The Japan-Spain Business Circle (CEJE) held this Thursday a new session of its series of meetings with leading personalities, focused on this occasion on the current international geopolitical context and the strengthening of economic and business relations between Catalonia and Japan. The meeting, held at the Círculo Ecuestre de Barcelona, was attended by Miquel Sàmper, Minister of Enterprise and Employment of the Generalitat de Catalunya, who shared his vision on the economic and strategic challenges facing Europe and companies in a global scenario marked by increasing international competition.
During his speech, Sàmper highlighted the strength of the historical relationship between Japan and Catalonia, emphasizing trust, stability and reliability as pillars that have allowed the consolidation of long-standing economic and industrial ties. He also recalled that 162 Japanese companies currently have their headquarters in Catalonia, a clear indicator of the commitment of the Japanese business network to the territory as an industrial and economic environment of reference.
In a global context marked by geopolitical uncertainty, economic tensions and the transformation of supply chains, the minister stressed the importance of strengthening alliances with stable and strategic international partners. In this line, he argued that Europe must move towards greater strategic and industrial autonomy to reduce dependencies in key areas such as technology, artificial intelligence, energy, the agri-food industry and critical resources.
He also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to business competitiveness through the Pacte Nacional per la Indústria, promoted together with business organizations, trade unions, chambers of commerce, universities and technology centers.
The meeting has also allowed to address new opportunities for collaboration between Catalonia and Japan in strategic sectors such as automotive, chemical industry, digitization, renewable energy, or technologies related to artificial intelligence.
The event was attended by Akiko Shikata, Consul General of Japan in Barcelona; Hiroaki Kawashima, Deputy Consul General of Japan in Barcelona; and Jaume Baró, Secretary of Enterprise and Competitiveness of the Department of Enterprise and Employment and CEO of ACCIO Generalitat de Catalunya.
CEJE was represented by its President, Jorge Lasheras, and a large group of representatives of partner companies, such as Albert Garrofé, Alex Payá and Núria Nicolau, from CUATRECASAS; Yoshiyuki Matsuoka and Reika Teranishi, from SHINTO TSUSHIN;Manuel Raventós, president of RAVENTÓS I BLANC; Ana Pilar González and Guillermina Riva, from AGC; Marc Guimerá, from NTT DATA; Aleix Font Pelaó and Manuel Geremias Carnero, from ESTEVES GROUP; and Martí Magrans, from NIPPON EXPRESS, among others.
The session concluded with a colloquium in which CEJE members were able to exchange views on the current geopolitical context, the challenges of European industrial competitiveness and opportunities for collaboration between Catalonia and Japan in key sectors for economic and technological development.
