Newsletter October 22

The Belgian Embassy kindly shared the attached information from ANA regarding 6 possible direct flights between Tokyo and Brussels during the year-end period.

At Brussels Airport you can take a COVID-19 PCR test. The COVID-19 Test Centre is located just outside the airport terminal (on the Departure level) and is open 7/7, from 3:30am till midnight. You should make an appointment online.

In its latest newsletter the EBC has shared the whole process for a short-term business trip.

On a different note, the EBC would like to hear from the BLCCJ members if you are using the EPA, and if you are facing any EPA issues or other non tariff barriers/regulatory issues.
We would appreciate it if you can share your feedback with us.

The BLCCJ would like to remind you of our upcoming Gala Ball “Back together” on Friday 27 November at the Conrad hotel.
Due to COVID-19, seats are limited to 160 this year (6 people per table) – already 100+ registrations have been received. So don’t wait too long to sign up!

Finally, here are some news headlines of the past days:

-Japan mulls lowering int’l travel advisories issued over pandemic (Kyodo News, Oct. 15)

-Japan, China may agree to restart mutual business travel in Oct. (Kyodo News, Oct. 20)

-Singapore, Hong Kong to create quarantine-free travel bubble (Kyodo News, Oct. 15)

-ANA to book record annual loss, shed half of large jets due to virus (Kyodo News, Oct. 21)

-JTB to shutter 20% of travel outlets in Japan in five years (The Asahi Shimbun, Oct. 18)

-Japan’s supermarket sales fall 4.6% in Sept. (Mainichi Japan, Oct. 21)

-Record 96,000 households receive gov’t support for rent amid pandemic (Kyodo News, Oct. 15)

-Over 25 mil. overnight stays covered by Japan travel subsidy campaign (Kyodo News, Oct. 20)

-JR East to bring forward last train departures on 17 lines in Tokyo (The Japan Times, Oct. 21)

-Suga to declare Japan will go carbon neutral by 2050 in policy speech (Mainichi Japan, Oct. 22)

-Japan to make plastic recycling mandatory for large corporate users (Kyodo News, Oct. 20)

-Japan expects fewer newborns in 2021 as pandemic affects pregnancies (Kyodo News, Oct. 21)

Take good care!

The BLCCJ office