"National Identity and International Pressures"-SUMMARY-

On December 8, 1999, Tokyo American Center - Mansfield Center of the Montana University in USA and Global Industrial and Social Progress Research Institute (GISPRI) co-hosted a seminar titled 哲ational Identity and International Pressures・at the International House of Japan, with the keynote speaker, Adjunct Prof. J. Shelton of the Mansfield Center.

More than one hundred participants gathered for the Seminar and listened to Prof. Shelton痴 lecture under the chairmanship of Mr. Yasumoto, Executive Director of GISPRI.

Prof. Shelton, who is the former Deputy OECD Secretary General, has extensive knowledge and experiences in the issues of trade and commerce. While commending on Japan's recognition of the value of deregulation, she emphasized the significance of improving productivity by creative technological innovation (requiring both humane and regulatory approaches), and the changing of corporate governance, in order to generate new dynamism according to OECD's advice to Japan. She also claimed that a key to protect the national ability for independent decision-making under the surge of globalization is to maintain optimism for future without fearing for a change.

Active question and answer period followed her lecture and the seminar was concluded with enthusiasm.

Proceedings (PDF file)