Data economy, space technologies, and the signing of several agreements on the agenda for the last day of the economic mission in Japan

The day began with a bilateral meeting between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), in the presence of Minister Lex Delles.

Luxembourg-Japan Business Forum

Then, the Luxembourg-Japan Business Forum took place, organized by the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and Luxembourg Trade and Invest, with the support of Keidanren, the Japan Business Federation, and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), with the participation of Michiro Hara, Managing Director of Keidanren.

In his welcome address, HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke recalled the strong diplomatic links that unite the two countries. In a constantly evolving world, Japan and Luxembourg are reaffirming their commitment to the core values of democracy, rule of law and multilateralism. More than ever, these values are essential in fostering cooperation and addressing global challenges successfully. In 2027, Japan and Luxembourg will celebrate the centenary of their bilateral relations.

Lex Delles, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of economic relations between Luxembourg and Japan, the third largest trading partner in Asia. He then highlighted the main sectors of mutual interest to strengthen this collaboration, namely space technologies and the data economy, particularly digital health data.

In his speech, Lex Delles stated: "Japan and Luxembourg share common views and interests, both in the field of space and the data economy, where collaboration is a key factor for success. This is why I am delighted with the signing of the various cooperation agreements, which marks an important milestone and will further strengthen our relations. By working together, we provide our industries with the necessary framework for collaborative commercial and research projects, thereby mutually contributing to the respective growth of our economies."

Carlo Thelen, CEO of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, then presented the Luxembourg economy and its strengths. Sectoral workshops complemented the event, which brought together about 200 people. One workshop focused on digital data management, particularly health-related data, while another workshop was held in parallel on the theme of space.

Signature of Several Agreements

At the end of the Business Forum's opening session, JAXA and LSA signed Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) aimed at exploring and facilitating collaboration in the framework of space projects of mutual benefit, specifically in the areas of space exploration, supercomputing, mutual use of facilities, and commercialization.

This agreement is reinforced by another MoC signed at the Government level on June 11, which will catalyze and significantly deepen cooperation between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Japan in the field of space. It aims at further facilitating research, exploration, development, and use of space, not only by the two countries, but also by academic and research institutes and private sector space companies.

The first concrete implementation project of these MoC is the Letter of Intent (LOI) signed between LuxProvide and JAXA to formalize their collaboration in the domains of Space, Supercomputing, Quantum and AI. The cooperation will facilitate the exchange of knowledge, finding joint solutions to common pain points, and delivering better services to the user communities supported by both organizations, creating more impact for the respective Space ecosystems.

National Day reception

As the festivities of the national holiday approach, the official economic mission was also the occasion to organize an official reception, at the invitation of the Embassy of Luxembourg in close collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and the Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office in Tokyo and in the presence of Kazuchika Iwata, Japanese State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Several speakers took the word to highlight the excellent relations between Japan and Luxembourg. In his intervention, HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke said :“During the audience with His Majesty The Emperor, we were both pleased to note that those close ties will gain a new momentum in the near future with the Osaka exhibition next year and the centenary of our bilateral relations in 2027. One hundred years of mutual respect, cooperation, and shared values—a milestone that speaks volumes about the strength of our bond.”

The Minister of the Economy, SME, Energy, and Tourism, meanwhile, particularly welcomed the important official announcements of the last days, as part of the economic mission, including the conclusion of the air services agreement, which was expected for a very long time, as well as the signing of various cooperation agreements in the space sector and the announcement of the opening of a subsidiary in Luxembourg of the Japanese start-up Thermalytica. He then recalled that the next important step will be the Universal Exhibition in Osaka in 2025 and the centenary of diplomatic relations in 2027.

Company visits

The afternoon was punctuated by two business meetings. In the early afternoon, the delegation visited the space company Astroscale. Founded in Japan in 2013, Astroscale develops innovative solutions for servicing satellites in orbit, including debris disposal, to create sustainable space systems and reduce debris accumulation in space. Astroscale is also working to develop standards, regulations and incentives, in collaboration with government and business stakeholders, for the responsible use of space. Sustainability in space is also at the heart of the national strategy of the Luxembourg space sector, notably through the development of support for activities related to in-orbit maintenance, such as debris disposal, that is why a visit to Astroscale made sense.

The delegation then went to Rakuten. Founded in 1997 in Tokyo, the Rakuten Group is one of the world leaders in internet services, which first became known as an online marketplace, competing with Amazon. Rakuten has diversified its activities and now offers financial and telecommunications services, digital marketing solutions, as well as logistics services. The group now has more than 30,000 employees and operates in 30 countries and regions. Present in Luxembourg since 2008, the group has established its European headquarters Rakuten Europe here. In 2012, Rakuten chose Luxembourg as its data centre for Europe. Since 2016, Rakuten also operates financial services from Luxembourg through Rakuten Europe Bank.

Press release by the Ministry of the Economy