The 21st Annual Meeting of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group was held in Tokyo and Nagoya from March 10–13, 2005. The meeting was chaired by Hon. Yasuhisa Shiozaki, member of the House of Representatives and Rt. Hon. Dr. Jack Cunningham MP.
In Tokyo, the group members met with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who stressed the importance of maintaining strong UK-Japan relations and expressed his gratitude for the role that the group played in securing British participation in the Aichi World Expo.
The group discussed a number of global issues that provide the UK and Japan with opportunities for closer cooperation. Those topics include support for the poorest countries in Africa; combating communicable diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria; the challenges of balancing economic development with protection of the environment; and promoting cooperation among various sectors in both countries, especially through the promotion of civil society organizations.
Mr. Ichiro Aisawa, Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, hosted a reception for the delegation, and the group visited the Aichi World Expo in Nagoya.
March 10
Reception hosted by ICHIRO AISAWA, Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs
March 11
Session I: Briefing on Japan in East Asia
TERUAKI AOKI, Corporate Executive Vice President, Sony Corporation
YASUHISA SHIOZAKI, Member of the House of Representatives
Meeting with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
Luncheon hosted by British Ambassador to Japan GRAHAM FRY
Session II: Briefing on the United Kingdom in the European Union
VICTOR BULMER-THOMAS, Director, Royal Institute for International Affairs
March 12
Session III: Responding to the Challenges of Global Governance
- Promoting the alliance relationship with the U.S. after the Bush reelection; Enhancing the role of the United Nations; Strengthening UK-Japan cooperation in responding to global challenges
MASASHI NISHIHARA, President, National Defense Academy
SIR STEPHEN GOMERSALL, former Ambassador to Japan
Session IV: The New Challenges of International Energy Security and UK-Japan Cooperation
- Reducing energy dependence on the Middle East; Improvement of energy efficiency
YOSHIYUKI KASAI, Chairman, Central Japan Railway Company
LORD HOWELL, former Secretary of State for Energy; President of British Institute of Energy Economists
NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN, Chairman, URENCO
Session V: Promoting Nature’s Wisdom—Balancing Development with Protection of Environment
HAJIME SASAKI, Chairman of the Board, NEC Corporation
BILL EMMOTT, Editor, The Economist
March 13
Session VI: The Rise of China and Its Economic and Security Implications for the International Order
KEIZO TAKEMI, Member, House of Councilors
SEIJI MAEHARA, Member, House of Representatives
SIR JOHN BOYD, Master, Churchill College; Chairman, Governors of British Museum
Concluding Session: Chairmen’s Summaries and Recommendations
Tour of the Aichi World EXPO (Nagoya)
JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS | |
CHAIRMAN | |
YASUHISA SHIOZAKI | Member, House of Representatives (Liberal Democratic Party); Former Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Finance |
PARTICIPANTS | |
HATSUO AOKI | President and Chief Executive Officer, Fujisawa Pharmaceutical, Ltd. |
TERUAKI AOKI | Senior Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, Sony Corporation |
SHINJI FUKUKAWA | Executive Advisor, Dentsu Inc.; Advisor Global Industrial and Social Progress Research Institute |
MOTOHISA FURUKAWA | Member, House of Representatives (Democratic Party of Japan) |
YOSHIO ISHIZAKA | Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor Corporation |
YOSHIYUKI KASAI | Chairman, Central Japan Railway Company |
SEIJI MAEHARA | Member, House of Representatives (DPJ) |
MASASHI NISHIHARA | President, National Defense Academy |
YASUTOSHI NISHIMURA | Member, House of Representatives (LDP) |
YOSHIJI NOGAMI | Japanese Ambassador to UK |
HAJIME SASAKI | Chairman of the Board, NEC Corporation |
YUKIO SATOH | President, Japan Institute of International Affairs, Former Ambassador to UN |
HIDEYA TAIDA | Executive Vice President, The Japan Foundation, Executive Director, Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP) |
KEIZO TAKEMI | Member, House of Councilors (LDP) |
ISAMU UEDA | Member, House of Representatives (NKP) |
KOJI WATANABE | Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Former Ambassador to Russia |
TADASHI YAMAMOTO | President, Japan Center for International Exchange |
FUMIHIKO YOSHIDA | Editorial Writer, Asahi Shimbun |
UK PARTICIPANTS | |
CO-CHAIRMAN | |
RT. HON DR JACK CUNNINGHAM MP | Member of the House of Commons, Labour; Former Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food |
PARTICIPANTS | |
SIR JOHN BOYD | Master, Churchill College; Chairman, Governors of British Museum; Former Ambassador to Japan |
PROFESSOR VICTOR BULMER-THOMAS | Director, Royal Institute for International Affairs |
NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN | Chairman, URENCO Ltd |
BILL EMMOTT | Editor, The Economist |
HE GRAHAM FRY | British Ambassador to Japan |
SIR STEPHEN GOMERSALL KCMG | Chief Executive for Europe, Hitachi Ltd.; Former British Ambassador to Japan |
MELVILLE GUEST | UK Executive Director, The UK-Japan 21st Century Group |
LORD HOWELL OF GUILDFORD | Member of the House of Lords |
RT. HON BEVERLEY HUGHES MP | Minister of State at the Home office; Member of the House of Commons, Labour |
DR. TIDU MAINI | Pro-Rector, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine |
PIETER MONTYN | Consultant, BAE Systems plc |
RT. HON SIR RICHARD NEEDHAM | Director, Dyson plc; former Minister for Trade |
DR. MICHAEL SHEARS | Chairman of Trustees, Arup |
IAN THOMAS | Business Development Director, AMEC |
LORD WOOLMER OF LEEDS | Member of the House of Lords |
