Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki: Japan-US relations and East Asia after the US election

20 November 2020 at 09:00 Tokyo Time
(19:00 on 19 November in DC)

On 3 November 2020, American voters will vote after the most eventful year in American history since 1945. Besides the Covid-19 pandemic, the sharp deterioration of Sino-American relations has defined American politics and policy in the past year, with important implications for Japan.

To help us understand the consequences for Japan-US relations and Asia we are happy to welcome Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki.

Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1969, and went on to serve as Deputy Director General for Asian Affairs, Political Minister at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC, Director General for North American Affairs, Deputy Foreign Minister, and Ambassador to the UN and WTO in Geneva. He served as Ambassador to the United States in 2008 until 2012.

He was distinguished professor and Chairman for International Strategies of Sophia University. He is currently the president of the America-Japan Society and of the Nakasone Peace Institute.

Please click here and register now! (deadline Nov. 18)

Co-hosts;
Robert Dujarric
Co-Director, Institute for Contemporary Asian Studies
Temple University Japan

Brad Glosserman
Visiting Professor at the CRS, Tama University and Senior Adviser at Pacific Forum

Akira Igata
Executive Director
CRS, Tama University

Dear friends,
We hope you can join us for this book talk.
Eyck Freymann: One Belt One Road Chinese Power Meets the World.

Moderator: Robert Dujarric, Temple University Japan.
Organized by Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies (ICAS, Temple University Japan), Center for Rule-making Strategy, Tama University and the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS).

From Sri Lanka to the shipyards of Greece, Eyck Freymann takes readers inside China’s One Belt One Road initiative. He argues that OBOR is not a centralized and systematic policy. Rather, it is a largely aspirational and sometimes ad hoc campaign to export an ancient Chinese model of patronage and tribute.
Inside China, propaganda depicts President Xi restoring the nation’s lost imperial glory. Overseas, China uses massive investments to cultivate relationships with local politicians and political parties. The strategy is working. Drawing on primary documents in five languages, numerous interviews, and on-the-ground case studies, Freymann shows that China is more often successfully attracting willing partners than preying on victims.
Eyck is a DPhil candidate in China Studies at the University of Oxford. He has worked as a research assistant to Graham Allison at Harvard, to Niall Ferguson at the Hoover Institution, to Paul Haenle at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; and to Shi Zhiqin at Tsinghua University. He holds an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, where he was a Henry Scholar; an AM in Asian Studies from Harvard, where he won the Joseph Fletcher Memorial Prize for the top thesis on Asia; and an AB in East Asian History with highest honors, also from Harvard. His work has been published or cited in the press. His One Belt One Road: Chinese Power Meets the World has just been published by Harvard University Press (
link).

Please click here and register now! (deadline Nov.13)

Co-hosts;

Robert Dujarric
Co-Director, ICAS
Temple University Japan

Brad Glosserman
Visiting Professor at the CRS, Tama University and Senior Adviser at Pacific Forum

Akira Igata
Executive Director
CRS, Tama University

John Bradford
Executive Director
YCAPS

Japan’s Business Reinvention and the New Competitive Dynamics in Northeast Asia

Date:
October 28

Time:
10:00-11:30

Venue:
zoom

Speaker:
Ulrike Schaede, Professor of Japanese Business at the School of Global Policy and Strategy, the University of California, San Diego

Admission:
Free. Open to the public.

Language:
English

Overview:
Companies in South Korea, Taiwan and China have beaten Japan at its own game, namely, the high-quality mass-production of consumer end products, office equipment, etc.. In response to their rise, Japanese companies have, slowly but steadily, repositioned to compete in deep-tech input parts and advanced materials, chemicals and components. Today, they combine to hold a 50%+ global market share in at least 500 distinct product categories that are critical inputs, with a wide size distribution of companies and market segments. This has resulted in the “aggregate niche strategy”, and it means that Japan is now the technology anchor of many global supply chains. Even though the end products do not carry a “Japan Inside” label, Japanese inputs have an important presence in our everyday lives, from airplanes to cars, computers and cell phones, no matter what the brand. This has created new trade and resource dependencies as well as competitive synergies within Asia, in ways that are often overlooked in the United States.
Dr. Schaede will discuss Japan’s new role in Asia and other topics based on her extensive research on Japanese business and management.

Ulrike Schaede is Professor of Japanese Business at the University of California San Diego. She is the Director of JFIT (Japan Forum for Innovation and Technology) and head of the International Management track at GPS, the School of Global Policy and Strategy. She has published five books and more than 50 papers on Japanese business organization, strategy and management. Her research interest is to understand the social and economic efficiency consequences of different ways of organizing business and the economy. Main study areas include Japan’s corporate strategies in light of globalization, financial market organization, corporate governance, employment, innovation and the new digital economy. Her new book titled The Business Reinvention of Japan: How to Make Sense of the New Japan and Why it Matters published with Stanford University Press in June 2020.
Her CV can be found here.

