free trade deal with Japan behind closed doors. Critics complain that Brussels has learned nothing from the controversy surrounding CETA and TTIP. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU, NATO condemn North Korea missile test as ‘threat to peace’
North Korea's test-firing of a ballistic missile constitutes a "threat to international peace and security" as Pyongyang ratchets up tensions in the region, the EU and NATO said yesterday (14 May).
Merkel encouraged US will consider EU free trade deal
German Chancellor Angela Merkel fueled expectations of a future EU-US trade deal on Sunday (23 April), saying she was "very encouraged" talks were being looked at after her recent trip to Washington.