The 13th Japanese-German Forum brought together 30 participants to discuss various issues including (1) Germany in Japan Year 2005/6: Enhancing Exchange Activities in Diverse Fields, (2) Economic and Industrial Restructuring of Germany and Japan in Response to the Changing International and Regional Socioeconomic Environments: Implications for a New Economic Partnership, (3) The Respective Roles of Germany and Japan in the European Union and the Emerging East Asian Community: Possible Partnership to Bring Europe and Asia Closer Together, and (4) Germany and Japan Facing International Issues and the Challenges of Global Governance.
The joint exploration and discussion of common challenges by Forum members from the two nations were reinforced by presentations by Mr. Toshihiko Fukui, Governor of the Bank of Japan, on “The Prospects for the Japanese Economy” and Mr. Fukushiro Nukaga, member of the House of Representatives, on “Japan’s Reform Agenda.” Mr. Ichiro Aisawa, Senior Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, also joined the first session and he emphasized the importance of cooperation between Germany and Japan—two nations that share a major responsibility in the international community, in tackling the diverse challenges facing the world today.
At the outset of this year’s Forum, the German members introduced plans for a German Year in Japan 2005/2006, which is designed to promote closer cooperation between Germany and Japan in diverse fields such as business, science, academic research, education, technology, sports, and the environment.
GERMAN PARTICIPANTS | |
CHAIRMAN | |
DR. ULRICH CARTELLIERI | Member of Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank AG |
PARTICIPANTS | |
RAINER BRÜDERLE | Member of Parliament (FDP) |
VLRI FRANK BURBACH | Head of East Asia Division, Foreign Office |
(REPRESENTING MINDIRIG DR. CHRISTIAN HAUSWEDELL) |
|
ROLF HEMPELMANN | Member of Parliament (SPD) |
PROF. DR. HANS-OLAF HENKEL | President, Leibniz Association |
GEBHARD HIELSCHER | Journalist; Director Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation, Tokyo Branch |
PROF. DR. IRMELA HIJIYA-KIRSCHNEREIT | Professor, East Asian Department, Institute for Japanese Studies, Free University Berlin |
DR. KARL-LUDWIG KLEY | Member of the Executive Board, Deutsche Lufthansa AG |
DR. OTTO GRAF LAMBSDORFF | Former Federal Minister of Economics |
PROF. DR. DR. H.C. MULT. HEINZ RIESENHUBER | Member of Parliament (CDU) |
AMBASSADOR HENRIK SCHMIEGELOW | Ambassador to Japan |
WOLFGANG SCHMITT | Director General, German Agency for Development Corporation (GTZ) |
ANGELIKA VIETS | Secretary General, Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) |
JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS | |
CHAIRMAN | |
YUZABURO MOGI | President and CEO, Kikkoman Corporation |
DINNER HOST | |
ICHIRO AISAWA | Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs |
GUEST SPEAKER | |
TOSHIHIKO FUKUI | Governor, Bank of Japan |
PARTICIPANTS | |
KOICHIRO GEMBA | Member, House of Representatives (Democratic Party of Japan) |
YOSHIMASA HAYASHI | Member, House of Councilors (Liberal Democratic Party) |
MORIO IKEDA | President and CEO, Shiseido Company, Ltd. |
AKIRA KOJIMA | Chairman, Japan Center for Economic Research; Special Editorial Advisor, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc. |
KENJI KOSAKA | Member, House of Representatives (LDP) |
RYOHEI MURATA | Executive Adviser, The Nippon Foundation; Former Japanese Ambassador to Germany |
TORU NAGASHIMA | President and CEO, Teijin Ltd. |
FUKUSHIRO NUKAGA | Member, House of Representatives (LDP); Former Chairman, Policy Research Council |
JIRO SAITO | President and CEO, The Tokyo International Financial Futures Exchange Inc. |
MASARU SAKATO | Managing Director, Planning and Evaluation Department, The Japan Foundation |
YUSHU TAKASHIMA | Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany |
AKIHIKO TANAKA | Director, Institute of Oriental Cultures, University of Tokyo |
NAOKI TANAKA | President, The 21st Century Public Policy Institute |
SHINJI TARUTOKO | Member, House of Representatives (DPJ) |
KOJI WATANABE | Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Executive Adviser, Japan Business Federation; Former Japanese Ambassador to Russia |
TAIZO YAKUSHIJI | Member, Council for Science and Technology Policy of the Cabinet Office; Executive Research Director at the International Institute for Policy Studies (IIPS) |
TADASHI YAMAMOTO | President, Japan Center for International Exchange |
October 8
SESSION 1: Germany in Japan Year 2005/6: Enhancing Exchange Activities in Diverse Fields between Germany and Japan
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Heinz RIESENHUBER, Member of Parliament (CDU)
SPECIAL SESSION 1: Japan’s Reform Agenda
Fukushiro NUKAGA, Member, House of Representatives, Liberal Democratic Party; Former Chairman, Policy Research Council
SPECIAL SESSION 2: Outlook for the Japanese Economy
Toshihiko FUKUI, Governor, Bank of Japan
Remarks:
Japan’s Diplomatic Challenges
Ichiro AISAWA, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
October 9
SESSION 2: Economic and Industrial Restructuring of Germany and Japan in Response to the Changing International and Regional Socioeconomic Environments: Implications for a New Economic Partnership between Germany and Japan
Japanese Speaker
Akira KOJIMA, Chairman, Japan Center for Economic Research; Special Editorial Advisor, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc.
German Speaker—Preponderance of the Tertiary Sector in the Major Developed Economies: Germany and Japan Falling Behind?
Hans-Olaf HENKEL, President, Leibniz Association
Session 3: The Respective Roles of Germany and Japan in the European Union and the Emerging East Asian Community: Possible Partnership to Bring Europe and Asia Closer Together
Japanese Speaker
Koji WATANABE, Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Executive Adviser, Japan Business Federation; Former Japanese Ambassador to Russia
German Speaker
Rainer BRÜDERLE, Member of Parliament (FDP)
October 10
Session 4: Germany and Japan Facing International Issues and the Challenges of Global Governance
Japanese Speaker
• Jiro SAITO, President and CEO, The Tokyo International Financial Futures Exchange Inc.
German Speaker
• Otto Graf LAMBSDORFF, Former Federal Minister of Economics
Wolfgang SCHMITT, Director General, German Agency for Development Corporation (GTZ)
