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 |
