SCCIJ Help Desk & COVID-19 Resources

⚠ IMPORTANT NOTICE  Please find below important information regarding the SCCIJ Help Desk as well as other information and administrative resources regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

SCCIJ Help Desk

Do you have any burning question regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on your business activities? Are you in need of guidance and advice regarding administrative steps?
At the end of April 2020, the SCCIJ has set up an exclusive Help Desk for its Members. A panel of experts from tax, accounting, HR and legal firms gathered by the SCCIJ will help you answer your questions! Please send us an email describing your issue or contact us through our social media channels (either in English or Japanese).
Kindly be noted that:
•   This is a free service strictly reserved to SCCIJ Members
•   Specific in-depth questions may have to be answered by external specialists and will have to be charged.
•   The answers to questions which may also be faced by other members will be published anonymously here.
•   The SCCIJ refutes all liability for the services/advice provided by third-party agents via the SCCIJ Help Desk.

Useful Links & Resources

Latest Press Briefing of Governor Koike (Thursday, June 11, 2020)

Please find the latest video briefing on the website of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, or here below. Airing every Thursday.

Official Information & Directives

National Entities
• Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet: Government Responses on the COVID-19
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Travel restrictions for Japan residents traveling to other countries [in Japanese]
• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: COVID-19 information page (numbers, guidelines & measures)
• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Counseling Services and Hotlines in Foreign Languages
• Embassy of Switzerland in Japan: Information about the COVID-19 for Swiss citizens and travelers
Prefectural Entities
• Osaka Prefectural Government: Emergency Information on the COVID-19 [Japanese]
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government: Latest updates on COVID-19 in Tokyo

Official Business & Economic Measures

National Entities
• Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet: Emergency Economic Measures
• Japan External Trade Organization: (Covid-19) Business Support
• Japan External Trade Organization: Invest Japan Helpline
• Japan Finance Corporation: Consultation counter on the COVID-19 [Japanese]
• Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: Support Measures for Companies Concerning the Impacts of the COVID-19
• Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication: Information on the JPY 100’000 one-off cash handout [Japanese]
Prefectural Entities
• Osaka Prefectural Government: New Coronavirus Support Fund [Japanese]
• Tokyo Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs: Policy-based directed credits against COVID-19 [Japanese]
• Tokyo Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs: Small and medium-sized enterprises employees loans [Japanese]
• Tokyo Foundation for Employment Services: Subsidies for business continuity measures (telecommuting) [Japanese]
• Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center: Emergency market support subsidy plan [Japanese]
Chambers of Commerce
• Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI): Emergency Economic Measures: Explanations [Japanese]
• TCCI: Emergency Economic Measures: Points of taxation [Japanese]
• TCCI: Prevention and Management Advice for Businesses Operating during the State of Emergency [Japanese]

SJCC Webinar: Japan’s Way through the Corona Crisis

The recording and the slides of the presentation held by the Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce (SJCC) in Zurich are available here.

News & Media

• The Japan Times: COVID-19 News Updates [English]
• Kyodo News: Coronavirus updates [English]
• NHK: Live coverage of the COVID-19 [Japanese]
• The Yomiuri Shinbun: Live updates on the COVID-19 [Japanese]
• Swissinfo: Swiss news [English]
• Swissinfo: Swiss news [Japanese]