Events

As we enter the 21st century, although there are twists and turns in the path of history, it is clear that cross-border activities in the economic, social, cultural and information fields are rapidly expanding in Asia, as in the rest of the world. This has been accompanied by an equally dramatic increase in de facto intraregional cooperation. In the economic field, multinational corporations are playing a central role in such cooperation, leading to advances in international division of labor in manufacturing, sales, and product development, and their profit-making activities transcend national borders. On the other hand, in the security field, given the continuing disagreements among Asian countries on interpretation of history and failure to resolve territorial disputes and related sovereignty conflicts over maritime jurisdiction, the creation of a security framework beyond alliances is difficult. However, progress is being made, even in Asia, in the creation of cooperative frameworks to deal with common “global problems,” such as the issues of terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, human rights, food shortage/distribution, the environment and energy, natural disasters, infectious diseases and so on, which have been exacerbated by the advancement of globalization and development of the regional economy. Bilateral, multilateral, and linkages/cooperation between multiple regional actors in these non-traditional security areas have developed and deepened beyond the traditional military security frameworks.

The current trends by no means represent straightforward progression towards regional integration and remain, as before, a manifestation of a fluid and unstable evolution. It is incumbent upon us today to develop stable societies in Japan, in Asia, and, indeed, the world.

It is against the backdrop of these global trends and awareness of the issues concerned that the Global Institute for Asian Integration (GIARI) program has, over the past five years starting in 2007, conducted research related to cooperation and integration in the Asian region and worked to cultivate human resources. GIARI has covered a broad range of fields including diplomacy, security, trade, finances, the environment, human rights, history, and education, and employed an interdisciplinary approach. At the same time, GIARI has worked to nurture highly-skilled individuals who will be poised to contribute to regional cooperation and integration in Asia. The ultimate goal of this program is to understand and analyze regional integration and regional cooperation in Asia from an interdisciplinary, holistic, and comprehensive standpoint and to synthesize this into an “Asian regional integration theory.”

This symposium represents the culmination of five years of GIARI research. Although there will be many twists and turns on the road to regional integration in Asia, we must take on the challenge to promote it. We are determined to make this a meaningful forum by deepening our discussion on the current situation and future prospects of regional integration in Asia based on the reports presented by our project researchers. We welcome your participation in this symposium and look gratefully forward to your opinions, views, and guidance.

Date: Friday, December 2, 2011
Time: 13:00-17:40

Venue: Ibuka Masaru Memorial Hall, International Conference Center, Waseda University
ACCESS MAP[417KB]

Organizer: Global COE: GIARI, Waseda University
Co-organizer: Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University / Organization for Asian Studies, Waseda University
Supported by The Asahi Shimbun

Language: Japanese and English (simultaneous interpretation available)

Admission: Free

Pre-registration
The pre-registraion is now closed as scheduled.
Please register on the reception desk at the Hall.


poster [670KB]

pamphlet [1961KB]

Waseda University Global COE Program
Global Institute for Asian Regional Integration (GIARI)
The 5th International Symposium
“Prospects for Asian Regional Integration”
Friday, December 2, 2011

• Door opens at 12:30
• Opening Address
  Kaoru KAMATA (President, Waseda University)
  13:00-13:10
• Address
  ‘Challenges and Prospects for Asian Regional Integration’
  Satoshi AMAKO (GIARI Project Leader; Professor, Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University)
  13:10-13:30

Session 1: Exploring Regional Integration and Institutionalization in Asia
13:30-15:40

MC: Kazuo KURODA (GIARI Secretary-General; Professor, GSAPS, Waseda University)

• The Development of Asian Regional Integration — Security Dimension
  • Presentation: Tsuneo AKAHA (Professor, Monterey Institute of International Studies; Visiting Professor, Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University)
  • Discussant: Yoshinobu YAMAMOTO (Visiting Professor, Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University; Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University)
• Globalization and Regional Integration in Asia — East Asian Financial Cooperation
  • Presentation: Yukiko FUKAGAWA (Professor, Graduate School of Economics, Waseda University)
  • Discussant: Fukunari KIMURA (Professor, Department of Economics, Keio University)
• Asian Integration in Historical Perspective — Historicizing Asian Integration
  • Presentation: Naoyuki UMEMORI (Professor, Graduate School of Political Science, Waseda University)
  • Discussant: Kenichiro HIRANO (Director-General, Japan Center for Asian Historical Records, National Archives of Japan; Professor Emeritus, Waseda University)
• Questions & Answers
  15:15-15:40

• Coffee break
  15:40-16:00

Session 2: Panel Discussion: Prospects for Asian Regional Integration
16:00-17:30

MC: Satoshi AMAKO (GIARI Project Leader; Professor, GSAPS, Waseda University)

• Agenda Setting:
  • Shujiro URATA (GIARI Project Sub-Leader; Professor, GSAPS, Waseda University)
  • Shunji MATSUOKA (GIARI Project Sub-Leader; Professor, GSAPS, Waseda University)
• Presenters and discussants of Session 1
  • Yoshinobu YAMAMOTO (Waseda University Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies; Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University)
  • Fukunari KIMURA (Professor, Keio University)
  • Kenichiro HIRANO (Director-General, Japan Center for Asian Historical Records, National Archives of Japan; Professor Emeritus, Waseda University)
  • Tsuneo AKAHA (Professor, Monterey Institute of International Studies; Visiting Professor, Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University)
  • Yukiko FUKAGAWA (Professor, Graduate School of Economics, Waseda University)
  • Naoyuki UMEMORI (Professor, Graduate School of Political Science, Waseda University)

• Closing remarks
  Eiji MURASHIMA (Dean, Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University)
  17:30-17:40
• Reception
  18:00-19:30
  International Conference Center, 3rd floor (Buffet Style, Fee 1,000 yen)

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