• August 19 (Mon) 14:30-16:00 – Associate Professor Narushige Michishita, GRIPS: “Changing Asia and Japan’s Strategies”

: Focusing on the East Asia’s shifting geopolitical and security environment and Japan’s geostrategic challenges in the region, Prof. Michishita discussed Japan’s radical demographic transition brings with it a range of new challenges and threats, with broad implications for its foreign, security and economic policy, as well as relationships in the Asia-Pacific region.

• August 20 (Tue) 10:00-11:30 – Mr. Yosuke Tsuyuguchi, Senior Advisory Officer, Shinkin Central Bank: “Internationalization of Renminbi and Currency Cooperation among Japan, China and ASEAN”

: The lecture and discussions covered a wide range of topics including internationalization of Chinese RMB’s advantages and disadvantages, its implications for the global financial industry, as well as Asia’s Monetary and Financial Cooperation from both empirical and analytical perspectives.

• August 20 (Tue) 13:30-15:00 – Mr. Tadashi Nunami, Executive Director, Center for Financial Industry Information Systems (FISC), former Director-General of BOJ International Department: “Lean or Clean? How Should Central Banks Deal with Asset Price Bubbles?”

: The lecturer stated that after the global financial crisis, the view in favor of monetary policies leaning against the wind of excessive credit expansion has become stronger than the traditional view in favor of policies cleaning up the mess afterwards and went on to list several policy challenges for central banks tackling asset price bubbles. He also invited participants’ comments regarding Abenomics and succeeded in promoting active discussion on the impact, limitations and alternatives.

• August 21 (Wed) 10:00-11:30 – Dr. Jae-Ha Park, Deputy Dean of Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI): “Economic Cooperation and Integration in Asia: Asian Bond Market Initiative”

: Having served in various executive roles for public, private and academic sectors in financial industry and been involved in many projects relating to regional economic and financial cooperation under the ASEAN+3 and APEC during Asian financial crisis, Prof. Park mainly talked about his experience in creating Asian Bond Market Initiatives, ASEAN+3 Research Group activities, and Asian regional financial market reform and development.

• August 21 (Wed) 13:30-15:00 – Mr. Atsushi Nakajima, Chairman of Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI): “Managing Sovereign Debt Crisis and Promoting Growth”

: Mr. Nakajima lectured on the significance of both achieving fiscal balance and promoting economic growth and emphasized the need for public consensus on the choice of welfare state regime. The lecture covered many important policy issues including tax, technological innovation, and women’s labor participation, FTAs and industry revitalization. After the lecture, participants asked questions on economic impact of tax rate changes, government debt credit ratings and sovereign wealth funds.

• August 22 (Thu) 10:00-11:30 – Project Professor Jun Saito, Graduate School of Business and Commerce, Keio University, former Director-General of Cabinet Office’s Economic Research Bureau: “Surging Resource Prices and Inflation”

: Prof. Saito provided a lecture on surging resource prices and inflation where he explained the effect and cost of various government policies and monetary policy geared toward preventing home-made inflation and maintaining price stability based on the Japanese experience. In the Q&A session after the lecture, the lecturer and participants actively exchanged views and information on diplomatic strategies regarding resource trade and appropriate policies for expanding renewable energy.

• August 22 (Thu) 14:30-17:30 – Mr. Hiroharu Koike, former Officer of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, former Ambassador to UAE and the Netherlands: “Japanese Foreign Affairs and Challenges”

: Based on 40 years of experience as a diplomat, the guest speaker, Mr. Koike shared his own perceptions on Japan’s diplomacy with China and Korea in the past and at present, Japan-US alliance and Japan’s Asia-Pacific strategy. Later on, Mr. Koike engaged the audience with his stimulating discussion of the various issues such as territorial disputes and potential for resolution process including analyzing the case law of the International Court of Justice. He also emphasized the need of collaborative effort to understand and settle controversial issues in history in order to promote regional cooperation and economic partnership.