On September 16, 2025, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba received a courtesy visit from H.E. Mr. Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, along with Japan-EU business leaders. Representing Japan's bioindustry association, Dr. Toshio Asano, President of JBA, attended the meeting.
From the European side, participants from the bioindustry included Mr. Thomas G. Shmidt, Founder & CEO of 21st BIO, and Mr. Walfram Kalt, CEO of AustroCel. From the Japanese side, bio-related businesses were represented by Mr. Hiroyuki Isono, Director of the Board, President & CEO of Oji Holdings Corporation, a JBA member company.
In the meeting, President Asano highlighted that JBA serves as Japan's leading bioindustry association. He emphasized that "biotechnology is being applied not only in food and healthcare, but also across core industries, and we aim to further expand the use of biofuels and biomaterials toward realizing a circular bioeconomy." He also stated that "the EU is an important partner for the bioindustry, and just as in the collaboration between Oji Holdings, a JBA member, and AustroCel, we look forward to deepening strategic cooperation between the Japanese and EU bioindustries through the strong initiatives of both governments."
Dr. Toshio Asano, JBA President (fourth from the right in the back row)
