Sunday 1 January – Sunday 31 December 2023

Innovation

13/14 Cornwall Terrace, Outer Circle (entrance facing Regent's Park), London NW1 4QP

the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Organised by

Recent world events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the ongoing war in Ukraine and rising tensions between the US and China have had substantial impacts on society, with consequences felt from the global to the individual level. In many cases, these events have prompted a rethink of strategies to address our most pressing economic, security, supply chain, energy supply and climate change challenges.

Innovative ideas and approaches are essential to produce effective responses to these challenges and shape the future of our world. So this year we will focus on ‘innovation’, and present innovative approaches linked to current socio-economic issues.

Other seminars in this series:

30 November 2023

Annual Seminar Series Seminar Webinar

Innovation in Space

A growing number of actors have become involved in space exploration in recent years. International cooperation is key, with the ISS showing a great example of what can be achieved when space agencies from different countries cooperate. But the present geopolitical context of growing frictions between global powers is rendering continued collaboration uncertain, and may lead to more intense competition for hegemony in space in the future. In this seminar moderated by Sara Russell, Naoko Yamazaki discussed the impact of changing relationships between the major national players on prospects for future international cooperation in space exploration, and the contribution of Japan’s innovative space programme.

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24 October 2023

Annual Seminar Series Seminar Webinar

Japan's Population Decline and Immigration

Japan’s population decline has accelerated in recent years. In 2022, all of Japan’s 47 prefectures reported a population drop for the first time, and the overall population decline was the largest since records began in 1968. In this webinar, Menju Toshihiro talked about the multiple factors contributing to Japan’s population decline, as well as the different measures being considered to address the issue, including immigration policies. Will Japan implement policies to encourage immigration? If so, what kind of changes will be needed in Japanese society? And what other policy responses will be needed, in both the short and long term?

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9 October 2023

Annual Seminar Series Seminar Webinar

Japan's Gender Gap Challenges and Innovative Responses

Japan’s progress in closing its gender gap continues to lag despite government attempts in recent years to promote the economic activity of women. According to the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Gender Gap Report (for 2023), Japan ranked 125th out of 146 countries, its worst result since the report started in 2006. More specifically, women’s participation in politics is remarkably low. In this webinar, moderated by Linda Yueh, Professor Miura explained the current situation of the gender gap in Japan (including differences by Prefecture), the challenges, and some proposals for innovative policy responses.

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26 September 2023

Annual Seminar Series Seminar Webinar

Declining Birth Rates and Innovative Policy

Birth Rates in Japan and the UK have been declining significantly over recent decades, a trend also seen in other OECD countries. Continued long-term declines in fertility may produce large economic and social challenges for the societies affected. These could include changes in policy and institutions that make childbearing and women’s careers more compatible and ways to share the support of an ageing population more equitably through different pension and child support arrangements. In this webinar, moderated by Willem Adema from the OECD’s Social Policy Division, the panelists analyzed the multifaceted factors driving the decline in birth rates in Japan and the UK, establishing correlations with educational level and socio-economic status, and exploring innovative policy responses.

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