Panel Discussion: Japan, Out of the Shadows
How is Japan navigating a path out of its economic and historical shadow? Join Takehiro Masutomo, Prof Kikuchi and Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
After three "lost decades" of deflation and economic stagnation, and some eighty years after the end of WWII, Japan is increasingly re-emerging as an island of stability in an uncertain world, by a fresh influx of tourists, investors and migrants filling the gaps left by a rapidly shrinking population.
But as the country steps back onto the global stage, can it truly move beyond the shadow of its past - or is it simply adapting it for a new era?
How is Japan navigating a path out of its economic and historical shadow? Join Takehiro Masutomo, Prof Kikuchi and Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
After three "lost decades" of deflation and economic stagnation, and some eighty years after the end of WWII, Japan is increasingly re-emerging as an island of stability in an uncertain world, by a fresh influx of tourists, investors and migrants filling the gaps left by a rapidly shrinking population.
But as the country steps back onto the global stage, can it truly move beyond the shadow of its past - or is it simply adapting it for a new era?
Takehiro Masutomo is a quadrilingual journalist specialising in East Asia and an adjunct researcher at the Institute of Japan in the Global Economy at Waseda University. His recent book Run Ri investigates the little-reported exodus of wealthy and middle-class Chinese citizens settling in Japan - an emerging trend with deep political and social implications. Masutomo brings a unique perspective to Japan’s shifting place in Asia.
Prof Tomoo Kikuchi is a Professor at the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies and at the newly established Institute of Japan in the Global Economy, both at Waseda University. Previously, he was a faculty member at the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Korea University, and held visiting positions at the MIT Sloan School of Management and Keio University Global Research Institute. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Asian Economics and the Malaysian Journal of Economics.
Duncan Clark is an investor and author with deep ties to Japan’s innovation ecosystem. He serves on the Board of Councilors at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, is an adjunct researcher at Waseda University’s Institute of Japan in the Global Economy, and recently joined the advisory board of Japan Activation Capital. A founding member of Asia Society Japan, Duncan brings decades of experience in Asian tech investment and policy. He is also the author of the bestseller Alibaba: The House that Jack Ma Built, and was awarded an O.B.E. in 2011 for services to UK trade and investment.
Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, BBC’s Tokyo correspondent, has spent over a decade reporting from Japan, covering everything from deflation and disaster to diplomacy.
Jenifer Rogers is General Counsel International for Asurion based in Tokyo, in charge of managing the legal team outside of North America for Asurion. She is a founding member of the Japan Center of the Asia Society and co-chair of its Arts and Culture Committee. Jenifer is a Trustee of The International House of Japan, and a member of The Committee of Parties Involved in Promoting Japanese Language Education established by the Japanese government. She has served on various not-for profit boards and is currently on the Board of the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan). Her past activities include serving as President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Treasurer of the Japan-U.S. Education Commission (Fulbright Japan) and as advisor on the Advisory Board of the Bureau for Global Academic Initiatives, Sophia School Corporation.