At the centre of Europe
Dai10 Daitetsu Bldg. 5F, Arakicho 23, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 108-0073
Tel: 03-6457-8662 • Fax: 03-6457-8663
Email: info@blccj.or.jp
Board Members
President: Fabrice Tilot (AAA Management)
Vice-President: Jan De Bock (Trainspot)
Secretary General: Bernard de le Court (PinguinLutosa)
Treasurer: Paul Brettnacher (ArcelorMittal)
Directors: Jean-Pierre Bernardino (Puratos Japan)
Emmanuel Caeymaex (UCB Japan)
Duco Delgorge (Mie Project)
Pieter De Weerd (Mercure Hotel Ginza/Accor)
Christophe Dubois (JTB-JAPANiCAN)
Claude Strobbe (Strobbe Trading International)
Olivier Vandercamme (BEA Japan)
Els Verhulst (ELT Consulting)
“We are very proud to be founding members of the EU,” says Fabrice Tilot, president of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Japan. Brussels, of course, is headquarters of the EU and geographically at Europe’s heart. “From Brussels, it’s an hour and a half to Amsterdam by car, two hours to Cologne, and two and a half hours to London and Paris,” says Tilot.
“Everyone knows Belgium as the land of chocolate and beer,” says Bert Winderickx, general manager of the BLCCJ. But as he points out, chemicals and pharmaceuticals actually make up the largest proportion of Belgian trade with Japan, and are also the biggest Belgian employers here.
While the products of brewer AB Inbev and chocolatier Godiva are renowned worldwide, Janssen Pharmaceutica, part of the Johnson & Johnson Group, employs 1,800 people in Japan, and pharmaceutical company UCB 300. Luxembourg is known for its financial services, but is also home to steel giant ArcelorMittal.
The modest size of both countries means they depend on international trade to offset limited domestic demand, says Tilot. At that they have been highly successful; Luxembourg boasts the highest GDP per capita in the world, with Belgium not far behind.
There are some 700 Belgians and 20 Luxembourgians in Japan. The joint chamber relationship dates back to the Benelux economic union between the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Since then, there has been close cooperation between businesses on both sides of the Belgium-Luxembourg border. In many countries Belgian embassies also represent their Luxembourg counterparts.
The Belgian-Luxembourg community in Japan doesn’t have different social and business organisations,” says Winderickx, “so the chamber fulfills both those functions. Most of our social and business events are open to all nationalities, as well as non-members. Friends of friends are also welcome.”
“I like to think we have a social role,” adds Tilot. “We know the wives, boyfriends, girlfriends and children. It’s always nicer to do business in a social environment.” Events range from the mid-year garden party and the end-of-year black-tie gala ball, to more informal ones such as a regular Belgian beer gathering.
The BLCCJ has three priorities, says Tilot: “networking, networking and networking.” By that, he doesn’t just mean deal making. “As you know, Japan is mostly a business-card box. It helps to have a lot of different advice from different people.” Newcomers, especially, can find advice on everything from a secretary’s salary to tax deductions and sales channels.
The BLCCJ has a number of programmes in place to promote Belux trade with Japan, and to enhance visibility of Belux companies and products here. In 2009, for example, the BLCCJ organised a one-week product fair in Yokohama, as part of celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the opening of Yokohama’s port. Sales of Belgian and Luxembourg consumer products at the fair totaled almost ¥4m. Other events include business seminars on a variety of topics, notably the annual “Delighting Customers in Japan” seminar, held seven times.
One main initiative is the biennial YES [young executive stay] Program, that brings young businesspeople from Belgium and Luxemburg to Japan. “In the past, participants have gone back to Belgium or Luxembourg after their week here with a contract for their products or new Japanese partners,” says Winderickx.
The chamber also organises a biennial Nippon Export Award, given to a company from Belgium or Luxembourg that has shown remarkable progress in the Japanese market. The 2009 award was won by Agfa Gevaert for their success in selling eco-friendly printing technology in the Japanese market.