JETRO Topics

MOC signed with Netherlands Enterprise Agency

November 2015

During the visit of Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte to Japan, JETRO concluded a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) to enhance the partnership of the two parties toward further expansion of bilateral trade and investment between the Netherlands and Japan. On November 10, with the presence of Prime Minister Rutte and Minister of Economic Affairs Henk Kamp, an MOC exchange ceremony was held at the residence of the Netherlands Ambassador to Japan.

The Netherlands is one of the most prominent investor countries into Japan. This MOC includes cooperation in organizing seminars and business missions to promote two-way investment as well as in introducing the other party’s support menu to companies of each party’s own country. The Netherlands has also established a world-leading position in the field of agricultural technology such as for plant factories. JETRO will collaborate with RVO to hold seminars and provide information focusing on this field.

MOC exchange ceremony with Prime Minister Rutte (second from right) and Minister Kamp (far left)

On November 11, as the first event conducted in accordance with the MOC since its conclusion, JETRO and the Dutch Embassy in Tokyo hosted a seminar and business matching event to help the mission led by Prime Minister Rutte, who wishes to participate in projects related to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, explore business opportunities with Japanese companies. In the seminar which attracted approximately 180 attendees from Dutch and Japanese firms, speeches were made by Minister of Economic Affairs Kamp; Mayor of Amsterdam Eberhard van der Laan; and Prof. Koji Murofushi, Sports Director of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Prior to the seminar, JETRO also gave an introduction to 16 Dutch companies of the mission concerning the advantages of the Japanese market and JETRO’s support menu for inward investment into Japan.

In tandem with the seminar, JETRO also co-hosted another seminar to introduce the investment environment of the Netherlands to Japanese companies together with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, an organization belonging to RVO, as well as the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. The seminar had approximately 140 entries mainly from Japanese companies interested in business with the Netherlands.