The 33rd annual meeting of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group convened in Japan on October 6–9. The UK delegation began their visit in Tokyo with a briefing from the UK Ambassador to Japan Tim Hitchens, followed by a courtesy call on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In the evening, they were joined by the Japanese delegation for a reception hosted by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.
The group—comprised of politicians, journalists, businesspeople, and scholars— then moved to Kisarazu, where they held in-depth discussions on a broad range of issues that affect the two countries and their relationship, including the implications of Brexit, East Asia security affairs, the implications of aging societies, energy and climate change, “womenomics,” and international development cooperation in Africa.
JCIE co-organizes the UK-Japan 21st Century Group with the Japan Society of the UK in London.
October 6
Luncheon
Hosted by British Ambassador Tim Hitchens
Reception
Hosted by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida
October 7
Session 1: Latest Developments in Japanese Politics and the Economy
Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Senior Diplomatic Writer, Nikkei Shimbun; Secretary-General for US-Japan Project, Japan Center for Economic Research; Visiting Professor, Center for Global Discovery, Sophia University
Session 2: Latest Developments in UK Politics and the Economy: The Implications of Brexit
Philip Stephens, Associate Editor, Financial Times
Lord Lansley, House of Lords
Lord McConnell, House of Lords
Hitoshi Tanaka, Chairman, Institute for International Strategy (IIS), Japan Research Institute, Ltd.
Haruki Hayashi, Executive Vice President, Regional CEO, Europe & Africa, Mitsubishi Corporation; Managing Director, Mitsubishi Corporation International (Europe) PLC
Kenichi Hosomi, Managing Director and General Manager, Planning Department, International Banking Unit, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Session 3: East Asian Security and UK-Japan Security Dialogue and Cooperation
Yuji Miyamoto, Chairman, Miyamoto Institute of Asian Research; Former Ambassador of Japan to the People’s Republic of China
Dr. John Nilsson-Wright, Senior Lecturer, Cambridge University and Head of Asia Program at Chatham House
After-Dinner Speaker on ‘The US Presidential Election and Its Ramifications’
Fumiaki Kubo, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Tokyo
October 8
Session 4: Coping with Aging Societies and Demographic Change
Lord Lansley
Yasuhisa Shiozaki
Session 5: Energy, the Environment and Climate Change: Challenges for the Future
Martin Wenban, Vice President, Strategic Nuclear Programs, Amec Foster Wheeler
Jun Arima, Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo
Session 6: Womenomics: Realizing the Potential of Womens’ Entrepreneurship
Sakie Tachibana Fukushima, President & Representative Director, G&&S Global Advisors, Inc.
Lisa Cameron, Member of Parliament
Session 7: Forces for Good: International Development Cooperation in Africa
David Richardson, CEO, Crown Agents
Akihiko Tanaka, Professor, University of Tokyo; former President, Japan International Cooperation Agency
After-Dinner Speaker on Global Health Challenges”
Keizo Takemi, Member of the House of Councillors & Phillipe Fauchet, President & Representative Director, GlaxoSmithKline K.K.
October 9
Session 8: Chairmen’s Summary Dialogue
UK PARTICIPANTS | |
LORD (ANDREW) LANSLEY | UK Co-Chairman, UK-Japan 21st Century Group |
SARAH BIRKE | Tokyo Bureau Chief, Economist |
DR LISA CAMERON | Member of Parliament (Scottish National Party) |
PROF MARIE CONTE-HELM | UK Executive Director, UK-Japan 21st Century Group |
PHILLIP FAUCHET | President & Representative Director, The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan |
BARONESS (SUE) GARDEN | House of Lords |
LORI HENDERSON | Executive Director, The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan |
TIM HITCHENS | British Ambassador to Japan |
LORD (JACK) MCCONNELL | House of Lords |
DR. JOHN NILSSON-WRIGHT | Senior Lecturer in Modern Japanese Politics and International Relations, Cambridge University and head of the Asia Program at Chatham House |
DAVID RICHARDSON | Chief Executive, Crown Agents |
PHILIP STEPHENS | Associate Editor, Financial Times |
HARUHIKO TSUYUKUBO | President, Rolls Royce Japan |
DEBRA VALENTINE | Group Executive, Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Rio Tino |
SIR DAVID WARREN | Chairman, Japan Society, and former UK Ambassador to Japan |
MARTIN WENBAN | Vice President, Strategic Nuclear Programs, Amec Foster Wheeler |
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JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS | |
YASUHISA SHIOZAKI | Co-Chairman, UK-Japan 21st Century Group; Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare; Member of the House of Representatives (LDP); Former Chief Cabinet Secretary |
JUN ARIMA | Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo |
HARUKI HAYASHI | Executive Vice President, Regional CEO, Europe & Africa, Mitsubishi Corporation International (Europe) PLC |
KENICHI HOSOMI | Managing Director and General Manager, Planning Department, International Banking Unit, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; General Manager of Global Business Planning Department, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group |
ERIKO KAWAI | Professor, Kyoto University |
FUMIAKI KUBO | Professor, University of Tokyo |
SEIJI MAEHARA | Member of the House of Representatives (DP) |
YUJI MIYAMOTO | Chairman, Miyamoto Institute of Asian Research; Vice President of Japan-China Friendship Center; Former Ambassador of Japan to People’s Republic of China |
MAMI MITZUTORI | Executive Director, Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures |
JUNYA OGAWA | Member of the House of Representatives (DP) |
AKIO OKAWARA | President, Japan Center for International Exchange; Japanese Executive Director, UK-Japan 21st Century Group |
WATARU SAWAMURA | Editorial Writer, Asahi Shimbun |
TSUYOSHI SUNOHARA | Senior Diplomatic Writer, Nikkei Shimbun, Secretary General for US-Japan Project, Japan Center for Economic Research; Visiting Professor, Center for Global Discovery, Sophia University |
KEISUKE SUZUKI | Member of the House of Representatives (LDP) |
YASUO TANABE | Senior Vice President and Executive Officer, Hitachi, Ltd. |
AKIHIKO TANAKA | Professor, University of Tokyo, former President, Japan International Cooperation Agency |
HITOSHI TANAKA | Chairman, Institute for International Strategy (IIS), Japan Research Institute, Ltd.; Former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs; Senior Fellow, Japan Center for International Exchange |
HIROYUKI TAKAI | President and CEO, Sumitomo Corporation Global Research Co, Ltd. |
KEIZO TAKEMI | Member of the House of Councillors (LDP) |
KOJI TSURUOKA | Japanese Ambassador to UK |
ISAMU UEDA | Member of the House of Representatives (New Komeito) |
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OBSERVERS | |
JOSEPH EGERTON | First Secretary, Economic Section, British Embassy Tokyo |
KYOKO KOTAI | Institute for International Strategy (IIS), Japan Research Ltd. |
HIROSHI KUMAGAE | Senior Advisor, Crown Agents Japan |
MANABU MIYAGAWA | Deputy Director-General, European Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
GREG MULHEIRN | Political Counsellor, British Embassy Tokyo |
MOTOKO NAKAYAMA | Deputy Director, Western Europe Division, European Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
EIICHI SHIMIZU | Manager, Department of Business Planning, Crown Agents Japan |
YUKA TASUNO | Senior Political Officer, Political Section, British Embassy Tokyo |
DAISUKE YAMABATA | Vice President, Strategic Planning Group, Planning Department, International Banking Unit, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation |
