The 17th Group Conference was held on February 15–18, 2001, in Tokyo and on Awaji Island. Thirty-seven participants from Japan and the UK discussed new developments in Japan and Asia as well as in the UK and Europe, the challenges of global governance, and the outlook for international economic institutions. The program also included a reception hosted by Kiyohiro Araki, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, and a luncheon hosted by British Ambassador to Japan, Sir Stephen Gomersall.
February 15
Session I: Developments in Japan and Asia
Speakers:
Hideya Taida, Senior Vice President and Executive Corporate Officer, Marubeni Corporation
Yasuhisa Shiozaki, Member, House of Representatives; Former Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Finance
February 16
Session II: Developments in the UK and Europe
Speaker:
Anatole Kaletsky, Economic Columnist, The Times
February 17
Session III: Coping with the Challenges of Global Governance—Role of the UN, US, and UK/Japan
Speakers:
John Chipman, Director, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Masashi Nishihara, President, National Defense Academy
Hatsuhisa Takashima, Director, The United Nations Information Centre, Tokyo
Session IV: Challenges of International Economic Organizations—Responding to the Backlash Against Globalization
Speakers:
Koji Watanabe, Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Executive Advisor, Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren)
Sir Alan Budd, Provost of the Queen’s College, Oxford; Former Member, Monetary Policy Committee, Bank of England
February 18
Session V: Challenge of the New Era
Impact of the IT Revolution on the Economy and Society
New Opportunities for UK-Japan Cooperation
Speakers:
Lord Howell, Opposition Spokesman on Foreign Affairs, House of Lords
Shigefumi Matsuzawa, Member, House of Representatives
Kiyoshi Yamakawa, Corporate Advisor, Sony Corporation
UK PARTICIPANTS | |
CHAIRMAN | |
THE RT HON LORD HOWELL OF GUILDFORD | Opposition Spokesman on Foreign Affairs, House of Lords |
PARTICIPANTS | |
VISCOUNT BLAKENHAM | Director, Japan 2001 |
SIR ALAN BUDD | Provost of The Queen’s College, Oxford; former Member, Monetary Policy Committee, Bank of England |
MENZIES CAMPBELL QC, MP | Liberal Democrat Spokesman on Foreign Affairs |
DR JOHN CHIPMAN | Director, International Institute for Strategic Studies |
PROFESSOR MARIE CONTE-HELM* | Director General, Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation |
ANDREW FRASER | Senior Adviser, Mitsubishi Corporation (UK) plc; Former Chief Executive, Invest in Britain Bureau |
DR CHRIS GAMBLE | Director, Royal Institute of International Affairs |
ROGER GODSIFF MP | Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath; Chairman, British Japanese Parliamentary Group |
SIR STEPHEN GOMERSALL | British Ambassador to Japan |
ANATOLE KALETSKY | Economic Columnist, The Times |
SIR MARTIN LAING | Chairman, John Laing plc |
ANTHONY LOEHNIS QC | Executive Director, UK-Japan 21st Century Group; Former Executive Director, Bank of England |
SIR RICHARD NEEDHAM | Vice Chairman NEC Europe Ltd; Deputy Chairman, Dyson Appliances; former Minister for Trade |
ROBIN ROWLAND | International Adviser, Royal & SunAlliance Insurance Group plc |
VISCOUNT TRENCHARD | Director, London Pacific Group Ltd.; Joint Chairman, Japan Society |
SIR DAVID WRIGHT | Group Chief Executive, British Trade International |
JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS | |
KAZUYOSHI AKABA* | Member, House of Representatives |
HIROAKI FUJII | President, The Japan Foundation |
SHINJI FUKUKAWA | Chief Executive Officer, Dentsu Institute for Human Studies |
SADAYUKI HAYASHI | Japanese Ambassador to the UK |
HIROYA ICHIKAWA | Professor, Sophia University |
MAKOTO IOKIBE | Professor, Kobe University |
MASAHIKO ISHIZUKA | Managing Director, Foreign Press Center |
SHIGEFUMI MATSUZAWA | Member, House of Representatives |
MASASHI NISHIHARA | President, National Defense Academy |
YUZO NOZAWA | Deputy General Director, Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO) |
TADAHIRO SEKIMOTO | Chairman Emeritus, NEC Corporation |
SACHIO SEMMOTO* | Chief Executive Officer, eAccess Ltd. |
ATSUSHI SHIMOKOBE* | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Tokio Marine Research Institute |
YASUHISA SHIOZAKI* | Member, House of Representatives; Former Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Finance |
HIDEYA TAIDA | Senior Vice President and Executive Corporate Officer, Marubeni Corporation |
HATSUHISA TAKASHIMA | Director, The United Nations Information Centre, Tokyo |
SHOICHIRO TOYODA* | Honorary Chairman, Toyota Motor Corporation |
KOJI WATANABE | Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange; Executive Advisor, Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) |
KIYOSHI YAMAKAWA | Corporate Advisor, Sony Corporation |
TADASHI YAMAMOTO | President, Japan Center for International Exchange |
FUMIHIKO YOSHIDA | Editorial Writer, The Asahi Shimbun |
*Tokyo program only