Please click here and register now! (deadline Oct. 27th noon JST )

Co-hosts;
Robert Dujarric
Co-Director, Institute for Contemporary Asian Studies
Temple University Japan

Brad Glosserman
Visiting Professor at the CRS, Tama University and Senior Adviser at Pacific Forum

Akira Igata
Executive Director
CRS, Tama University

5 Nov 2020 10:00 (Tokyo Time)/4 Nov at 20:00 in NYC: US elections wrap-up and East Asia with Rory Daniels and Sean King

A day after polls will have closed in the US following an unprecedented election year we will provide commentary and analysis about the elections and the issues, especially as they relate to East Asia, with two experts who will shed light on the consequences of the elections.

Rorry Daniels is the Deputy Project Director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security (FAPS) at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, a non-partisan and non-profit organization dedicated to advancing American foreign policy interests through dialogue and diplomacy. She regularly consults and publishes on security issues in the Asia Pacific and provides analysis for major media outlets and newsletters. She is a member of the National Committee on US-China Relations, the National Committee on North Korea, a Pacific Forum CSIS Young Leader, as well as a Korea Society Kim Koo Foundation Fellow (2015 cohort). She earned her M.S. in International Relations at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs, where she focused her studies on East and South Asia. She speaks Mandarin and holds a B.A. in Media Studies from Emerson College.

Sean King is Senior Vice President at Park Strategies, a business advisory firm managed by former U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato, where he has been since 2006. He is also a University of Notre Dame Liu Institute for Asia & Asian Affairs Affiliated Scholar. He often comments on U.S.-Asia issues and has authored two book chapters on Taiwan. Before joining Park Strategies, he spent five years at the United States Department of Commerce in Washington, DC, where he served as Senior Advisor for Asia in the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service (USFCS). Before joining Commerce, he was based in Singapore for both PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Citibank. He also worked for the New York State Department of Economic Development, on whose behalf he led a 1997 trade mission to Taiwan. He has an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and an undergraduate degree from American University.
The participants will be speaking in their personal capacity, and not on behalf of any institution or organization. The session will be off-the-record, Chatham House Rules, no recording.

Please click here and register now! (deadline Nov.3)

Co-hosts;
Robert Dujarric
Co-Director, Institute for Contemporary Asian Studies
Temple University Japan

Brad Glosserman
Visiting Professor at the CRS, Tama University and Senior Adviser at Pacific Forum

Akira Igata
Executive Director
CRS, Tama University

US & Japanese Economic Security Strategies and “Game-changing” Technologies

About the Panel

Panel: 9:00 pm – 10:15 pm US ET | 10:00 am – 11:15 am JST
At this public symposium, three economic security experts on Japan, the United States, and China will explore international trends on “game-changing” technologies and their impact on the economic security strategies of Japan and the United States. They will consider how major countries in the Indo-Pacific region such as Japan, the United States, and China are incorporating various advanced technologies into their strategies and policies. They will also discuss the role of the US-Japan alliance in managing these technologies.

About the Informal Networking Session

Informal Networking Session: 10:15 pm – 10:45 pm US ET | 11:15 am – 11:45 am JST
This session is available for participants who would like to stay after the formal program concludes for an opportunity to chat with the speakers in a more casual format. Speakers will join different Zoom meeting rooms for discussion with participants (links will be shared via chat near the end of the formal program).

Register here

Registration deadline: Tues., Oct. 20, 2020 (US ET) | Weds., Oct 21, 2020 (JST)

This event has been made possible thanks to the support of the US Embassy Tokyo.

Please join us for a free zoom webinar held by Center for Rule-making Strategies, Tama University and Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies (ICAS), Temple University Japan.

Richard Katz and Hiromi Murakami:
Abe Shinzo’s economic legacy and Japan’s future prospects

21 Oct 2020 10:00 Tokyo Time (21:00 on 20 October in New York/DC)

Summary:
Abe Shinzo’s resignation brought an end to the longest prime ministership in Japan’s constitutional history. When he returned to power, after his failed one-year stint as prime minister in 2006-07, Abe vowed that he would focus on the economy, touting his three arrows policies as well as womenomics to revitalize Japan.

Richard Katz and Hiromi Murakami will lead a discussion on the balance sheet of Abe’s tenure and provide us with insights on what to expect from the Suga Administration.

