The 24th Japanese-German Forum was held on October 27–29, 2015, in Tokyo at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Mita Conference Hall. Japanese Chair Mogi Yuzaburo and German Chair Matthias Nass led discussions focused on three topics, “Domestic Challenges and Political Response,” “Growth and Well-Being in an Aging Society—Potentials of Social Innovation and Limitations,” and “Foreign and Security Policy, More Active Role of Japan and Germany.”
In Session 1, “Domestic Challenges and Political Responses,” Senior Vice Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ken Saito spoke about the adoption of the new Japan security bill, which allows the use of collective self-defense, and about the importance of the future domestic response to the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. Hon. Koichiro Gemba (House of Representatives) asserted that Japan’s greatest challenge is its declining birth rate and aging population. He also discussed the new security bill, trends in China and Russia, and the response of the Democratic Party of Japan to the House of Councillors election that is scheduled for next year. Dr. Heinz Riesenhuber (Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union) noted that while the growing influx of Syrian refugees was a major short-term challenge, accepting refugees would benefit Germany in the medium term as a solution to the country’s aging population. He also spoke about Germany’s transition to renewable energy and the Greece debt crisis. After that, Dr. Matthias Bartke (Social Democratic Party) gave an overview of Germany’s history of accepting immigrants and refugees and spoke about its pros and cons. He went on to state that having a positive attitude toward supporting refugees enhances the confidence of the German people. During the Q&A session, participants discussed domestic opinion about Japan’s security bill, Japan’s response to the Syrian refugees, energy problems facing both countries, the evaluation of the progress of Industrie 4.0, and the importance of German-Japan cooperation.
In Session 2, “Growth and Well-Being in an Aging Society–Potentials of Social Innovation and Limitations, ” the president of the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry, Nakajima Atsushi, stated that while both Japan and Germany are facing a declining birth rate and aging population, the problem is more serious in Japan, and so it is essential that greater consideration be given to the acceptance of immigrants.
In Session 3, “Foreign and Security Policy, More Active Role of Japan and Germany,” Hitoshi Tanaka (JCIE Senior Fellow; Chairman, Japan Research International Institute for Strategic Studies) spoke about Japan’s response to the rise of China and Russia, the importance of strengthening Japan’s security capabilities, and its unity with the European Union. Dr. Frithjof Schmidt (90/The Greens) gave a comprehensive analysis of the current international landscape and Germany’s efforts to take a more active role in international politics.The subsequent discussion focused on Japan’s expectations of Germany regarding the situation in East Asia, German-Japan cooperation toward the peaceful resolution of world conflicts, and policies to improve Japan-China and Japan-Korea relations.
Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Miki Yamada hosted a reception on the night of the 27th, and Dr. Hans Carl von Werthern, ambassador to Japan, also hosted a reception on the night of the 28th.
The forum ended on the 29th with a courtesy call by the delegation to Prime Minister Abe. During the visit, Abe spoke about the importance of the Japan-German relationship and the important role that the Japanese-German Forum plays in that relationship. The Japanese and German chairmen then outlined the agenda of their meeting and discussed their findings with the prime minister.
October 28
Session I: Domestic Challenges and Political Response
Session II: Growth and Well-being in an Ageing Society-Potentials of Social Innovation and Limitations
October 29
Session III: Foreign and Security Policy, More Active Role of Japan and Germany
GERMAN PARTICIPANTS | |
CHAIRMAN | |
MATTHIAS NASS | Chief International Correspondent, Weekly Newspaper DIE ZEIT |
PARTICIPANTS | |
MIN DIR DR. THOMAS BAGGER | Head of Policy Planning Staff, Federal Foreign Office |
Dr. MATTHIAS BARTKE | MP (SPD) |
Prof. Dr. VERENA BLECHINGER-TALCOTT | Professor, Free University Berlin |
Dr. FRIEDERIKE BOSSE | Secretary General, Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) |
Prof. Dr. VOLKER DEVILLE | Director Future Topics, Allianz SE |
Prof. Dr. GESINE FOLJANTY-JOST | Professor, University Halle-Wittenberg |
Prof. Dr. HANNS W. MAULL | Senior Distinguished Fellow, German Institute for International and Security Affairs |
LARS NICOLAYSEN | Tokyo Bureau Chief, German Press Agency |
Ambassador Dr. NORBERT RIEDEL | Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Federal Foreign Office |
