[Call for Participants] "Asahi Global Conference 2016" Beyond the Environment: Realizing a Sustainable Society

The Asahi Shimbun will host the international symposium " Asahi Global Forum 2016 " at Iino Hall in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on October 2, and at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo in the same ward on October 3-4. The forum will bring together domestic and international policymakers and experts to discuss various global challenges.

Registration is open for each day's seminars and sessions (free, deadline September 14; lottery if oversubscribed). Details on speakers, the program, and registration can be found here.

The predecessor to this conference, the Asahi Global Environment Forum, has been held annually since 2008. In 2016, it was renamed the "Asahi Global Conference" and will focus on the theme "Beyond the Environment: Realizing a Sustainable Society." It will feature panel discussions, lectures, and special talks on a wide range of global issues, including global warming, energy problems, refugee issues, and artificial intelligence.

On Day 1, Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University will lecture on androids and future society. Next-generation leaders, including Shinjiro Koizumi, Member of the House of Representatives and Chair of the LDP Agriculture and Forestry Committee, will discuss Japan's future using the keywords "agriculture" and "reconstruction."

On Day 2, French anthropologist and historian Emmanuel Todd will speak on the crisis of globalism, while former Japanese national soccer team player Tsuneyasu Miyamoto and others will share initiatives on the social contributions brought by sports.

On the third day, Chiaki Furusawa of WWF Japan and others will discuss efficient resource use, using forests, paper, and water as entry points. Associate Professor Michael Osborne of the University of Oxford's Faculty of Engineering and others will debate the impact of AI and IoT on industry and society.
 

Asahi Global Conference 2016 Overview (Titles Omitted)

October 2 (Sun) Iino Hall

● Plenary Session: "Solving Global Challenges and Japan's Role"
"On the Occasion of the 1st Asahi Global Conference" (12:30 PM - 12:35 PM)
Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (11th) (Video Message)

"Can Humans Fall in Love with Androids?" (12:35 PM - 2:00 PM)
Hiroshi Ishiguro, AI Robotics Scholar, Professor at Osaka University, Visiting Director of ATR Ishiguro Special Research Laboratory
Moderator: Manako Takahashi, Editorial Writer, The Asahi Shimbun

● Thematic Sessions
Hear from Next-Generation Leaders! "Toward Agriculture in 10 Years, Tohoku in 2021, and Japan in the 22nd Century" (13:00–14:30)
Speaker: Shinjiro Koizumi, Member of the House of Representatives, Chair of the LDP Agriculture and Forestry Committee

Hear from Next-Generation Leaders! "Toward a Gender-Free and Diverse Society" (15:00–16:30)
Speaker/Panelist: Seiko Noda, Member of the House of Representatives
Panelists: Kanae Kanayama, Head of Diversity Promotion Office, JT; Keiko Hayashi, Representative, NPO Bridge for Smile
Moderator: Azusa Mishima, Reporter, Regional News Department, The Asahi Shimbun

Hear from Next-Generation Leaders! "Toward a Society of Sharing and Connection" (15:00–16:30)
Member of the House of Representatives, Chair of the Policy Research Council, Democratic Party of Japan: Shiori Yamao
Interviewer: Kuniko Akiyama, Editorial Writer, Asahi Shimbun

Hearing from Next-Generation Leaders! "How Education IT Transforms Lessons and Teachers" (15:00–16:30)
Speakers: Hiroyuki Tame, President & CEO, Future Institute; Naoki Kikuchi, General Manager, Education ICT Business Development Division, Toppan Printing; Makiko Nakamuro, Associate Professor, Keio University

October 3 (Mon) Imperial Hotel Tokyo, Peacock East Room

Organizer's Greeting (1:00 PM - 1:10 PM)
Masataka Watanabe, President and Representative Director, The Asahi Shimbun Company

Guest Address (13:10-13:30)

Lecture: "Sustainable Environment and Business: Green Investment for a Low-Carbon Economy" (13:30-14:00)
Rintaro Tamaki, Deputy Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Lecture: "The Crisis of Globalism" (14:00-15:30)
Emmanuel Todd, French anthropologist and historian

Panel Discussion: "What is Happening on Earth Now" (15:50-16:50)
Panelists: Ichiro Fujisaki, Former Ambassador to the United States and Chairman of the Japan-America Society; Kumi Imamura, Representative Director of Katariba, a certified NPO; Tatsuhiro Kamisato, Professor at Chiba University
Moderator: Yoichi Nishimura, Managing Director and Editor, The Asahi Shimbun

Special Talk: "The Soccer Ball Illuminates the Future: FC Barcelona's Challenge" (4:50 PM - 5:50 PM)
Guests: Josep Maria Bartomeu, President of FC Barcelona; Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, Former Japanese National Team Player and Gamba Osaka Youth Team Manager
Interviewer: Yasusuke Inagaki, Editorial Writer, The Asahi Shimbun