Speakers:

Richard Katz is a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics In International Affairs, as well as a Special Correspondent for Weekly Toyo Keizai. He is a long-time Editor of The Oriental Economist Report, a monthly newsletter about Japan, but is now on sabbatical while he writes a book on how to nurture more new innovative companies in Japan.
Mr. Katz is the author of two books on Japan. The first was Japan: The System That Soured–The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Economic Miracle (1998), and Japanese Phoenix: The Long Road to Economic Revival (2002). Toyo Keizai Shimposa published them in Japanese. He regularly writes op-eds and essays for newspapers and magazines, including “Voodoo Abenomics” in the July-August 2014 issue of Foreign Affairs (hhttps://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/asia/2014-06-16/voodoo-abenomics). He received his M.A. in Economics from New York University in 1996.

Hiromi Murakami is a senior fellow at Economic Strategy Institute, and an Adjunct professor at TUJ. Previously, she’s involved in various policy projects in US/Japanese institutions, including Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Health and Global Policy Institute, and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). Her expertise includes state-industrial relations, US-Japan economic relations, and global health policies. She is the founder of Japan Institute for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (www.jsie.net/en) to empower women and younger generations. She holds a Ph.D. in international relations from the School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University.

Please sign up now.
Please sign up by 20 Oct, JST.

Co-Hosts:

Robert Dujarric, Co-Director, ICAS, Temple University Japan
Brad Glosserman, Visiting Professor at the CRS, Tama University and Senior Adviser at Pacific Forum
Akira Igata, Executive Director, CRS, Tama University

Robert Potter, non-resident cyber security fellow at CRS, was quoted in the recent SCMP article on the probe of China researcher in New Zealand.

“Robert Potter, a fellow at the Center for Rule-making Strategies at Tama University in Tokyo, said the case raised academic freedom concerns. ‘The complaints haven’t been made public,’ said Potter, who has collaborated with Brady on research and signed the letter supporting her. ‘It is highly abnormal to run a review into research ethics prior to giving a reply by aggrieved parties through the journal process. It’s highly selective and utterly at odds with academic freedom.'”

Please see the full article at:
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3106322/new-zealand-universitys-probe-china-researcher-sparks-academic

Megumi Avigail Yoshitomi, Visiting Researcher at Center for Rule-making Strategies, has been awarded the “30 under 30 Japan” award for 2020 by Forbes Japan.

This award is given to 30 Japanese under 30 years old who are changing the world. She is recognized for her work under the “Law and Policy” section.

Megumi is a core member of the Association for Cellular Agriculture hosted by the Center for Rule-making Strategies, Tama University.

Please see the website below for further details.

https://forbesjapan.com/30under30/

Akira Igata, Executive Director of Center for Rule-making Strategies, Tama University, gave a presentation at the JPAC (Japan Parliamentary Alliance on China) General Assembly held at the House of Representatives on October 1.

Igata, Dr. Haiying Yang and other experts spoke at the event. In addition to a report on cooperation with IPAC (Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China), they gave the information on the latest situation in Hong Kong, the establishment of the Hong Kong Local Government Council, the economic and security policies of major countries toward China, and the situation of countries that have problems in their relations with China.

Akira Igata, Executive Director of Center for Rule-making Strategies, has joined IPAC (The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China) as an Economic Security Advisor.

IPAC is an international cross-party group of legislators working towards reform on how democratic countries approach China.

It is made up of global legislators and led by a group of co-chairs, who are senior politicians drawn from a representative cross-section of the world’s major political parties.

You can find his brief personal record as an economic security specialist here.

Below, we post the back numbers of the e-mail newsletter. Please understand that some links may be broken or the display may be corrupted on your browser.

Publisher: CRS Cellular Agriculture Study Group Secretariat Public Relations Committee

Public Relations Chairwoman Megumi Avigail Yoshitomi Committee member Naoto Yamaguchi (GFI-APAC)

