Friday, September 29, 2017, 12:00 - 14:00

“ONE BELT - ONE ROAD (OBOR) and What It Means for Japan”

Language: The Speech and Q&A will be in English

In May this year, the world's gaze was directed at China when it officially launched the vast "One Belt-One Road" or OBOR project during a gathering of heads of state in Beijing.

OBOR goes far beyond the notion of reviving the ancient Silk Road. It envisages a vast nexus of transportation, energy and logistical linkages that could transform global commerce. As such it has major implications for industrial exchange, not least between China and Europe and it involves multi-trillion dollar expenditure on infrastructure. Only two major economies - those of the US and Japan - have so far failed to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank or AIIB which (along with the Silk Road Fund) will be a principal funding conduit for OBOR. US and Japanese participation appears inevitable, however and the FCCJ has invited two prominent experts to brief us on how OBOR will develop from here on.

Masahiro KAWAI is Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy, at the University of Tokyo and Representative Director and Director General, Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia (ERINA). Kawai was Deputy Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs of Japan's Ministry of Finance; President of the Policy Research Institute of Japan's Finance Ministry; Special Advisor to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) President in charge of regional economic cooperation and integration; and Dean and CEO of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI). In addition, Kawai is also a Councilor of the Bank of Japan, a Senior Fellow at the Policy Research Institute of Japan's Ministry of Finance, and Vice President of the Council on East Asia Community.

Yuqing Xing is a Professor of Economics and the Director of Asian Economic Policy at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo. He was a Professor and the Director of International Development Program, International University of Japan and a Visiting Senior Research Fellow of East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore; Xing obtained his Ph.D. in economics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, and M.A and B.A. from Peking University, China. Xing’s research focuses on trade, exchange rates, FDI and regional economic integration. His has published numerous research papers in internationally refereed journals.

Please reserve in advance, 3211-3161 or on the website (still & TV cameras inclusive). The charge for members/members' guest is 1,750/2,700 yen; non-members eligible to attend may pay in cash by e mail reservation (front@fccj.or.jp). (Menu: marinated & grilled pork, served with mushed potato, fried pumpkin, sautéed paprika and green beans.) Reservations canceled less than one hour in advance for working press members, and 24 hours for all others, will be charged in full. Reservations and cancellations are not complete without confirmation. For meal service, please enter the room by 12:25.

Professional Activities Committee

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Masahiro Kawai                 Yuqing Xing