Keidanren-USA hosts a number of events series featuring speakers who discuss trade, economic, political and cultural issues of interest and concern to the Japan and Asia business and policy communities.
Heads Up: Heads Up is an invitation-only program series giving corporate executives, business organizations, scholars, government officials and the diplomatic community a venue to discuss and exchange views on key economic and political issues in Japan, US-Japan and Asia relations. Past speakers have included US government officials responsible for trade policy, such as Wendy Cutler, the Assistant USTR for North Asian Affairs, Congressional staff, think tank and university scholars and business leaders.
Ambassador Jeff Bader, the China Center director at the Brookings Institution, was our featured speaker on June 2, 2008. Ambassador Bader's talk focused policy challenges in Asia facing the United States in the next several years. This event was part of the ongoing series examing vital issues in Japan-US and US-Asia relations co-sponsored by Keidanren-USA and the Brooking Institution's Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies (CNAPS).
On May 15, 2008, Grant Aldonas, former Under Secretary for International Trade at the U.S. Commerce Department and currently Principal Managing Director at Split Rock International, Inc. and an advisor to Senator John McCain's Presidential campaign, discussed possible U.S. trade policies toward Japan and Asia under a McCain Administration. Mr. Aldonas said that Senator McCain embraces the US-Japan relationship, believes Japan is central to America's Asia economic policy, is willing to sit down and encourage China to be part of the global economic system, and would not support an Asia region economic organization that excludes the United States. He answered questions from the audience on a range of issues, including the prospect of a bilateral FTA/EPA with Japan, the role of APEC, and a McCain Administration's strategy with regard to working with Congress to implement his trade agenda.
On March 21, 2008, Keidanren-USA hosted Richard Jackson, Director and Senior Fellow at the Global Aging Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a leading policy specialist on demographic and aging issues. Dr. Jackson addressed some of the critical policy challenges facing aging societies in Japan and East Asia.
On Febuary 29, 2008, Richard Bush, Senior Fellow and Director for Northeast Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, discussed the implications of the Taiwanese Presidential elections of 2008. He predicted that the KMT would win and push for greater cross-strait economic integration and stability. The proposed referendum to push for Taiwan's entry into the UN would also be neutralized with an ascendant Kuomintang. The US and Japan would benefit from increased regional stability.
On January 24, 2008, James Zumwalt, Director of the Office of Japanese Affairs at the US State Department, discussed major political and economic issues facing the United States and Japan in 2008. He took wide-ranging questions from the audience on issues including whaling, government-to-government mechanisms for raising economic disputes, and U.S. homeland security laws and their impact on international trade.
On December 4, Bill Reinsch, President of the National Foreign Trade Council, discussed the 110th Congress' trade agenda and trade legislation likely to be considered in 2008. Mr. Reinsch was the trade advisor to Senator John Heinz and Senator Jay Rockefeller from 1973-93 and the Under Secretary of Commerce for the Bureau of Export Administration during the Clinton Administration.
In October 2007, veteran election analyst and executive editor for The Hotline, John Mercurio, discussed the 2008 Presidential and Congressional races and foreign policy differences between some of the major Presidential candidates before a large audience of Japanese and American business executives and industry organizations.
In September 2007, as part of the 2007-2008 Heads Up series, Keidanren-USA began a quarterly program with the Brookings Institution’s Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies (CNAPS). The inaugural speaker was Dr. Wing Thye Woo, a senior fellow and international economist. Dr. Woo discussed rising trade protectionism in the United States, particularly toward China, and the effectiveness of legislative and Administration responses being considered.
Bento Box Briefings: The Bento Box briefings are off-the-record meetings between senior Keidanren corporate members and government officials and business leaders. Kurt Tong, the Asian Economic Affairs Director at the National Security Council, and Viji Rangaswami, Deputy Staff Director for the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee have provided briefings in recent months.
Frank Vargo, Vice President for International Economic Affairs at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), was the 2008 kick off speaker on January 10. He discussed the state of the manufacturing sector in the United States and the possible impact of the political landscape on trade legislation.
Joint Program Series:
The US-Japan Business Dialogue: Keidanren-USA also co-hosts a business dialogue with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. During these quarterly meetings, Japanese and American corporate executives and leaders meet to exchange views on common concerns on trade and economic issues. Recent discussion topics have included prospects for a US-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, and the US Congress’ trade and business agenda.
