UK-Japan 21st Century Group | 27th Conference

October 21–24, 2010
Tokyo, Karuizawa, Japan

The 27th annual meeting of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group took place on October 21–24, 2010. Bringing 34 leaders from the two countries together for sessions in Tokyo and in Karuizawa, Japan, the forum included meetings on a range of domestic and global concerns where deeper UK-Japan relations can play a critical role. The first session took place in Tokyo, where participants learned from Japanese experts about the latest domestic developments as well as wider East Asian relations. The rise of China, the relative decline in US power in the region, recent shifts in Japan’s political landscape, and relations with North Korea were four trends identified as important challenges for the region.

Before leaving Tokyo, the UK delegation met with Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who welcomed the delegation and expressed his full support for the work of the 21st Century Group. The forum resumed in Karuizawa, where the participants heard about the latest trends in UK and European politics, such as a stabilized yet still uncertain eurozone as well as the recent emergence of a coalition government in the UK.

They also discussed the UK-Japan relationship within the context of wider international challenges. They spoke about the continuing uncertainty of the global economic environment, with participants from both countries emphasizing the importance of taking action against global imbalances, and also about transnational security threats, such as nuclear proliferation, international terrorism, and the war in Afghanistan. The participants also discussed China’s future international role. The sessions concluded with a broad look at the prospects for deepening UK-Japan relations in a number of areas, including the need for bilateral cooperation in addressing climate change and potential avenues for increased trade and investment and further economic integration between the two countries.

After the forum, a joint statement on the group’s findings and recommendations were released by the Japanese and UK chairmen.

October 21

Session I: Latest Developments in Japan and East Asia
HITOSHI TANAKA, Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Chairman of the Institute for International Strategy (IIS), Japan Research Institute, Ltd.

Dinner hosted by SEIJI MAEHARA, Minister for Foreign Affairs

 
October 22

UK delegation meeting with Prime Minister NAOTO KAN

Lunch hosted by British Ambassador DAVID WARREN

 
October 23

Session II: Latest Developments in UK and Europe
PHILIP STEPHENS, Associate Editor, Financial Times

Session III: Fiscal and Financial Challenges and the Global Economy
NAOKI TANAKA, President, Center for International Public Policy Studies 
MARK TAYLOR, Dean, Warwick Business School

Session IV: Current Challenges of Security and Other Global Issues
SIR JOHN BOYD, Chairman of Asia House
MASASHI NISHIHARA, President, Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS)

 
October 24

Session V: Prospects for UK-Japan Bilateral Relations and Progress in Developing Bilateral Collaboration
SHINJI FUKUKAWA, Chairman, TEPIA, The Machine Industry Memorial Foundation 
LORD WOOLMER, House of Lords

 

JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS

CO-CHAIR

YASUHISA SHIOZAKI

Former Chief Cabinet Secretary; Member, House of Representatives (LDP)

PARTICIPANTS

SHIN EBIHARA

Japanese Ambassador to the UK

SHINJI FUKUKAWA

Chairman, TEPIA, The Machine Industry Memorial Foundation

TETSURO FUKUYAMA

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Member, House of Councillors (DPJ)

KENJI KOSAKA

Former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; Member, House of Councillors (LDP)

KENICHI MIYATA

Executive Secretary of the Institute of Journalism, The Asahi Shimbun

OSAMU NAGATA

Managing Executive Officer, Toyota Motor Corporation

TOMOJI NAKATANI

Member, House of Councillors (DPJ)

MASASHI NISHIHARA

President, Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS)

HAJIME SASAKI

Executive Director, NEC Corporation

YOSHIYASU SATO

Advisor, Shiseido Co. Ltd; Former Ambassador to China

MASAHIKO SHIBAYAMA

Member, House of Representatives (LDP)

YOSHITAKA SHINDO

Member, House of Representatives (LDP)

YASUO TANABE

Corporate Officer, International Strategy Division, Hitachi, Ltd.

HITOSHI TANAKA

Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Chairman of the Institute for International Strategy (IIS), Japan Research Institute, Ltd.; Former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

NAOKI TANAKA

President, Center for International Public Policy Studies

TAIZO YAKUSHIJI

Research Counselor, Institute for International Policy Studies; Professor of Emeritus of Keio University, Visiting Professor of National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)

IKUO YAMAHANA

Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs; Member, House of Representatives (DPJ)

TADASHI YAMAMOTO

President, Japan Center for International Exchange; Japanese Executive Director, UK-Japan 21st Century Group

UK PARTICIPANTS

CO-CHAIR

RT HON LORD CUNNINGHAM

House of Lords (Labour Party)

PARTICIPANTS

SIR JOHN BOYD

Chairman, Asia House

LORELY BURT

Member of Parliament (Liberal Democrat Party)

SIMON CHELTON

Vice President, Corporate Relations, North East Asia, BAE Systems

PROF GLENN HOOK

Director, Graduate School of East Asian Studies, Sheffield University

CHARLES HUMFREY

UK Executive Director, UK-Japan 21st Century Group

MARGOT JAMES

Member of Parliament (Conservative party)

YASMIN QURESHI

Member of Parliament (Labour Party)

PHILIP STEPHENS

Associate Editor, Financial Times

PROF MARK TAYLOR

Dean, Warwick Business School

STEVE TAYLOR

Executive Director, Crown Agents

LORD TEVERSON

House of Lords (Liberal Democratic Party)

RICHARD THORNLEY

President, Rolls-Royce plc in Japan

DAVID WARREN

UK Ambassador to Japan

LORD WOOLMER

House of Lords (Labour Party)

OBSERVERS

EMILY BRADNEY

Second Secretary, Political Section, British Embassy

KAZUHIRO KATO

Chief Manager, International Operation Planning Division, NEC Corporation

SATOMI OKAGAKI

Deputy Director, Western Europe Division, European Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

JUN YANAGI

Director, Western Europe Division, European Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

SECRETARIAT

PATRICK ISHIYAMA

Web and Book Design, Japan Center for International Exchange

HIFUMI TAJIMA

Senior Program Officer, Japan Center for International Exchange