Newsletter 5 August
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We hope you are keeping cool in the summer heat!
Next week our office will take a short obon break, but here is the list of BLCCJ events to look forward to.
Upcoming BLCCJ Events
-BLCCJ Starters Thriday networking night
- Date: Thursday 6 August, 19:00-22:00
- Location: bar l’abreuvoir (Hongo-sanchome)
-BLCCJ Starters Morocco vs Belgium-Luxembourg Futsal Night
- Date: Thursday 13 August, 20:00-22:00
- Location: Futsal Club Tokyo (Setagaya)
- To register, please use this form.
-Godiva x Bernard Massard: A Sparkling Romance
- Date: Wednesday 19 August, 16:30-18:00
- Location: Godiva Japan office
- This event is FULLY BOOKED.
-Belgian Beer & Food Academy in Osaka
- Date: Wednesday 2 September, 18:30-22:00
- Location: Hilton Osaka, Windows 35F
- This is an official 160th anniversary event.
-Last call for Nippon Export Award 2026-2027
Bi-annual award for the most successful company in exporting to, importing into, or distributing within Japan, Belgian-Luxembourg products or services.
Grab your chance to win and apply before the deadline of Friday 4 September!
-Save-the-date! BJA x BLCCJ Webinar: The Japanese Government’s Growth Strategy 2026
- Date: Wednesday 9 September, 18:00-19:00 JST
- Location: online (Zoom)
-Save-the-date! After-summer Beer Gathering
- Date: Monday 14 September, 19:00-22:00
- Location: Shibuya Cast
- Date: Friday 18 September, 17:00-18:00 JST
- Location: online
- This is a webinar in the framework of the Asian BeLux Chambers network, hosted by BLCC Singapore.
-Save-the-date! Joint Chamber EU Cocktail 2026
- Date: Monday 19 October, 19:00-21:00
- Location: Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
-Save-the-date! 2nd 5K Fun Run & Networking
- Date: Saturday 24 October, 9:00-12:00
- Start/end: Decathlon office – course: Yoyogi Park
-BLCCJ Gala 2026: Friendships Across Centuries
Celebrating 160 years of BEL-JPN and 100 years of LUX-JPN relations
- Date: Friday 27 November
- Location: Conrad Tokyo
- EARLY BIRD fee (until 9/30): JPY 30,000 members and guests / JPY 35,000 non-members
More events are in the making, so keep an eye on our mailings, website, LinkedIn and Facebook pages for all the details!
News from and for the BLCCJ members
-We are happy to welcome a new member into the BLCCJ network:
Individual member Francky Van den Boogaert, Operational Care Director Sea Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel Ltd
We hope you all get to meet him soon!
-We have launched our renewed directory with a new, more modern design, whilst maintaining the features you are familiar with.
You will need to set a new password upon your first login.
So we kindly ask a few moments of your time to log in, make the necessary changes in your profile, and get to know the other BLCCJ members!
-BLCCJ corporate member Showtex Japan is looking for an Administrative Assistant.
Anyone interested should send their resume and motivation letter asap to info.jp@showtex.com
News from related organizations
-From 28 October to 4 November, the National Orchestra of Belgium will tour Japan as part of the celebrations marking 160 years of diplomatic relations between Belgium and Japan. The schedule is as follows :
- 28 October – Oita | iichiko Culture Center
- 30 October – Nagoya | Aichi Prefectural Arts Theater – Concert Hall
- 1 November – Kurashiki | Kurashiki Civic Hall
- 2 November – Tokyo | Sumida Triphony Hall
- 3 November – Mie | Mie Center for the Arts
- 4 November – Tokyo | Suntory Hall
More information will become available on the 160 years website.
Tickets are on sale already.
-The 5th Symposium for Belgian Studies : Commemorating 160 Years of Japan-Belgium Diplomacy and Friendship (12-13 December @ Meiji Gakuin University) is looking for sponsors.
If your company is interested to offer its support, please send back this sponsorship form by 30 September.
For more information, please contact the Executive Committee: eikos@jichi.ac.jp
-The Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office (LTIO) Tokyo office has published the July edition of its Crossroads newsletter.
If you are interested, please register here (at the bottom of the page) to receive the monthly newsletter.
-The TECC webinar “Introduction to Japanese Labor Law for International Companies (Part 2)” is open for BLCCJ members
- Date: Friday 7 August, 17:00-18:00
- Location: online
- Free of charge, but prior registration is required via this link
-The MIPRO Startup Seminar “Starting a Business in Japan: Company Incorporation and Essential Business Licensing” is open for BLCCJ members
- Date: Friday 4 September, 14:00-15:30
- Location: online (Zoom)
- Free of charge, but prior registration is required via this link
A few recent news headlines
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Japan proposes tougher income, pension rules for permanent residency (Kyodo News, 4 August)
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Japan farm, food exports up 10.9% to record high in 1st half of 2026 (kyodo News, 4 August)
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Japan, U.S. intervened in currency market for 1st time in 15 years (Kyodo News, 3 August)
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Takaichi pushes her food tax cut forward, vows strict 2-year limit (The Asahi Shimbun, 31 July)
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Japan hikes FY2026 average minimum wage guideline by 4.9% to 1,176 yen (Kyodo News, 29 July)
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Population of Japanese nationals dips below 120 mil. for 1st time in 42 years (Kyodo News, 29 July)
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Manneken-Pis dresses like a samurai to celebrate Japan-Belgium ties (NHK World – Japan, 1 August)
Please note that the BLCCJ office will be closed for Japanese obon holiday on 10, 11 and 14 August. We remain open on 12 and 13 August.
Enjoy the rest of the summer!