On November 4, 1995 Japan experts from 11 European countries and from the European Commission assembled at the Japanese-German Center Berlin [JGCB] for the foundation of the European Japan Experts Association [EJEA].
It was strongly felt that such an association would help to generate and disseminate knowledge concerning Japan, the most important partner and competitor in Asia, amongst European scholars, professionals, the business world, and especially decision makers. A European organization of this kind is necessary because not only issues regarding trade but also more and more fields of politics are now issues for the European Union and not only the nation-state alone.
Conceived as an interdisciplinary association with a European profile and also open to experts from administration, business, etc., the EJEA aims to develop initiatives on a European level for promoting cooperation, exchange and transfer of knowledge between the scientific community and the European business community.
The Association intends to work in close co-operation with the institutions of the European Union, and in particular with the Commission.
the promotion of the transfer between science and practice insofar as practical experience is to be made accessible to scientists.
Summer schools for European and Japanese students and graduates of all faculties (e.g. “Economy and Ecology – Strategies for Sustainable Growth”) are supposed to be interdisciplinary and to support Euro-Japanese endeavours in education.
The EJEA organizes conferences and participates in conferences on topics where it feels a deficiency in European expertise on Japan or in Euro-Japanese relations. The Executive Committee will decide on ideas for conferences brought forward by the Association’s members.
The Association will engage in activities which stimulate the exchange between the business and the academic communities in Europe. This goal will be pursued by the means of conferences, building up data-bases, networking, making use of electronic networks, or other ways that help to maintain a permanent communication between the mentioned communities.
The Members’ Meeting will be called no earlier than one year after the preceding Members’ Meeting, but no later than three years after that meeting by a managing Executive Committee member. The Association has now some 90 members.
The Executive Committee of the EJEA supports the formation of specialised or regional groups of members on an informal basis.