Vice Dean, Faculty Affairs and International Research Cooperation, SAIS and Johns Hopkins University
Director for the Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies
Former First Executive Director, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations, Harvard University
Former First Director, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations, Princeton University
Former Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Former Special Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Japan
Former Professor Emeritus, Princeton University

<Major Works>
Circles of Compensation: Economic Growth and the Globalization of Japan ( 2017 )
Singapore: Smart City, Smart State (2016 )

Profile

Professor Calder received his A.M. M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University. In 1979, Professor Calder became the first Executive Director of Harvard University’s Program on U.S.-Japan Relations, and Lecturer on Government at Harvard. In 1983, he became Assistant Professor at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and was promoted to tenured professor at Princeton in 1989. From 1989 to 1993, and again in 1996, Professor Calder also served as Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). From 1997 to 2001, Professor Calder he served as Special Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. Since 2003, he Professor Calder has served as the Edwin O. Reischauer Professor of East Asian Studies and Director of the Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies at SAIS/Johns Hopkins University. Professor Calder he has been giving lectures on Japan-U.S. relations for over 38 years. Professor Calder has played an important role in promoting people-to-people exchange and building trust, which serve as the basis of the Japan-U.S. alliance. Professor Calder’s work in Japanese politics is highly regarded in both Japan and the United States and he has received numerous awards, including the Mainichi Asia-Taiheiyo Grand Prize (1997), In 2014 he was also awarded a Japanese Imperial decoration, the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in recognition of his contribution to Japan Studies and to US-Japan relations.

President – Awaji Youth Federation
Vice Chairman of Pasona Inc.
Former President & CEO, Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
Former President & CEO, Delphys Inc.

Major Works include:
‘Toyota & Gazoo’ (2000)
‘International Marketing’ (1999)
‘My History at Toyota’ (1995)

Profile

Mr. Hideaki Otaka is a graduate of the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law and previously studied abroad at the University of Wisconsin.

Thus far, he has dedicated a majority of his professional life to working for Toyota Motor Corporation and served as President and CEO of Toyota Motor North America from 2004-2006. He is currently Vice Chairman of Pasona, Vice President for NY Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and board member for Terumo Corporation, CMC Corporation and Nisshin Steel Co., Ltd.
In addition to his current professional roles, Mr. Otaka also lectures at Kyoto University and Waseda University.

Chief Executive Officer – Awaji Youth Federation
President and Principal of Pasona Education Co. Limited
Executive Officer of Pasona Group Inc.

Profile

Ms. Akemi Aota is the Chief Executive Officer of the Awaji Youth Federation. She was formerly an instructor for Japan Air Systems; following this she moved to Hong Kong to work for Cathay Pacific Airways where she became a First Class Purser. In 1987 she joined Pasona Hong Kong to enhance her career in teaching and training and was later appointed President and Principal of Pasona Education Co. Limited. In addition to her active roles in education and training in Hong Kong, her extensive business background has earned her international titles such as Executive Officer of Pasona Group Inc.

With her professional knowledge and extensive background in global business, she has conducted business training seminars and cultural activities throughout Asia. In particular, working with and nurturing young people to help them achieve their dreams in the international market. Many of her training courses focus on cultivating a global mindset, leadership training, and cross-cultural communication; she has also offered and supervised internship positions to university students. As a result, thousands of people have been inspired by Ms. Aota and have maximized their potential and abilities.

Senior Managing Director of Awaji Youth Federation
Managing Director, @Asia Associates Japan
Senior Executive Advisor to Pasona Group
Member of the Management Advisory Board of Chiba University
Non-Executive Director, Advangen Inc.
Director, Grameen Australia Foundation (Sydney)
Chair, Dana Asia (Singapore)
Member, Japan Diversity Network (JDN)
Argonaut Online（London）Advisor on Japanese Culture
ANZ Blue Notes （Melbourne） Japan Commentator

Profile

A former diplomat, Ms. Elizabeth Masamune has served in senior trade roles at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo, Seoul, Jakarta and Hanoi. In recognition of her pioneering work in Asia, she was awarded the prestigious Public Service Medal (PSM) by the Australian Government in 2006.

