The EBC, in collaboration with the ACCJ, is organising the first annual North American-Europe Golf Challenge in Japan, to be played on Friday, September 26 at Atsugi Kokusai C.C..

We are proud to present DaimlerChrysler Japan as the Title Sponsor of the tournament. DaimlerChrysler is a true American-European company both in name and activities and represents perfectly the values of this tournament - increased cooperation between American and European corporations and individuals, both globally and specifically in Japan.

As participation is restricted to 72 Europeans and 72 North Americans in this inaugural challenge, we hope that you will respond quickly. In order to make this challenge a major success and to back up the hard work of the organizing taskforce, we sincerely hope that many of you will decide to sponsor the event.

For futher information and registration, visit the dedicated website by clicking link below.


JETRO is pleased to invite you to the following seminar and reception to be held by the Invest Japan Business Support Center (IBSC), JETRO, to introduce our services and Japanese local governments having attractive projects for the investment. This time focus will be on "Fukuoka Venture Market", which offer the opportunity for venture companies and investors to find business partners, and "HIVEC", a newly established design center for 3 automobile companies in Hiroshima City. We believe this will be good resource for your company or organization.

Date & Time:	Friday, 11 July 10:30 - 12:30 (Seminar)               12:30 - 14:00 (Reception)
Place:	Akasaka Twin Tower 2nd Floor, Hall M1-3, IBSC
Speakers:	Mr. Kazuya Nakajo, Chief Deputy Director, JETRO IBSC Mr. Daizo Miyahara, Assistant Director, JETRO IBSC Mr. Hiroshi Watanabe, General Manager, Fukuoka Industry, Science & Technology Foundation Mr. Yoshinori Sakai, Deputy Director General, City of Hiroshima
Cost:	free
Registration:	by Friday, 4 July
Inquiries:	Mr. Iwata / Mr. Iida (Tel: 03-3582-5571)

For registration form, please click link at right.

 REGISTRATION FORM 

EBC White Paper 2003 - reminder

Thanks to the high quality of EBC's year 2002 white paper, "Challenges to Growth and Investment - The EBC Report on the Japanese Business Environment 2002", the EBC has become increasingly regarded as an authority on the Japanese business and investment environment. Accordingly, the white paper should have high priority among EBC's activities in 2003 as it has become our annual hallmark publication that serves as a foundation for interventions with the Japanese authorities and other organisations.

However, the EBC has limited operating funds and projects like the white paper must be conducted on a cost-recovery basis. In order to produce English and Japanese white papers simultaneously for release in early November, the EBC has decided to ask its members to sponsor the publication as sponsors in return for visible acknowledgment in the 2 volumes. The EBC will also take orders for the white papers at 5,000 yen for one set (1 English and 1 Japanese version) to assist with cost-recovery.

WHITE PAPER SPONSORSHIP

Blue-Star Sponsorship: 150,000 yen ad up (Company name on a 2-name page)

Special Sponsorship: 100,000 yen (Company name on a 10-name page)

Sponsorship: 50,000 yen (Company name on a 20-name page)

PURCHASE OF WHITE PAPERS

5,000 yen per set: 1 English copy and 1 Japanese copy (including postage)

If you would like to support the white paper as sponsor and/or would like to order copies please click links below for order forms.

 SPONSORSHIP FORM 
 WHITE PAPER ORDER FORM 

News from Finland

Finnish exports declined in April

The value of the Finnish exports was 3.8 bill euro in April, a decline by 6 % from April last year. Main reason was a decline in exports of electrotechnical products, but also the paper and machinery exports were lower. In the January-April period the exports was 2 % less than previous year, i.e. 14.8 bill. euro.

Also the imports declined by 6 %. As imports had grown in the first months of the year, the January-April period showed a growth of 3 %. Finland's trade surplus was 867 mill. euro on April and 2,7 bill. euro in January -April.

 MORE BIZNEWS 

Midsummer Party

As promised in my last bulletin, I would give you a report from the Finnish style Midsummer party held at Finland Village in Matsubara-ko, Nagano prefecture on Saturday, 21 of June.

Click link at right and enjoy images from the speeches and partying, and above all, of the magnificent bonfire (kokko in Finnish) built for us by the local people!

 PARTY REPORT 

Grin of the week

Saddam is alive?

Saddam decided to send George W. a letter to let him know he is still in the game. Bush opened the letter and it appeared to contain a coded message:

370HSSV-0773H

George W. couldn't figure it out so he shared it with Colin Powell. Powell and his aides had no clue either, so they sent it to the CIA. No one could decode it so it went to the NSA-- and then to MIT, NASA, the Secret Service... the list got longer and longer.

Eventually they asked Mossad in Israel for help. Cpt. Moishe Pippick took one look at it and replied: "Tell the President he is looking at the message upside down..."