As part of its mission to inform policy-makers and opinion leaders of major social, political and economic trends in Japan, the Keizai Koho Center organizes study trips to Tokyo and other parts of Japan for delegations of editors and writers from leading publications in the United States, Europe and the Asia region. Participants have the opportunity to meet with senior government officials, business leaders and scholars and discuss a range of domestic and international policy issues. Visits end with a Center-sponsored symposium, where delegation members have the opportunity to discuss insights gleaned from their meetings.
Past Delegations:
"Innovation to be the Winner in International Competition: UK Journalists’ Views."
May 19-23, 2008 Five journalists representing four major British newspapers were invited to Tokyo to meet with and interview political and business leaders and the academic community with the goal of learning about innovations taking place in Japan. Participants included Damian Reece, Head of Business for Telegraph Media Group, The Daily Telegraph, Grainne Gilmore, Economics Correspondent, The Times, Jonathan Guthrie, Enterprise Editor and Columnist, The Financial Times, Robin Harding, Lead Economics Writer, The Financial Times, and Ashley Seager, Economics Correspondent, The Guardian. At a symposium held on the last day of their visit, the journalists discussed innovations they had observed in manufacturing, research and development policies, entrepreneurship, and low-carbon technologies. They also discussed the U.K. experience, where strides in innovation under Thatcherism brought about drastic changes to the British economy and society.
"Prospective Diplomatic and Economic Policies Under a New South Korean President."
February 18-23, 2008 In February 2008, six South Korean journalists were invited to Japan. Participants included Kim Du-Woo, Editorial Writer, JoongAng Ilbo, Lee Jin-Nyong, Editorial Writer, Dong-A Ilbo, Shin Hyo-Seop, Editorial Writer, The Chosun Ilbo, Jang Gyeong-Deok, Editorial Writer, Maeil Business Newspaper, Rhee Hak-Young, Consumer and Marketing Desk Editor, The Korea Economic Daily, and Chung NamKi, Editorial Writer, The Hankyoreh newspaper. At the conclusion of their visits to Kyoto and Tokyo, they participated in the traditional Center-sponsored symposium where they discussed prospective foreign and economic policy changes under the newly elected South Korean President, Lee Myung Bak, including North Korea issues, Korea-Japan relations, Korea-US relations, prospects for a Korea-Japan FTA and the South Korean economy.
"Toward a New Framework in East Asia."
December 10-13, 2007 In December 2007, four ASEAN journalists participated in a study trip to Tokyo. Participants included Nophakhun Limsamarnphun, Sunday Editor, The Nation, Siew Lian Lee, News Editor, The New Straits Times, Ignatius Low, Money Editor, The Straits Times, and Dadan Wijaksana, Deputy Business Editor, The Jakarta Post. At the conclusion of their stay, they discussed Japan-ASEAN relations at a policy symposium, including the conclusion of the Japan-ASEAN FTA, prospects for openings in Japan’s agricultural sector, and economic integration in East Asia.
“How to live with Globalization? - Japan and France, as viewed by French Journalists.”
September 10-15, 2007 In September 2007, five French journalists participated in a study trip in Tokyo. Participants included Philippe Escande, Editorialist, Les Echos, Muriel Motte, International Economy Editor, Le Figaro, Frederic Lemaitre, Editorialist, Le Monde, Pauline Damour, Senior Business Reporter, Challenges, and Mark Epstein, Foreign Desk Editor, L'Express. At the conclusion of their stay, as featured speakers at a Center-sponsored symposium, they discussed policy challenges common to Japan and France, including aging workforce issues and globalization.
"How to live with Globalization? -Japan and the UK, as viewed by British Journalists."