Elizabeth currently serves as Senior Executive Advisor to the Pasona Group, and Senior Managing Director of the Awaji Youth Federation.  She is a passionate advocate for supporting working women in business, developing the next generation of global leaders and promoting cultural diversity. Elizabeth leads the Global Sub-Committee of the Japan Diversity Network, and has also been appointed as a Director of the Omotenashi Meister Association.

She is a member of the Management Advisory Board of Chiba University, and acts as Coordinator of the Future Leaders Program within the Japan Australia Business Cooperation Committee.

Elizabeth also devotes time to charitable work through social business as a director of the Grameen Australia Foundation, and Chair of Dana Asia, a charity registered in Singapore.

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Monash University, and a Master of Literary Studies from the University of Queensland in simultaneous interpretation and translation of Japanese. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Dr. Mbuli Charles Boliko, a national of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Industrial Psychology from the University of Kisangani, D.R. Congo. He taught at the Institut Supérieur de Commerce (Business College) in Kinshasa, D.R. Congo from 1988 to 1990, and joined Nagoya University where he became one of the first students who started the Graduate School of International Development (GSID) in April 1991; he obtained a Master’s degree in International Development in 1993 and a Ph. D. in the same area in 1996. After a bit over one-year of teaching at GSID, Dr. Boliko joined FAO in Rome as Personnel Officer in 1997. From 1998 to 2003, he served as Liaison Officer in the FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York, before being transferred to the Office of the Director-General in Rome as Attaché de Cabinet, and was promoted to the position of Senior Attaché de Cabinet in 2008. In 2009, he took up the position of Chief, Recruitment and Staffing Branch in the Human Resources Management Division. In August 2013, Dr. Boliko was appointed Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Japan. He is also a Visiting Professor of the Catholic University of the Congo where he teaches “Human Resource Management” and “Administration and Development”.

After serving as Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia from 2007 to 2011, Mr Horie was appointed as Ambassador for Global Environmental Affairs and attended a series of COPs (COP17 to COP21) on Climate Change. Ambassador Horie chaired the 48th International Tropical Timber Council (ITTO) in 2012.

He was elected as Councillor of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2013 and again in 2016 and continuing his efforts for the nature conservation of this Planet.

In 2013, he was nominated as a member of the Advisory Board of the United Nations Secretary General’s initiative “Sustainable Energy for All” and making contributions mobilizing Japanese knowhow for promoting energy efficiency improvement of the world.

Since 2012, he serves as UTM Distinguished Ambassador at the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) and shuttling between Malaysia and Japan.

He is Professor at Meiji University, Tokyo, where he gives lectures on Japanese Diplomacy.　He also teaches at Kyoto University and Tsukuba University on Global Environmental Issues.

He has Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Law from Osaka University, Japan, and Master’s degree in Economics from Tulane University, USA. He studied at University of Tours and University of Toulouse as well as Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in France from 1974 to 1976.

Founder and Principal Strategist, Integral Consulting Asia Limited
Partner and Representative of Hong Kong Office, Ginza West Japan
Partner and Director, Skytree Investment Limited
Partner and Director, Marco Fu Snooker Academy
Partner, Snapask Japan
Partner, Freehunter
Partner, Datax
Adjunct Assistant Professor (Business), Faculty of Business and Economics, the University of Hong Kong
Honorary Assistant Professor (Global Creative Industry), Faculty of Arts, the University of Hong Kong
Guest Professor, Okayama Prefectural University, Japan
Adjunct Assistant Professor (Chinese and Bilingual Studies), Faculty of Arts, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Adjunct Associate Professor, HKU SPACE, the University of Hong Kong
Founding Chairman, Digital Transformation Alliance
Academic Liaison Committee, CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) Council

