Latest News

• May 15, 2012 Attractively low tax burden in Switzerland

  

  Tokyo (SCCIJ) - The average tax and social security burden on employment incomes increased in 26 out of 34 OECD countries in 2011, according to the new OECD Taxing Wages publication. Single individual tax payers without children in Switzerland enjoyed a total tax wedge of 21.0 percent. In Japan the rate was 30.8 percent whereas the average for OECD countries was 35.3 percent.

• May 11, 2012 Bern the most livable city for expatriates

  

  Tokyo (SCCIJ) - European expatriates have rated the capital of Switzerland, Bern, together with Copenhagen, as the most livable city in Europe. Of the 49 Asian cities assessed, Hong Kong comes third after Singapore and the Japanese city of Kobe. Asian expatriate managers rank Bern as number 11 among their most preferred working location worldwide. These are some findings of the annual "Location Ratings" study of ECA International which rates the attractiveness of 400 cities for expatriates.

• May 07, 2012 Secrets of patent applications in Japan revealed

  

  Tokyo (SCCIJ) - At the April SCCIJ luncheon, Japanese patent attorney Mr. Felix Einsel, Managing Partner of Sonderhoff & Einsel, explained how companies can achieve an edge over their competitors with a smart filing and enforcement strategy in the area of industrial property rights. In particular, Einsel proposed some simple rules that can provide Western companies a greater competitiveness in the Japanese market.