20th Japanese-German Forum

October 4–5, 2011
Tokyo

The 20th Japanese–German Forum was held on October 4–5, 2011, bringing 36 participants from both countries together in Tokyo. During the forum, the participants discussed key issues pertinent to the bilateral relationship, such as political and diplomatic challenges for both countries; the impact of the March 11, 2011, earthquake in Japan; economic prospects, including the response to new challenges such as meeting energy needs in the wake of the Japan disaster; and the rise of China, India, and other emerging countries.

The forum opened with a keynote address on future energy policy by German Federal Minister of Education and Research Annette Schavan. Later that day, the German participants met with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and attended a reception hosted by Japanese Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ryuji Yamane. Minister of Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba and Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura were also in attendance at the reception, a sign of their interest in the Japan-Germany relationship and appreciation of the importance of the Japanese-German Forum in strengthening bilateral relations.

At the end of the forum, the chairmen prepared a joint statement summarizing the discussions and findings of the meeting to be presented to Prime Minister Noda and Chancellor Angela Merkel.

October 4

Keynote address on “Future Energy Policy” 
ANNETTE SCHAVAN, Federal Minister of Education and Research

Speech on “Foreign Policy of Japan and its Challenges in Domestic Politics”
HITOSHI TANAKA, Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange

Session I: Impact of the Triple Catastrophe of March 11

KENJI KOSAKA, Secretary General for the LDP in the House of Councillors
ROLF HEMPELMANN, Member of Bundestag
HANS-JOACHIM DAERR, Former German Ambassador to Japan

Session II: Future Prospects for Germany and Japan for Responding to New Economic Challenges (like Energy Requirements)

NAOKI TANAKA, President, Center for International Public Policy Studies
ROLF HEMPELMANN, Member of Bundestag

Reception hosted by RYUJI YAMANE, Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs

 

October 5

Session III: Impact of the Rise of China and India and Influence of Other Major Actors like the US in Asia

SHIN’ICHI KITAOKA, Professor, University of Tokyo
HANNS MAULL, Professor, University of Trier

 

GERMAN PARTICIPANTS

CHAIRMAN

BERNHARD SCHEUBLE

Chairman of the Foundation Council, Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB)

PARTICIPANTS

 

DR. FRIEDERIKE BOSSE

Secretary General, Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB)

FLORIAN COULMAS

Director, German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ)

HANS-JOACHIM DAERR

Commissioner for Disaster Relief to Japan; Former German Ambassador to Japan

GESINE FOLJANTY-JOST

Vice President, University Halle-Wittenberg

ROLF HEMPELMANN

Member, German Parliament (SPD: Social Democratic Party of Germany)

MARTIN JÄGER

Head of Global External Affairs and Public Policy, Daimler AG

STEFAN LIEBICH

Member, German Parliament (The Left)

HANNS W. MAULL

Professor, University of Trier

MATTHIAS NASS

Chief International Correspondent, Weekly Newspaper DIE ZEIT

LARS NICOLAYSEN

Managing Director, German Press Agency Tokyo

CYRILL NUNN

Director General for Asian Affairs, German Foreign Office

HEINZ RIESENHUBER

Member, German Parliament (CDU); former Federal Minister for Education and Research

ANNETTE SCHAVAN

Federal Minister of Education and Research

FRITHJOF SCHMIDT

Member, German Parliament (Alliance 90/ The Greens)

ULRICH SIELER

President,  Evonik Degussa, Japan

VOLKER STANZEL

German Ambassador to Japan

FRANZ WALDENBERGER

Professor, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich

JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS

CHAIRMAN

YUZABURO MOGI

Honorary CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kikkoman Corporation

PARTICIPANTS

KEIKO CHINO

Columnist, Sankei Shimbun

KEIKICHI HONDA

Chairman, EFI K.K.

NOBUO INABA

Director and Corporate Executive Vice President, Ricoh

HIDETO KAKINOKI

Editor in Chief, Allatanys (Nikkei)

SHIN’ICHI KITAOKA

Professor, University of Tokyo; former Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations

MINORU KIUCHI

Member, House of Representatives (Group for Upholding the Interest and Life of the Nation)

KENJI KOSAKA

Member, House of Councillors (Liberal Democratic Party [LDP])

MASASHI NISHIHARA

President, Research Institute for Peace and Security

MEGUMI NISHIKAWA

Senior Editorial Writer, Mainichi Shimbun

JIRO SAITO

President and CEO, Japan Post Holdings

HAJIME SASAKI

Executive Advisor, NEC Corporation

TOSHIYUKI TAKANO

Senior Advisor, ITOCHU Corporation; Former Japanese Ambassador to Germany

HITOSHI TANAKA

Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Chairman, Institute for International Strategy, Japan Research Institute; Former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

NAOKI TANAKA

President, Center for International Public Policy Studies

NORIYUKI WAKISAKA 

Editorial writer, Asahi Shimbun

TAIZO YAKUSHIJI

Research Counselor/Board member, Institute for International Policy Studies (IIPS)

TADASHI YAMAMOTO

President, Japan Center for International Exchange