A Joint symposium with the Embassy of Germany, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, and Asahi Shimbun was held at GRIPS

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2012.4.18

As the concluding event to commemorate “150 Years of German-Japanese Friendship”, a two-day symposium jointly organized by the Embassy of Germany, GRIPS, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, and Asahi Shimbun was held at GRIPS during 18-19 April, on the topic “Power Shifts and the Power of Ideas: Germany and Japan in the G-20 World”.

Please click here for details of the program.

18 April (Wednesday)

	Opening Remarks delivered by H.E. Dr. Volker Stanzel, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany
The first day of the symposium started off with addresses by Mr. Yoichi Funabashi, Chairman of Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation Program, and Prof. Dr. Volker Perthes, Director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). The participants were then divided into three working groups for a closed discussion in depth on specific topics.
	Working Group No.1 “G2, G8, G20 or still a P5 world? Changing Institutional Structures and How to Make Decisions in a Multilateral World”
	Working Group No.2 “Rising Powers and the Global Landscape: How Should Japan and Germany Deal with Regional Powers such as China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa?”
	Working Group No.3 “Reshaping the Global Economic and Financial Order after the Crisis: Domestic Reforms and Global Coordination Needs”

19 April (Thursday)

The second day of the Symposium started off with opening remarks by Ambassador Dr. Volker Stanzel, Kazuyuki Hamada, Parliamentary Secretary, MOFA and Hiroyasu Ando, President of Japan Foundation.
	Remarks by Kazuyuki Hamada, Parliamentary Secretary, MOFA
Keynote speeches were then delivered by Member of Parliament of Japan Makiko Tanaka, and Member of Parliament of Germany Dr. Rolf Mützenich. It was followed by a discussion between the two, with Asahi Shimbun’s Editorial Writer Noriyuki Wakisaka acting as the moderator.

Brief reports were then made on the discussions of Day One’s three working groups by each group’s moderator, followed by a panel discussion among the first speakers of each working group. Naoki Tanaka, President of the Center for International Public Policy Studies acted as moderator.
	Panelists: Prof. Dr. Shinichi Kitaoka, Professor of GRIPS Prof. Dr. Volker Perthes, Director of SWP Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Peter Keitel, President of BDI Prof. Eisuke Sakakibara, Universität Aoyama Gakuin Dr. Daniela Schwarzer, Leader of EU-Integration Research Group of SWP Moderator: Naoki Tanaka, President of the Center for International Public Policy Studies
The final Q & A session lasted for two hours, with many questions raised from the floor, contributing to making the discussions interesting and meaningful.