Profile

Mr. Baniel Cheung is the Founder and Principal Strategist of Integral Consulting Asia Limited. Being appreciated as one of the top strategists in business and digital transformation in the region, he has been providing management consultancy, strategic planning, brand building, executive training and marketing research services to international and local customers. Baniel is also the Partner and Representative of Hong Kong Office of Ginza West, responsible for the expansion of the reputable retail brand of Ginza West Japan into Hong Kong market. Besides, he is the Partner and Director of Skytree Investment Limited, investing in different startup firms such as Freehunter and Datax within Asia Pacific region. Furthermore, Baniel is the Partner and Director of Marco Fu Snooker Academy supporting their business in Hong Kong and China markets, as well as the Partner of Snapask Japan supporting their business development in Japan market.
At the University of Hong Kong, Baniel is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Business and Economics and an Honorary Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Arts teaching undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Besides, he is a Guest Professor of Okayama Prefectural University in Japan, an Adjunct Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Arts at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and an Adjunct Associate Professor of HKUSPACE, supporting their student development and academic programs.

Professor Emeritus of Political Science Former Director of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
Director, US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program
Author of publications both in English and Japanese

<Major Works>
Seiji to Sanma – Nihon to Kurashite 45 nen (Politics and Saury: 45 Years Living with Japan) (2008)
The Logic of Japanese Politics (1999)
The Japanese Way of Politics (1988)
Election Campaigning Japanese Style (1971)

Profile

Professor Gerry Curtis is known in Japan and throughout the world for his expertise on political and social change in Japan, American policy in East Asia and US-Japan relations.  He has a Ph.D in political science from Columbia University and has published several books on Japanese politics. His books are not only studied by foreign students interested in Japan but have also been required readings for generations of Japanese college students. Fluent in Japanese, he is a popular speaker and author and appears often in the Japanese mass media. He has been involved with Japan for more than 50 years and lives both in Tokyo and New York.  He has a huge network of contacts in Japan and has known every prime minister since the mid-1960s. An accomplished jazz pianist as well as scholar he can often be found playing at jazz clubs in Tokyo.

Professor Emeritus, Keio University
Professor, Toyo University
Former Minister for Internal Affairs & Communications
Former Minister for Economic/Fiscal Policy
Former Minister for Finance

<Major Works>

“The Structural Reforms of the Koizumi Cabinet” (2008)
“Policy Crisis and the Japanese Economy – A Search for the Causes of the Economic Slowdown in the 1990s” (2001)
“The Economy in which Fast Movers Win” (1998)

Profile

Heizo Takenaka is a professor emeritus at Keio University and a professor at Toyo University in Japan. He served as Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy (2001-2006). In his capacity as an economist and as part of his social activities, he also serves on several advisory boards and committees such as Member of the Policy Council under Abe Administration; Director of Academy hills, Chairman of Pasona Group, Outside Director of Orix Corporation and Outside Director, SBI Holdings Inc. He was named to the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum in 2007. Professor Takenaka’s research interest is in economic policy.

Entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1967)
Served at the Embassy of Japan in France, India, US, Australia, and the Permanent Mission in New York
Director-General, Economic Cooperation Bureau (MOFA) (1997-99)
Director-General, Office for International Peace Cooperation (Prime Minister’s Office)
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations (2001-03)
Ambassador to Australia (2003-04)
Ambassador to the United Nations (2004-07)
Senior Vice-President, JICA (2007-11)
Member, Diet-appointed Investigation Commission of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident (2011)
Commissioner, Japan Nuclear Regulation Authority (2012-13)

Profile

Kenzo Oshima is a retired diplomat, with extensive work experience in the United Nations and practitioner experiences in international development and humanitarian areas at the Foreign Ministry and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Currently, Mr. Oshima is serving as the Managing Director of the Africa Society of Japan and as Guest Professor at Hiroshima University and Kwansei University

Director-General of UNESCO (1999-2009)
Chairperson, World Heritage Committee of UNESCO (1998-1999)
Ambassador of Japan to France and concurrently to Andorra and Djibouti (1994-1999)
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sherpa for Japan at the G-7 Summit) (1992-1994)
Director-General, North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1990-1992)
Director-General, Economic Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1988-1990)

