Wim Eynatten is a Tax Partner and leads Deloitte’s Japanese Business Taxation Europe (JBTE) team and the Japanese Desk in Belgium.
With many Japanese clients in various industries, he assists Japanese clients with their Belgian domestic and cross-border tax issues.
Eynatten is also Chairman of the Legal & Tax Committee of the Belgian-Japan Association and Chamber of Commerce (BJA) and also a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of BJA.
Bridges: What have been some of your standout experiences working with Japan?
Eynatten: I have been involved in our Japanese business for sixteen years and visited Japan on thirty-four occasions for various business trips. Although it is a very long flight to Japan and the jetlag is getting worse with the years, it is always a great pleasure to be in Japan to meet with clients and to connect with our Japanese colleagues.
One of the standout experiences is our annual Deloitte Japanese Business Tax EMEA (JBTE) trip to Japan. The JBTE team is a pan-European group of business tax professionals specializing in working with Japanese-owned organizations.
The team collaborates closely on numerous pan-European projects, including group reorganizations, M&A, transfer pricing and compliance matters.
Additionally, we work closely together with Deloitte Japan and other European Tax & Legal colleagues who have expertise with Japanese clients. The JBTE was created to meet the needs of Japanese businesses that view Europe as a single region, expecting consistent and seamless quality across our services.
Close collaboration with clients in both Japan and Europe remains essential and for this reason, the JBTE team began visiting Japan more than a decade ago. I lead the JBTE team and each year in autumn we travel to Japan together to visit the global headquarters of our clients.
Our annual JBTE trips are a great opportunity to connect with our clients and Japanese colleagues, and to enjoy early morning runs around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo (my favorite running lap) and delicious Japanese cuisine.
“Deloitte Belgium’s relationship with the Japanese business community in Belgium is further strengthened by its memberships at the Belgium-Japan Association and Chamber of Commerce (BJA) and the ‘Nihonjinkai’.”
Wim Eynatten, Head of the Japanese Business Taxation Europe Team and Japanese Services Group at Deloitte Belgium
What I appreciate most about working with Japanese companies is that relationships are key and that in-person meetings remain very important.
Building strong, trusted and long-term relationships with Japanese clients requires time but are invaluable once one has built the strong relationship and trust. My standout experiences working with and in Japan include:
- Deep immersion in unique cultural practices.
- Importance of punctuality.
- Teamwork, respect and long-term commitment, creating a highly structured yet supportive environment.
- Last but not least – Friday after-work ‘Nomikai’ (drinking and karaoke parties) to build even stronger bonds with our Japanese and European colleagues. Many JBTE colleagues have become friends and we call ourselves a JBTE family.
160 years of Japan-Belgium ties: what defines this strong partnership?
Belgium and Japan share strong, long-standing diplomatic ties. Established in 1866 with the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, the two countries are celebrating 160 years in 2026 and celebrations will be marked by our shared democratic values and robust economic links.
The close bond between the Japanese Imperial Family and the Belgian Royal Family is continuously strengthened with historical visits and ongoing exchanges.
Rich cultural exchanges include those in the arts, academia and sports, with the Embassies in Tokyo and Brussels facilitating relations.
Strong economic ties exist between Belgium and Japan. There is a significant Japanese corporate presence in Belgium, particularly in automotive, manufacturing, logistics, chemicals and services which contribute to both economies.
Many Japanese multi-national companies have their regional EMEA headquarters in Belgium. The country is an interesting location for hosting regional headquarters of Japanese multi-national companies for a number of reasons:
- Belgium combines an efficient tax, legal and regulatory framework including EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and beneficial Double Tax Treaty between Belgium and Japan.
- Proximity to European Institutions.
- Direct flights between Brussels and Tokyo.
- Easy travel connections from Brussels to the rest of Europe.
- The Port of Antwerp-Bruges as an important entry point for Japanese goods into the European market.
- High quality of life for Japanese expats and Japanese school in Brussels.
This 160-milestone year not only honors our shared history but also highlights the strength and vitality of our present relationship, which continues to grow.
How is Deloitte Belgium strengthening its relationships with the Japanese business community?
Within our Deloitte global network, a Japanese Services Group (JSG) has been created and last year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of JSG since its establishment in 1975.
The anniversary was marked by events in Kyoto and Antwerp. The JSG is a global network of Deloitte professionals, including many who speak Japanese and have experience with Japanese business culture, to support Japanese companies internationally – I have four Japanese speaking colleagues in my team in Belgium.
The Deloitte JSG provides a wide-range of services, including audit, tax, risk advisory and consulting and leverages both global and local expertise along with a deep understanding of Japanese culture.
The JSG’s main goal is to help Japanese companies navigate complex international business environments and achieve global growth. For Japanese multi-national companies, doing business in Europe and exploring European markets is challenging.
They must face diverse European market trends and cultures along with various European multilayered regulations, i.e. both EU regulations and regulations of 27 different EU Member States and other European countries.
With our Belgian and EMEA JSG teams we advise and support our Japanese clients helping them navigate today’s complex business landscape. We build and strengthen relationships with the Japanese business community by having a dedicated team experienced with Japanese business culture and by travelling to Japan regularly to invest in relationships with our clients.
Deloitte Belgium’s relationship with the Japanese business community in Belgium is further strengthened by its memberships at the Belgium-Japan Association and Chamber of Commerce (BJA) and the ‘Nihonjinkai’.
At BJA, Deloitte Belgium takes a very active role in organizing and hosting seminars, webinars and networking events. I chair the Legal & Tax Committee of BJA and am also a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
In these roles I work closely with BJA member companies, the Belgian government, the Japanese Embassy, various employee and employer associations in Belgium to help improve the overall climate for doing business in Belgium.
Some of our recent work includes the single permit and integration course which is a very important issue for the Japanese business community in Belgium.
What can clients expect from you and Deloitte Belgium’s JSG in 2026?
We are currently experiencing very challenging times from a geopolitical and global trade perspective. Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, I see the 160-year anniversary as a real opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and business ties between Belgium and Japan.
We see growing potential in areas such as green technology, renewable energy, AI-driven innovation, mobility, and healthcare; these are all sectors in which both countries excel and share complementary expertise.
In terms of the current geopolitical challenges, I see further opportunities for collaboration between Belgium, Europe and Japan within the defense industry.
We will continue advising and supporting Japanese companies through our JSG and JBTE teams and help companies navigate geopolitical and global trade challenges and the ever-evolving business landscape.
Last year’s 50th JSG anniversary provided the momentum to elevate our Global JSG organization and be the transformation partner for Japanese companies.
We look forward to celebrating the 160th anniversary of friendship between Belgium and Japan at various events throughout 2026.