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. HEINZ RIESENHUBER | MP (CDU/CSU); former Federal Minister for Education and Research |
Dr. FRITHJOF SCHMIDT | MP (Bundnis 90/Die Grunen) |
VOLKER STANZEL | Senior Distinguished Fellow, German Institute for International and Security Affairs |
Dr. SABINE STRICKER-KELLERER | Senior China Counsel, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
Prof. Dr. FRANZ WALDENBERGER | Director, German Institute for Japanese Studies |
Ambassador Dr. HANS CARL VON WERTHERN | German Ambassador to Japan |
YOUNG LEADERS | |
ANDREA HIDEG | Head of Department Foreign Trade Promotion and Export Controls; Federation of German Whole Sale, Foreign Trade and Services |
IPPEITA NISHIDA | Research Fellow, Tokyo Foundation |
OBSERVERS AND SECRETARIAT | |
MONIKA BRANDL | Head of Administration, JDZB |
Dr. WOLFGANG BRENN | Head of Project Management, JDZB |
RUTH BRODESSER | Protocol, German Embassy in Japan |
ALEXANDER EHRLE | Lawyer in Training |
JOHANNES FRITSCH | Lawyer in Training |
AXEL GUGEL | Planning Staff, Federal Foreign Office |
MASARU SAKATO | Deputy Secretary General, JDZB |
JURGEN SCHULZ | Director for Security Policy, Federal Foreign Office |
PETRA SIGMUND | Director, East Asia Division, Foreign Office |
MONICA SOMMER | Councilor, Work and Welfare, German Embassy in Japan |
TATJANA WONNEBERG | Project Management, JDZB |
JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS | |
CHAIRMAN | |
YUZABURO MOGI | Honorary CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kikkoman Corporation |
PARTICIPANTS | |
HIROYASU ANDO | President, Japan Foundation |
YASUNORI FUJI | Director, Senior Executive Officer, Head of Compliance Control Department, Tsumura & Co. |
KOICHIRO GEMBA | Member, House of Representatives, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ); Former Minister for Foreign Affairs |
KEIICHIRO HASHIMOTO | Executive Vice President, COO, Shioyatochi Co., Ltd. |
NOBUO INABA | Director, Ricoh Company, Ltd.; President, Ricoh Institute of Sustainability and Business |
TOSHIMASA IUE | CEO, LIXIL Housing Technology |
HIDETO KAKINOKI | Head, Project Planning Office, Nikkei Inc |
IZURU KATO | President, Totan Research Co., Ltd. |
YOKO KAWAMURA | Professor, Seikei University |
MINORU KIUCHI | Member, House of Representatives, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP); Former Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs |
RYOSEI KOKUBUN | President, National Defense Academy of Japan |
TOSHIAKI MIURA | Political and Diplomatic Correspondent, Asahi Shimbun |
ATSUSHI NAKAJIMA | Chairman, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) |
TAKESHI NAKANE | Director and Executive Adviser, Nippon Steel Kowa Real Estate Co., Ltd. |
TETSUO NARUKAWA | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Germany |
AKIO OKAWARA | President, Japan Center for International Exchange |
MASARU ONISHI | Director, Chairman, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. |
KEN SAITO | Senior Vice Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishers; Member, House of Representatives (LDP) |
HAJIME SASAKI | Honorary Advisor, NEC Corporation |
TAKAHIRO SHINYO | Vice-President , Kwansei Gakuin University; Former Japanese Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany |
SHIRO SUGATA | Director and Corporate Advisor, USHIO INC |
TOSHIYUKI TAKANO | Audit & Supervisory Board Member, Japan Post Co., Ltd.; Former Japanese Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany |
HITOSHI TANAKA | Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Chairman, Institute for International Strategy, Japan Research Institute, Ltd.; Former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs |
TAIZO YAKUSHIJI | Research Counselor, Institute for International Policy Studies (IIPS) |
OBSERVERS | |
MASAKI IKEGAMI | Director, Central and South Eastern Europe Division, European Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
KAZUHIRO KATO | Principal, Global Business Planning Division, NEC Corporation. |
KYOKO KOTARI | Researcher, Institute for International Strategy, Japan Research Institute, Ltd. |
FUMIYOSHI KAYANUMA | Deputy Vice President, Corporate Strategy Department, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. |
MIHO MIZUHAKI | Head of Secretarial Section, LIXIL Housing Technology |
RYUTA MIZUUCHI | Consul General of Japan in Dusseldorf |
HISATO NAKANO | General Manager, Corporate Planning Division, Kikkoman Corporation |
SATOSHI SUZUKI | Deputy Director-General, European Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
SECRETARIAT (JAPAN CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE) | |
DAI FUNAKI | Program Officer, JCIE |
PATRICK ISHIYAMA | Web and Book Design, JCIE |
HIKARU ITO | Technology and Communications Officer, JCIE |
HYEJIN LEE | Program Associate, JCIE |
TOSHIHIRO MENJU | Managing Director and Chief Program Officer, JCIE |
