International Symposium Successfully Held at IUJ on the Topic of Digital Garden Cities and Green Transformation: "How are rural communities driving Japan forward?"

On January 20, 2023, an international symposium on Digital Garden Cities and Green Transformation, titled “How are rural communities driving Japan forward?” was held on the IUJ campus, co-hosted by International University of Japan and the Cabinet Office.

Prime Minister Kishida of Japan laid out his “Vision for a Digital Garden City Nation” and Japan’s “Green Transformation”—also known as “GX”—as key policy agendas. The country’s rural communities are now on the forefront of both digital transformation and the new green revolution. But will Japan’s local communities be able to succeed in building digitally friendly, green cities for the future? To help us answer these questions, we were joined by a panel of globally-minded experts to look at the implications of these policies for Japan’s rural communities and the national and global economies overall.

Archive video is here

Program:

Date/Time

Friday, January 20, 2023 15:00-17:00

Method

Online (via Youtube, broadcasted from the International University of Japan MLIC hall, Minamiuonuma city, Niigata Pref.)

Co-Hosts

International University of Japan, Cabinet Office

Language

English

Theme

「Digital Garden Cities and Green Transformation: How rural communities are driving Japan forward?」

・Opening Remarks

Dr. ITAMI Hiroyuki, President of International University of Japan

・Guest remarks (video messages)

Mr. HANAZUMI Hideyo, Governor of Niigata Prefecture

Mr. HAYASHI Shigeo, Mayor of Minamiuonuma City

Mr. SHIKATA Noriyuki, Cabinet Secretary for Public Affairs, Japan Prime Minister’s Office

・Panel discussion

[Moderator]

Dr. SHINODA Tomohito, Professor, International University of Japan

[Panelist]

Dr. KAMEDA Ayako, General Manager, Shell Energy Japan/President, Nagaoka Power Generation Ltd.

Mr. Walter Sim, Japan Correspondent, The Straits Times (Singapore)

Dr. SAKURAI Mihoko, Executive Research Fellow/Associate Professor at the Center for Global Communications (GLOCOM), International University of Japan

Mr. KUROKAWA Michihiko, Partner at McKinsey & Company, Leader of McKinsey Digital, and McKinsey Technology in Japan

Mr. YAMAMOTO Yasumasa, Startup Investor, Specially Appointed Associate Professor at the Kyoto University Graduate School

・Q&A session with students of International University of Japan and online participants

・Closing remarks

Mr. FUSEDA Hideo, Deputy Director-General, Secretariat of the Council for the Realization of the Vision for a Digital Garden City Nation

This symposium was attended by students from International University of Japan, and was watched on YouTube LIVE by many people. During the Q & A session, IUJ students actively questioned the panelists, and online viewers outside Japan also asked questions, making the symposium very meaningful.

A look at the symposium

Opening Remarks