Economic relations between Japan and Western Europe have continued to thrive since 1980, and in 1991, Japan’s Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu made the relations official by signing a joint statement of mutual relations with the Dutch Prime Minister, who then led the European Community Council. Trade between the two entities has continued to succeed exponentially, except during years when the world’s economy and their individual economies were doing poorly.
Japan has been noted to be the sixth largest export and import market to and for the EU, seeing economic growth in both regions. The two entities have also established direct investment flows. Nonetheless, conducting business in Japan has been disfigured by disputes, because of some of the trade barriers that made it difficult for foreign businesses to set up operations in Japan. (Don't take my answer word for word, you could get in trouble for plagiarism-- I just figured I'd give you an idea.)
