Count Georges Jacobs was conferred with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star on 29th April 2010 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of Japan-European Union relations while serving as the Co-Chair of the Japan-EU Business Roundtable.

H.E. Nobutake Odano, Ambassador of Japan to the European Union, presented the award to Count Georges Jacobs on the 9th June at a reception held in Brussels. Ambassador Odano made the following remarks:

"We gather here to honour Count Jacobs, who is decorated with The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star in recognition of his invaluable contribution to Japan-EU relations.

Japan and Europe today enjoy excellent political and economic relations. A good example of this is that there are more than 2000 Japanese companies operating in the EU area and they create 330,000 employment opportunities. It took many years for us to reach this level of strategic partnership, and I strongly believe that there is much more untapped potential which can benefit us even more.

About 40 years ago when Count Jacobs started his carrier in business, Japan was an emerging competitor to European industries. Over the last 40 years, Japan-Europe economic relations have undergone tremendous changes. In the 1970s and early 80s, we experienced fierce trade conflicts. In the late 80s and beginning of 90s, Japan became suspicious about the formation of a single European market and some perceived it as a ‘Fortress Europe’.

However, in the 90s, Japan became a welcome Foreign Direct Investor to European countries, first to Western Europe and then to the Central and Eastern Europe. Toyota, Honda, Panasonic, Sony and other Japanese businesses established their factories and European operation headquarters in the EU area.

At the beginning of the 21st Century, Count Jacobs joined the Japan-EU Business Round Table, which was established to discuss the common challenges among Japanese and European business leaders. From 2005 to 2009, he served as Co-Chairman.

Count Jacobs made a notable contribution to the future-oriented recommendations of the Business Round Table. The Business Round Table presents a set of recommendations for better trade, investment, industrial cooperation and other business environment to the political leaders of Japan and the EU every year. One of the most remarkable achievements under his initiative was that the Business Round Table recommended a start of discussions on the Japan-EU Economic Integration Agreement in order to benefit mutually from the ever deepening economic relations.

Building on this recommendation, there were a series of discussions, consultations and research in government, business and academia both in Japan and the EU. This year, the Business Round Table presented a clear policy recommendation for a Japan-EU economic agreement. At the latest Japan-EU Summit Meeting on the 28th of April, the question of an economic agreement was discussed and one of the tangible outcomes from the Summit was a launch of a joint examination in the High Level Group with regard to the ways to comprehensively strengthen and integrate the Japan-EU economic relations, addressing all issues of interest to both sides. We would not have been able to reach this stage without the initiative Count Jacobs has made as Co-Chairman of the Business Round Table. Japan would like to conduct this work leading to an economic partnership agreement between Japan and the EU.

Japan and the EU are major players in the world economy and share core values such as democracy, freedom of press, the rule of law, human rights and a market economy. In this ever-changing world, Japan and the EU need to collaborate on such questions as WTO trade negotiation, climate change, energy security, research in renewable energy sector, sustainable socio-economic development, global economic governance, to name but a few.

There is much untapped potential for even stronger Japan-EU relations which can enable further prosperity in both sides.
I have just stated as an example. Count Jacobs contributed significantly to exploring and delivering this potential between Japan and the EU. In recognition of his contribution, the Government of Japan has decided to decorate Count Georges Jacobs with The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star."