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         8 March 2001
PR/E07/01 		 
 
 
UNU & NIRA TO HOST INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CHALLENGES FACING JAPAN IN THE 21ST CENTURY

On 15-16 March 2001, the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU/IAS) in cooperation with the National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA) will organize an international symposium on Challenges Facing Japan in the Twenty-First Century. This symposium, which is supported by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, will present findings from NIRA's "Comprehensive Research Project for the Twenty-First Century," a two-year project that explored Japan's course at the threshold of the new century based on cumulative results of past research.

The sysmposium will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, 15 March, in the U Thant International Conference Hall at the UN House in Tokyo with an opening address by Yotaro Kobayashi, Chairman of NIRA, and welcoming remarks by A.H. Zakri, Director of UNU/IAS. Taichi Sakaiya, former Minister of Japan's Economic Planning Agency, will then deliver the first day's keynote lecture. The keynote speaker for day 2 of the symposium will be Yasushi Akashi, former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations.

This international symposium will feature four regular sessions:

  • "Japanese Politics and Economy Between 1980 and 1999 - Focusing on the Bubble Economy" (morning, day 1),
  • "Economic Symbiosis in East Asia - Towards the Formation of the East Asian Corridor and Japanese as Good East Asian Citizens" (afternoon, day 1)
  • "Japanese Society in the Twenty-First Century - Towards the Creation of an Attractive Society and Nation" (morning, day 2), and
  • "Aiming Toward Proactive Peace" (afternoon, day 2).

Each of these sessions will include presentations by researchers and follow-up discussions by groups of expert panelists from Japan and abroad. A copy of the programme is attached for your reference.

The second day of the symposium will also feature a concurrent special session on "Developments in the Life Sciences and Law - The Draft Proposal Bio-Ethics Law."

Media representatives are cordially invited to attend. Simultaneous English-Japanese interpretation will be provided.

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For further information please contact:
The UNU Public Affairs Section: Tel. (03) 5467-1243, -1246; Fax (03) 3406-7346

 

 

 

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