【close】Remembering OKAMOTO Yukio: Navigating Japan’s route in uncharted ocean

the archive video is available from the same date of the symposium

Mr. OKAMOTO Yukio, who served as a JICA Special Advisor and has dedicated to our operations in various fields over the years, passed away on April 24, 2020. This month marks the first anniversary of his death.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) , in cooperation with Okamoto Associates, Inc. (OAI), are going to hold the Symposium on Remembering OKAMOTO Yukio by welcoming special guests from Japan and other countries who are familiar with Mr. OKAMOTO. As there is still difficulty of foreseeing when the issue of COVID-19 is settled completely and it is observed that the previous world order inevitably has been made significant changes, we would like to look back on Mr. Okamoto’s achievements, deepen understanding through the discussion of Mr. Okamoto’s view on global issues, and consider the role of Japan in international communities and expected future of international cooperation.

It would be highly appreciated if you could watch streaming of the Symposium in YouTube on LIVE or the archive video, which will be available on the same date.

9:30-9:43
Opening

-Opening Remarks (by KITAOKA Shinichi, President, JICA)
-Lecture: Introduction and memories of Mr. OKAMOTO (by SASAE Kenichiro, President of the Japan Institute of International Affairs)

9:43-10:30
Panel Discussion (Part I) Navigating Japan’s route in uncharted ocean

-Slideshow: Mr. Okamoto’s voice, video and photos when he was a diplomat, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, CEO of OAI and JICA Special Advisor
-Panel Discussion Part I: ‘China - the U.S. - Japan’ and ‘Middle East (Gulf War and Iraq War) - the U.S. - Japan’
Moderator: ANDO Yuko, News Anchor
Panelists: (random order)
Richard Lee Armitage, President, Armitage International and Former Deputy Secretary of State
SASAE Kenichiro, President of the Japan Institute of International Affairs
MIYAKE Kunihiko, Visiting Professor, Ritsumeikan University
KITAOKA Shinichi, President, JICA
(A video message by Frank Helmick, Lieutenant General US Army (Retired), will also be introduced.)

10:30-10:45
Video Message

-Joseph S. Nye, Jr., University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus, Harvard University
-Richard J. Samuels, Ford International Professor of Political Science and Director, Center for International Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
-AKIBA Takeo, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan
-NAGATA Toyoomi, Former Chairperson, the Ritsumeikan Trust

10:45-11:30
Panel Discussion (Part II) The most important thing is ‘kindness to others’

-Panel Discussion Part II: ‘Okinawa, Great East Japan earthquake ‘Signal of Hope’ and International Cooperation’
Moderator: ANDO Yuko, News Anchor
Panelists: (random order)
John V. Roos, Co-Founding Partner, Geodesic Capital and Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan
MAEDOMARI Hiromori, Professor at Okinawa International University
SASAE Kenichiro, President of the Japan Institute of International Affairs
MIYAKE Kunihiko, Visiting Professor, Ritsumeikan University
KITAOKA Shinichi, President, JICA
(A video message by KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Minister of the Environment of Japan and the people concerned of Signal of Hope Fund in Onagawa Town in Miyagi Prefecture will also be introduced.)

11:30-11:40
Q&A session

11:40-11:50
End credits with ‘Hans and George - Journey to the Everlasting Sea’ published by Mr. OKAMOTO

-Slideshow and video
Reader: OKAZAKI Shigemi, Editor at Shunyodo Shoten
Message: NAKAMURA Ikuo, Underwater photographer

11:50-11:55
Closing Remarks (by OKAMOTO Yasuo, Representative, OAI)

11:55-12:00
Closing

[Master of Ceremonies]
TAKEUCHI Yasuo, Former News Anchor on Nippon Cultural Broadcasting Inc.

[Moderator]
ANDO Yuko, News Anchor

[Panel Discussion Speakers]
Richard Lee Armitage, President, Armitage International and Former Deputy Secretary of State
John V. Roos, Co-Founding Partner, Geodesic Capital and Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan
MIYAKE Kunihiko, Visiting Professor, Ritsumeikan University
SASAE Kenichiro, President of the Japan Institute of International Affairs
MAEDOMARI Hiromori, Professor at Okinawa International University
KITAOKA Shinichi, President, JICA

[Video Messages]
Joseph S. Nye, Jr., University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus, Harvard University
Frank Helmick, Lieutenant General US Army (Retired)
Richard J. Samuels, Ford International Professor of Political Science and Director, Center for International Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Minister of Environment
AKIBA Takeo, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan
NAGATA Toyoomi, Former Chairperson, the Ritsumeikan Trust

JICA Media & PR Department (TAKESHITA Masataka)
E-mail：Takeshita.Masataka@jica.go.jp