<Major Works>

2009 Africa (in Japanese)
2008 World Heritage (in Japanese)
1998 Japanese Diplomacy at the Dawn of the 21st Century (in French)
1994The G-7 Summit: Its History and Perspectives (in Japanese)

Profile

Koïchiro Matsuura led UNESCO as its Director-General for ten years (1999-2009). Prior to that, he served as Japan’s Ambassador to France and chair of UNESCO’s flagship World Heritage Committee. He was educated at the Law Faculty of the University of Tokyo, and at Haverford College, where he earned a BA in Economics, and later, an honorary doctorate in law from his alma mater. His diplomatic career began with a posting to Ghana in 1961 covering ten West African countries. In the 1970s he went on to serve as Counselor at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC, and later as Consul General in Hong Kong. As Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1992-1994, he was Japan’s Sherpa for the G-7 Summit. Since returning to Japan in 2010, he has assumed a number of posts, including the president of the Africa Society of Japan, and received a Ph.D.from Ritsumeikan University in Japan for his thesis on Africa.

Specially Appointed Professor of Ritsumeikan University, Osaka University
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary
Former Deputy Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs
Former Director General of Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau
Former Japanese Consulate-General to Chicago
Former Japanese Representative to Geneva
Former International Institute for Strategic Studies (London) Principal Investigator
Former North American Affairs Bureau Section Manager (Japan-US Economic Friction)

<Major Works>

New Rules for Japan in the Trump Era (2017)
A Japan that Won’t Lose to the World (2016)
The Course of Japan―The Hint is in Its Neighbors (2015)
National Fate (2010)
Economic Negotiations with the US—A Real Image(1991)

Profile

Professor Mitoji Yabunaka entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in 1969 and served at the Embassy of Japan in South Korea, Indonesia and the US. After becoming Director of the Second North America Division, North American Affairs Bureau (specializing in US-Japan economic friction), he worked as Senior Researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London. Subsequently, he became the Counselor at the Permanent Mission of Japan in Geneva. In 2002, he was appointed as the Director-General of the Asian and Oceanic Affairs Bureau and took on the role of Chief Representative of the Japanese Government at the Six-Party Talks on the North Korea nuclear issue. He then became the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and served as a G8 summit Sherpa. He also became the chief negotiator of the Economic Partnership Agreement with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. In 2008, he was appointed as the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs. Since his retirement in 2010, he has become a Professor at the Ritsumeikan University and Osaka University.

Advisor of International Finance to Mitsubishi Corporation
Former Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs,
Ministry of Finance, Japan

Profile

Tatsuo Yamasaki served as Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs from July 2014 until July 2015. Prior to that, he was assigned as the Director-General of the International Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Finance in August 2012, after serving for two years as the Senior Deputy Director-General of this Bureau. He joined the Ministry of Finance in 1980, then went on to work as a Chief Economist of the JBIC from 1997 to 2000, based in Singapore. Between 2000 and 2008, he served as the Director and the Deputy Director-General in the International Bureau of the Ministry of Finance. From 2008 through to 2010, he worked as the Deputy Commissioner for International Affairs of the Japanese Financial Services Agency. During this period, he also assumed the position of Vice chairman on the Executive Committee of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS). Mr. Yamasaki has also been Senior Professor of the International University of Health and Welfare since September 2015.

Chairman, International House of Japan
Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations

<Major Works>

My Cambodian PKO Diary (2017)
How to negotiate with “Dictators”(2010)
In the Valley between War and Peace- Personalities I met (2007)
The United Nations- Its History and Prospects (2006)

Profile

Mr. Akashi graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1954. He thereafter studied at the University of Virginia as a Fulbright Scholar, and later at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He joined the United Nations Secretariat in 1957, as the first Japanese staff member at the UN. He held numerous positions in the UN community, served as Ambassador at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, UN Under-Secretary-General for Public Information and later for Disarmament Affairs, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Cambodia and later for the Former Yugoslavia, and then Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs until the end of 1997. Currently, he is Chairman of the International House of Japan, Representative of the Government of Japan on Peace-Building in Sri Lanka, President of the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP), and Visiting Professor of Kansei Gakuin University.