. October 7th, 2020 The Good Food Institute and Animal Legal Defense Fund prosecuted Louisiana for naming legislation of plant-based products Tofurky Files First Amendment Challenge Against Louisiana Label Censorship Law https://www.gfi.org Summary  The Good Food Institute (the non-profit organization that promotes plant-based and clean meat) and Animal Legal Defense Fund (the animal protection organization) prosecuted Louisiana for legislation of plant-based products instead of the plant-based food company, Tofurky) The law, which was the subject of both groups’ prosecution, imposes a fine of $ 500 per day on all plant-based meat products sold using the terms “burger” and “sausage.” (Even products marked as “vegan,” “vegetable,” or “plant-based” are illegally fined). The law came into effect on October 1, 2020 Both organizations charged with Louisiana law infringing on Tofurky’s freedom of expressions In this article, FDA (The Food and Drug Administration) asked all plant-based products to be given names that clarify their features and ingredients. the GFI said that the names like “Burger” “Sausage”  make us easier to imagine their tastes and how to cook. It also insisted that consumers shouldn’t misunderstand the plant-based products as meat ones. Louisiana’s legislation is similar to the meat labeling laws passed in Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and many of these ones have received similar criticisms from the same organizations. For example, last year the three groups (GFI, ALDF, Tofurky) and the American Civil Liberties Union (American Civil Liberties Union) claimed to be unconstitutional and won in Arkansas. “It’s clear for now that consumers choose plant-based options not because they’re confused, but because they’re good for the environment, human health, and animal welfare.” Commented Jaime Athos, CEO of Tofurky. Comments from Yoshitomi： I think that this problem will be solved if consumers recognize that plant-based products are not the replacements of meat, but a new type of food. However, the plant-based products are not yet well known, so this may be difficult at the moment. Furthermore, it would be more convenient for the customers to be able to choose products, which they know how to cook or taste. Therefore, I’m sure that names like “XX Burger” would make it easier for consumers to buy the product as GFI argued.

. October 2nd, 2020 Established “Food Tech Public-Private Council” by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries promotes public-private partnership in the food technique field Regarding the establishment of the Food Tech Public-Private Council and the announcement of holding the 1st Public-Private Council: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries https://www.maff.go.jp Summary In April 2nd year of Reiwa Era, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries established the “Food Tech Study Group” consisting of related parties such as food companies, venture companies, related ministries and agencies, and research institutions. In the study group, they  discuss issues and countermeasures of cooperation in the food tech field. They announced midterm reports in July. Taking the reports into consideration, we have established the “Food Tech Public-Private Council” to promote the government cooperation for solving issues and the development of new markets. Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi： The Cellular Agriculture Study Group serves as the Cultured Meat WT (Working Team) of the Food Tech Public-Private Council and continue to formulate rules regarding cell-cultured meat.

Financing

. October 9th, 2020 Big Idea Ventures, Ashika Group, GFI India jointly established the fund for alternative proteins Big Idea Ventures & Ashika Group Announce First India Alt Protein Fund & Accelerator https://www.greenqueen.com.hk Summary Big Idea Ventures (BIV)、Ashika Group (the financial service group), and Good Food Institute India (GFI India) established The BIV-Ashika India Alternative Protein Fund which supports startups developing plant-based, fermentation and cellular agriculture technologies. The fund has already begun raising $25m for an accelerator program starting in 2021 Big Idea Ventures (BIV) has the achievement of managing $ 50m and investing in more than 20 companies. It also has the experience of operating accelerators based in New York and Singapore. Good Food Institute India is the think tank in the alternative protein industry. Ashika Group has achieved to support the financing and business expansion of beverage and food sector companies in the past.

Environments for Business

. October 9th, 2020 IntegrCulture Inc. enters the cosmetics market and succeeds in retaining skin resilience with culture medium IntegriCulture Inc. successfully studies on retaining the skin resilience https://www.nikkan.co.jp Summary IntegriCulture develops anti-aging cosmetics. From the discovery that the active ingredient that keeps the skin resilience  exuded into the culture medium when the cells are cultured in the company, it leads to business planning. It plans to make its own brand cosmetics and enter the cosmetics market aiming for commercialization in April 2021. Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi： This is an article introducing the efforts of IntegriCulture, which is a member of  JACA. We hope that more people from various fields such as cosmetics and leather products recognize the potential of cellular culture.

. September 30th, 2020 Started a sustainable business co-creation program,”Food Tech Studio –Bites!,” ~We and 6 companies leading Japanese food industries collaborate with global startups~ Started a sustainable business co-creation program,      “Food Tech Studio –Bites!,” ~We and 6 companies leading Japanese food industries collaborate with global startups~ https://prtimes.jp Summary The consortium sponsored by Scrum Ventures based in San Francisco Co-creation with food tech-related startups selected by Scrum Ventures and partner companies of the programs At present, there are six partner companies: FUJI OIL HOLDINGS INC., NISSIN FOODS HOLDINGS CO., LTD.,  ITO EN, LTD., Juchheim Co., Ltd., Nichirei Foods Inc., and Otsuka Holdings Co.,LtD. Hakuhodo Inc., Tokyo Tatemono Co.,Ltd., SIGMAXYZ Inc., and Tsujicho Group participate as strategic partners. Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi： It is a consortium in which several companies participating in JACA. I intend to pay attention to their future achievements.