October 4 (Tue) Imperial Hotel Tokyo, Peacock West Room

Panel Discussion: "Efficient Resource Use Through Forests" (9:30 AM - 10:40 AM)
Panelists: Tokuhiro Ihe, Professor, Faculty of Environment, Tokyo City University; Chiaki Furusawa, Project Leader, Forest Program, WWF Japan
Coordinator: Naoki Shoji, Deputy Chief, International Communications Department, The Asahi Shimbun

Special Lecture: "Environmental Activities Promoted Together with Our Customers" (10:40–10:55)
Yuriko Yamamoto, Secretary General, AEON Environmental Foundation

Lecture: "Is a New 'Chiba Period' Emerging? Earth's Fluctuations and Geological Time" (10:55–11:45)
Lecturer: Takashi Sano, Head of Mineral Science Research Group, Department of Earth Sciences, National Museum of Nature and Science

Panel Discussion: "Diverse 'Environments' and Architecture" (12:30–13:40)
Panelists: Toyo Ito, Architect, President and Representative Director, Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects; Tsuyoshi Tane, Architect
Moderator: Wakato Onishi, Editorial Writer, The Asahi Shimbun

Special Lecture: "New Consumption Styles for a Circular Society: Furniture Reuse" (1:40 PM - 1:55 PM)
Kumiko Otsuka, President and CEO, Otsuka Kagu

Panel Discussion: "ICT and the Future of Food" (1:55 PM - 3:05 PM)
Panelists: Yasushi Miwa, Senior Specialist, Emergent Strategy Center, Japan Research Institute; Shuichi Yokota, President and CEO, Yokota Farm
Moderator: Katsuhiko Tagaya, Editorial Writer, Asahi Shimbun

Panel Discussion: "Forests Nurture Water, Water Nurtures People" (15:20–16:30)
Panelists: Yoshiyuki Hioki, Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University; Toru Hayami, Representative, Hayami Forestry; Hiroko Nakayama, Former Mayor of Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo
Moderator: Akemi Kanda, Science and Medical Department Reporter, The Asahi Shimbun

Special Lecture: "Forest Management for Water Nurturing: Activities of Suntory Natural Water Forest" (16:30–16:45)
Chief Specialist, Eco Strategy Department, Suntory Holdings: Ken Yamada

Special Session: "Exploring the Potential of VR Journalism" (4:45 PM - 5:55 PM)
Panelists: Naotaka Fujii, Team Leader, Adaptive Intelligence Research Team, RIKEN Brain Science Institute; Hiromi Onishi, Executive Officer, Digital, International, and Education Business, The Asahi Shimbun Company; Akio Kashiyama, Deputy Chief, Video News Department, The Asahi Shimbun
Moderator: Koji Horie, Chief, Asahi Shimbun Media Lab
 

October 4 (Tue) Imperial Hotel Tokyo, Peacock East Room

Lecture: "Unilever: Changing Society Through Corporate Power" (9:30 AM - 10:20 AM)
Speaker: Fulvio Guarneri, President & CEO, Unilever Japan Customer Marketing

Special Lecture: "The Future Society Woven by AI × Big Data × IoT" (10:20–10:35)
Hidekazu Maeda, Director, Communication Science Research Laboratories, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Panel Discussion: "Society Transformed by AI × Big Data × IoT" (10:35–11:45)
Panelists: Yutaka Matsuo, Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo; Michael Osborne, Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, University of Oxford, Ph.D.; Ippei Hagiwara, Director, Information Future Research Center, NTT DATA Institute of Management, Visiting Professor, Graduate School of Yokohama National University
Coordinator: Shunzai Horikago, Editorial Writer, The Asahi Shimbun

Panel Discussion: "Can Humans Remain Unmoved? – Considering with a Neuroscientist" (12:30–13:40)
Panelists: Kiyotaka Ise, Senior Managing Officer, Toyota Motor Corporation; Nobuko Nakano, Neuroscientist
Moderator: Takayuki Yasui, Editorial Writer, The Asahi Shimbun

Panel Discussion: "Social Business and BOP Business" (1:55 PM - 3:05 PM)
Panelists: Assil Ahmed, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Systems and Information Science, Kyushu University; Kotaro Hiramoto, Lecturer, Kanazawa Institute of Technology; Representative Director, BoP Global Network Japan
Moderator: Toru Ishii, Editorial Writer, The Asahi Shimbun

Panel Discussion: "The Age of AI and the Education We Need" (15:20–16:45)
Panelists: Michael Osborne, Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, University of Oxford, Ph.D. in Engineering; Hiroshi Suzuki, Former Special Advisor to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Professor, University of Tokyo and Keio University; Patrick Newell, Co-founder, Tokyo International School; Co-founder, TEDxTokyo
Moderator: Asahi Shimbun Social Affairs Reporter Mariko Sugiyama

Special Talk: "Living on Earth with Nature" (16:45–17:45)
Guest: Kunio Iwatsuki, Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo; Honorary Director, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Human and Natural History
Interviewer: Yuko Kuniya, Broadcaster

Free admission. Deadline: September 14. If oversubscribed, participants will be selected by lottery.
Apply here.