May 20-26, 2007 In May 2007, the Keizai Koho Center hosted a delegation of British journalists in Tokyo - Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, International Business Editor, The Daily Telegraph, Chris Giles, Economics Editor, The Financial Times, Tim Harford, Lead Economics Writer, The Financial Times, Susie Mesure, Retail Correspondent, The Independent, and Anjana Ahuja, Feature Writer and Science Columnist, The Times. At the traditional symposium held at the end of their visit, the delegation compared the Japanese and UK experiences with regard to globalization challenges, and made a number of policy recommendations on a number of economic challenges facing Japan, including workforce issues, urbanization, the widening gap between the rich and poor, and deflation.
"Roles of Japan and Korea in East Asia."
February 5-10, 2007 In February 2007, a delegation of Korean journalists was invited to Tokyo to study the Japanese economy and industry, economic integration in East Asia and Japan-Korea relations. Participants included Hong Kwon Heui, Editorial Writer, The DongA Ilbo, Koh Hyun-Kohn, Editorial Writer, The JoongAng Ilbo, Kim Chang-Kyoon, Editorial Staff Writer, The Chosen Ilbo, Go Gwangchul, International Bureau Chief, The Korea Economic Daily, Lee Dong-Joo, Editorial Writer, Maeil Business Newspaper, and Kwack Jung-Soo, Business Writer, Hankyoreh. On February 9, as featured speakers at a Center-sponsored symposium, participants observed that Japan was focused on the economic impact of an FTA with South Korea, but neglected to take into consideration possible political and social benefits. They also expressed the view that Japan-Korea relations have been changing from a "special relationship" focused on the bitter history of Japan's colonial rule of Korea to a more "normal diplomacy."
"The Fate of Japan and Germany/EU - Views of German Journalists."
November 16-20, 2006 A delegation of five German journliasts - Robert Finn Mayer-Kuckuk, Reporter, Handelsblatt, Marc Beise, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Economics and Financial Department, Suddeutsche Zeitung, Anna Von Muenchhausen, Deputy Head of Education and Society, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Gudrun Dometeit, Foreign Editor, Focus, and Dieter Schnaas, Chief Reporter, Wirtschaftswoche – participated in a November 2006 study trip to Tokyo and Urawa City. During their week-long visit, the group had the opportunity to meet with senior Japanese political and business leaders. At the symposium held on October 20, each journalist gave his or her views on a range of topics, including economic challenges facing Japan, technical innovations, challenges associated with an aging society, North Korea, and the rise of China.
"The United Kingdom and Japan, as Viewed by British Journalists."
June 4-10, 2006 In June 2006, the Keizai Koho center invited six British journalists to Tokyo - Anatole Kaletsky, Editor at Large, The Times, Anthony Hilton, Financial Editor, The Evening Standard, Daniel Dodd, Editor, Economics and Business Centre, BBC, Clive Cookson, Science Editor, The Financial Times, Mary Dejevsky, Chief Leader Writer, Columnist, The Independent, and Angela Jameson, Industrial Correspondent, The Times. On June 8, at a Center-sponsored symposium, they discussed their observations of political and economic changes taking place in Japan.
"The Recovery of the Japanese Economy, as viewed by South Korean Journalists."
March 6-10, 2006 A delegation of six South Korean journalists participated in a week-long trip to Tokyo in March 2006 to study and discuss Japanese economic recovery efforts and Japan-Korea political and economic relations. Participants included Hwabg Bong-Hyun, Editor, Maeil Business Newspaper, Lee Dong-Woo, Managing Editor, The Korea Economic Daily, Lee Jun, Editorial Writer, The Chosen Ilbo, Chung Young-Moo, Economic Editor, Hankyoreh, Lee Chul-Ho, Editorial, Writer, The JoongAng Ilbo and Lee Dong-Kwan, Editorial Writer, The DongA Ilbo. On March 9, they participated in a Center-sponsored symposium, noting that Japan’s reform efforts during the "lost decade" of the 1990s contributed to its economic recovery. They also observed that the South Korean economy is experiencing a rapid structural reform, and that Japan and South Korea are gradually moving toward a more complementary economic relationship, creating better conditions for a free trade agreement.
For more information on Keizai Koho Center programs, please see: http://www.kkc.or.jp/english/activities/index.html
