UK-Japan 21st Century Group | 17th Conference

February 15–18, 2001
Tokyo and Awaji Island, Japan

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