In November 2009, the 18th German-Japan Forum brought together representatives from various fields in both countries to discuss the future of Japan-German relations and the common challenges faced by the two countries. This was the first German-Japan Forum held after the change in government in both Japan and Germany that occurred in fall 2009, and a large portion of the discussion was devoted to examining their respective political transformations. In addition, the participants examined the effects of the global financial crisis on the Japanese and German economies as well as new energy policies underway in both countries. The participants also attended a welcoming reception hosted by the Japanese State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Tetsuro Fukuyama.
November 5
Session I: Japanese Political and Economic Change—The Regional and Global Impact and the Implications for German-Japan Relations
KOICHIRO GEMBA, Member, House of Representatives (DPJ: Democratic Party of Japan)
YOSHIMASA HAYASHI, Member, House of Councillors (LDP: Liberal Democratic Party)
SHIN’ICHI KITAOKA, Professor, University of Tokyo
Session II: German Political and Economic Change—The Regional and Global Impact and the Implications for German-Japan Relations
Dr. THEO SOMMER, Editor-At-Large,Die Zeit
ALEXANDER GRAF LAMBSDORFF, Member of European Parliament (FDP: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament)
JÜRGEN FITSCHEN, Member of the Management Board, Deutsche Bank AG
November 6
Session III: Impact of Financial Crisis on Germany and Japan and Possible Bilateral Cooperation in Response
JIRO SAITO, President and CEO, Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd.
UWE NEBGEN, Representative, Deutsche Bundesbank, Tokyo
Session IV: Energy Policy in the Context of Green New Deal and COP 15 Meeting
TAIZO YAKUSHIJI, Vice President and Executive Research Director at the Institute for International Policy Studies (IIPS)
RAINDER STEENBLOCK, Member of German Parliament until 2009 (Alliance 90/The Greens)
GERMAN PARTICIPANTS | |
CHAIRMAN | |
BERNHARD SCHEUBLE | Chairman of the Foundation Council, Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) |
PARTICIPANTS | |
FRIEDERIKE BOSSE | Secretary General, Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) |
HANS HENNING BLOMEYER-BARTEINSTEIN | Director-General for Asian and Pacific Affairs, Federal Foreign Office |
FLORIAN COULMAS | Director, German Institute for Japanese Studies |
JÜRGEN FITSCHEN | Member, Management Board, Deutsche Bank AG |
ROLF HEMPELMANN | Member, German Parliament (SPD: Social Democratic Party of Germany) |
ALEXANDER GRAF LAMBSDORFF | Member, European Parliament (FDP: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament) |
MATTHIAS NASS | Deputy Editor-in-Chief, DIE ZEIT |
UWE NEBGEN | Representative, Deutsche Bundesbank, Tokyo |
AMB. CYRILL NUNN | Director General, Asia Policy, Foreign Office |
WOLFGANG SCHMITT | Managing Director, German Agency for Development Cooperation (GTZ) |
BIRGIT SCHNIEBER-JASTRAM | Member, European Parliament (CDU: European People’s Party in the European Parliament) |
THEO SOMMER | Editor-at-Large, DIE ZEIT |
AMB. DR. VOLKER STANZEL | German Ambassador-Designate to Japan |
RAINDER STEENBLOCK | Member of German Parliament until 2009 (Alliance 90 / The Greens) |
FRANZ WALDENBERGER | Professor, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich |
JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS | |
CHAIRMAN | |
YUZABURO MOGI | Chairman and CEO, Kikkoman Corporation |
PARTICIPANTS | |
KEIKO CHINO | Columnist, The Sankei Shimbun |
SHINJI FUKUKAWA | Chairman, Machine Industry Memorial Foundation (TEPIA) |
TETSURO FUKUYAMA | State Secretary for Foreign Affairs; Member, House of Councillors (Democratic Party of Japan [DPJ]) |
KOICHIRO GEMBA | Member, House of Representatives (DPJ) |
KEIKICHI HONDA | Editor in Chief, The Nikkei Weekly |
HIDETO KAKINOKI | Chair, Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, Nippon KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation) |
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) |
AKIRA KOJIMA | Trustee and Senior Fellow, Japan Center for Economic Research (JCER) |
TAKASHI MIYAAKE | Editorial Writer, Yomiuri Shimbun |
MEGUMI NISHIKAWA | Senior Editorial Writer, Mainichi Shimbun |
JIRO SAITO | President and CEO, Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd. |
TAKAHIRO SHINYO | Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany |
TSUYOSHI TAKAHASHI | Special Advisor to the President, Japan Foundation |
HITOSHI TANAKA | Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs |
NAOKI TANAKA | President, Center for International Public Policy Studies |
KATSUYUKI YAKUSHIJI | Political News Editor, Asahi Shimbun |
TAIZO YAKUSHIJI | Vice President and Executive Research Director at the Institute for International Policy Studies (IIPS) |
TAKASHI YAMAGISHI | Executive Vice President and CTO, Teijin Limited |
TADASHI YAMAMOTO | President, Japan Center for International Exchange |
