PROFESSIONAL LUNCHEON
Naoki Inose
Vice Governor, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.

Tokyo's Earthquake Crisis Management Measures

Ever since his appointment as vice governor of Tokyo by Gov. Shintaro Ishihara in 2007, Naoki Inose has been utilizing his literary talent and his experience as a TV commentator to advance the causes of both Tokyo and Japan.

His pet projects include a merger of the capital's two subway systems, Metro and Toei, and promoting exports of Tokyo's waterworks technologies to developing countries throughout Asia.

But in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami last year, Inose has taken on the task of developing a contingency plan against the earthquake that is anticipated to strike the metropolitan region. In his latest book, "Ketsudan suru Chikara" ("The power of making decisions"), he touches upon the crisis management measures that are being implemented or are under consideration by the metropolitan government.

He will come to the club to elaborate on those measures, as well as other outstanding issues facing the Japanese capital.

A native of Nagano Prefecture and a graduate of Shinshu University, Inose, 65, is a prolific writer. His books include "The Mikado's Portrait," which won him the Ōya Prize for nonfiction in 1987, "The Century of Black Ships," "Persona: A Biography of Yukio Mishima," "The Power of Roads," "Taking Down Kasumigaseki" and "Becoming Vice Governor of Tokyo in 2010."

Menu;
Golden Chicken, Steamed Rice and Green Vegetables Seasonal Salad

Naoki Inose, Vice Governor, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

PRESS CONFERENCE
Maran Laja, Saw David Tharckabaw, & Khun Okker
The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)

The speech and Q & A will be in English

The Democratization of Myanmar (Burma) and Achieving Peace with Ethnic Minorities

The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), a coalition of Burma's eleven anti-government armed ethnic minorities, was established in February 2010 in order to achieve peace between the Burmese government and all minority groups, which means to bring into being a democratic, federated nation that guarantees the rights of minorities.

In Burma, the so-called "democratization" movement is progressing. But considering that more than 30% of Burma's population is made up of ethnic minorities, a just peace settlement between the government and all ethnic minorities is crucial to Burmese normalization.

The UNFC, as a coalition of eleven anti-government armed ethnic minorities, stands ready to engage in peace talks with the government. The talks, however, must be carried out in a format that assures both fairness and effectiveness

For this purpose, the UNFC will dispatch a special envoy group of three Central Executive Committee members to Tokyo from April 25 to take an intermediary role in the peace talks as a third party.

After the series of negotiations with the Japanese Government, Maran Laja, Central Executive Committee Member, UNFC / General Secretary, Kachin Independent Organization, Saw David Tharckabaw, Vice President, UNFC / Vice Chairman, Karen National Union and Khun Okker Joint Secretary, UNFC / Chairman, PaO National Liberation Organization will have the press conference at FCCJ to announce its peace talks policy and the results of negotiations with Japan

Saw David Tharckabaw, Vice President, UNFC

Khun Okker Joint Secretary, UNFC

Maran Laja, Central Executive Committee Member, UNFC

PRESS CONFERENCE
Katsuya Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Administrative Reform, Minister for Total Reform of Social Security and Tax, Minister for Civil Service Reform and Minister of State for Government Revitalization

The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation

Life wasn't meant to be easy, so the saying goes. Katsuya Okada could argue, though, that he has it harder than most. The Deputy Prime Minister is part way through a tour of Japan trying to bolster support for the government's plan to double the consumption tax. At the same time he's pushing for co-operation from the Liberal Democratic Party and other opposition parties to secure parliamentary support to pass the changes.

The DPJ's legislation calls for raising the tax rate to 8 per cent in April 2014 and to 10 per cent in October 2015 as part of an overhaul of the nation's social welfare system, and an attempt to rein in government debt.

Many Japanese recognize the need for fiscal consolidation, but critics argue that the changes will snuff out any green shoots of recovery emerging in Japan's economy. And persuading opposition lawmakers to support any change proposed by the government seems akin to trying to herd cats in the current political environment.

Okada will come to the FCCJ on April 23 to explain the tax plan and field questions on it and other issues.

Katsuya Okada, Deputy Prime Minister