Study Group Meetings | Japanese Policy Reports | Asia Strategy Articles

Past study group meetings have dealt with a wide range of topics including the role of Think Tanks in Japan, the future of Japan's food policy, impact of China's energy policy on China-Japan-US relations, amoung other. These study sessions are led by those who are both experts and practitioners in their respective fields.



Past Meetings of the "Japan in 2050" Study Group

// Date June 11, 2007
Theme Change in the Policy Making Process and in the Political Situation (Japanese)
Speaker Yasunori Sone
- Professor, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University (Japanese)

// Date April 23, 2007
Theme Keidanren's Mid-Term Priority Policies and its Political Actions" (Japanese)
Speaker Kiyoaki Aburaki (Japanese)
- Head, Political Affairs Group, Keidanren
- Research Fellow and Director of Research, The 21st Century Public Policy Institute (Japanese)

//Date March 7, 2007
Theme The Consumer Finance Sector in Japan: A Current Perspective on Revisions of Related Laws (Japanese)
Speaker The Honorable Chuko Hayakawa (Japanese)
- Member, House of Representatives
- Member, LDP Committee on Legal Affairs
- Member, LDP Committee on Fiscal Affairs

//Date November 22, 2006
Theme Environment Issues Facing Japan and the Rest of Asia: Challenges and Business Opportunities
Speaker Shigeru Sumitani (Japanese)
- Advisor, Ministry of the Environment
- Former Administrative Vice Minister, Ministry of the Environment

// Date August 31, 2006
Theme “The 2006 National Budget Outline: Comprehensive Reform of the Expense and Tax Income Balance Sheet"
Speaker Shinobu Shikawa  (Japanese)
-Counselor in Charge of Finance, Local and Regional Governments Bureau, Ministry of International Affairs and Communications (MIC)
- Former  Councillor in Charge of Economic, Fiscal and Social Structure, Minister's Secretariat, Cabinet Office

// Date July 6, 2006
Theme “The return of the political daruma?"
Political dynamics under an Ozawa government"
Speaker Llewelyn Hughes (Japanese)
- Center for International Studies
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology

// Date June 19 & 20, 2006
Theme “Challenges and Opportunities for Japanese Businesses China - Trade and Political Perspectives"
Speaker Lee M. Sands (Japanese)
- Former Chief U.S. Trade Negotiator with China, Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)
- Managing Director, Sierra Asia Partners
- Professional Associate, Asia Strategy

// Date May 23, 2006
Theme “The role of Foreign Direct Investment in Japan's Economy”
Speaker James Zumwalt (Japanese)
- Minister-Counselor, Economic Affairs
- United States Embassy, Tokyo, Japan

// Date April 5, 2006
Theme “Issues Facing Japan’s Food Policy”
Speaker Hisao Harihara
-Director, Budget Division, Minister’s Secretariat
-Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Government of Japan

// Date March 29, 2006
Theme "Untangling China's Quest for Oil through State-backed Financial Deals"
Speaker Peter C. Evans
-Professional Associate, Asia Strategy
-Senior Associate, Cambridge Energy Research Associates
-Postdoctoral Associate, MIT Laboratory for Energy and Environment

// Date February 26, 2006
Theme “The Future of Think Tanks In Japan”
Speaker Kiyoaki Aburaki
-Head, Political Affairs Group
-Keidanren
-Research Fellow, MIT Japan Program
Massachusetts Institute of Technology