Amsterdam Area on Trade Mission to Japan

On Saturday 15 May a delegation from Amsterdam Metropolitan Area began a week-long trade mission to Japan. Headed by Mayor Job Cohen, a number of cities and companies will be visited to emphasise not just the attraction of the Amsterdam region for business, but the high quality of life expats there enjoy.

Quality of life

To this end, the delegation will highlight the quality of education, medical care, the fiscal climate and banking provisions, as well as the tourism and cultural facilities. The visit also marks the 400 year anniversary of trade relations between Japan and the Netherlands.

The 40-strong delegation is made up of representatives of government, the business world and other stakeholders with a close relationship with Japan.

Cities & companies

As well as Mayor Cohen and the Mayor of Amstelveen, Jan van Zanen, there are representatives of the other Amsterdam regional partners Almere and Haarlemmermeer, the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) and amsterdam inbusiness. The delegation will visit the cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagasaki, Nagoya and Nara. A number of large companies will be visited along the way, including Canon, Bank of Tokyo, Yakult, Sompo, Teijin Mitsubishi and Honda.

Historic island

Mayors Cohen and Van Zanen will meet the mayor of Nagasaki on the island of Deshima, where 400 years ago a Dutch trading post was established as Japan’s only contact with Europe.

Japan has for many years been the biggest investor in the Amsterdam Area after the US, with the majority of the 350 Japanese companies in the Netherlands located there.