. September 30th, 2020 The UK’s biggest chain grocery “Tesco” is targeting a sales surge for plant-based food  The UK’s biggest chain grocery “Tesco” is targeting a sales surge for plant-based burgers, sausages, and quiches and more https://www.businessinsider.com.au Summary Tesco aims to increase sales of vegetable burgers, sausages, quiches, etc. for flexitarians (flexible vegetarians). For the first time in a UK company, it announced the sales target of the substitutional meat business (sales expansion of 300% compared to 2018 will be achieved by 2025). The company owns two plant-based food brands, including one that achieved sales of around $ 33m in 2019. This object was announced as part of the sustainability program (an effort to reduce the environmental impacts of food products in retails) jointly with WWF. The substitutional meat market in the UK has been expanding rapidly (increased by 40% between 2014 and 2019) and is expected to grow to $ 1.4bn by 2024.                                                        On the other hand, the vegan population in the country is about 1%, so it is thought that the growth drivers of the market are flexitarians.

. 28th September, 2020 Sojitz Corporation forms a strategic alliance with Chinese food companies to develop the cultured meat market Sojitz Corporation forms a strategic alliance with Chinese food companies to develop the cultured meat market（36Kr Japan） -quoted from Yahoo! News https://news.yahoo.co.jp Summary The Chinese food maker “Shuangta Food” signs a strategic alliance with “Soujitz”, one of general trading companies in Japan, a totally affiliated company.  It announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership. The two companies have collaborated on research, production and sales of pea-derived proteins and related products, which are raw ingredients for cultured meat. Also, they develop markets in Japan and other overseas markets.

Communication among Consumers / Others

. 5th October, 2020 Whole Foods and Eat Just CEOs’ Talk Whole Foods CEO and Eat Just CEO talk the future of food and importance of innovation https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com Summary They talked about the future of food based on plant-based and cellular agriculture technologies. Eat Just CEO Josh Tetrick commented that the company will soon announce the latest version of plant-based eggs. Cultured meat will not be called lab-grown meat when it is mass-produced. He also said that cultured meat should be called meat. Whole Foods CEO John Mackey said cultured meats would significantly transform the food industry over the next 15 to 20 years Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi： With some food and retailers saying “I still don’t know if plant-based food would sell well in Japan,” I think it is promising that the famous plant-based food companies, which draw attention from global retailers are sending these kinds of messages.

. 3rd October, 2020 In the “first year of popularization” of plant-based meat, Gaining consumer preference triggered by COVID-19 Walmart Inc.has become well-known ~Corporate researches supported by the government~ In the “first year of popularization” of plant-based meat, Gaining consumer preference triggered by COVID-19（Photos by Reuters)　 https://www.nikkei.com Summary Consumers’ consciousness has changed with the COVID-19 disaster. Such as Walmart, the largest selling companies in the U.S., have expanded their handlings. Both of domestic and overseas companies added the plant-based products into their menus.  Large and start-ups food companies also have been strengthening the products development, and the government expands their support for it. In the article, these below are introduced. Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Starbucks, Walmart and Green culture’s activities A total of 10 billion euros (1.24 trillion yen) was invested in “Farm to Fork” (R & D), a strategy for building a sustainable food system, announced from the EU in May. The “Food Tech Public-Private Council” launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on October 2nd in order to ensure qualities and secure technical infrastructures, etc. Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi： This article introduces the popularization of the alternative protein markets due to the COVID-19 and the initiatives of  governments in each country.

. 28th September, 2020 Yoshihide Hata, Precident & CEO of NH Foods Ltd.’s Prospects “With the times, Food culture has been changing. Next is cultured meat.” Yoshihide Hata, Precident & CEO of NH Foods Ltd.’s Prospects: (Quoted from The Nikkei) https://r.nikkei.com Summary In the future, soy beans-derived and cultured meat will be needed to supplement the demand for protein resources due to population growth. (There are many problems in being superior to meat in terms of nutrition and taste) We do not think that cultured meat will replace meat. The companies plan to continue investing in the meat business (making domestic livestock bases more efficient). NH Foods LTD. launched the plant-based meat bland called  “NatuMeat” in this March. Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi： NH Foods LTD. will jointly develop basic technology for cellular culture with IntegriCulture and underwrite the company’s capital increase through third-party allotment in May 2020. Therefore, it is impressive that it actively challenges cellular agriculture technology as a meat business company. I would like to pay attention to how to balance the direction of the existing meat business with the investment in plant-based and cultured meat in the future to generate synergies, and how to communicate with shareholders and consumers about the compatibility policies.