Symposium on Movement of Natural Persons (Program)
1. Date
March 19, 2003
2. Venue
Mita Kaigisho (Address: 2-1-8 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
3. Organizer
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
4. Purpose
(1) To explore ways to facilitate and invigorate movement of natural persons, which will help the Japanese economy revitalize further and realize harmonious growth with the Asia-Pacific region.
(2) To introduce discussion and approaches regarding movement of natural persons addressed in international fora such as WTO and APEC and to exchange views among experts, and in this way further to foster the common understanding on this issue and eventually to help bring about a convergence of the views.
5. Schedule
Morning session (10:00 - 13:00)
- Opening remarks by Mr. Akira MIWA, Deputy Director-General, Economic Affairs Bureau and APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Senior Official, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Moderator)
- Keynote address by Mr. Tetsuro YANO, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Presentations
- H.E. Mr. Domingo L. SIAZON, Jr., Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Republic of the Philippines
- H.E. Mr. Kasit PIROMYA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Thailand
- Mr. Manab MAJUMDAR, Team Leader of WTO Division, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
- Mr. Koichi DANNO, Chairman of Policy Sub-committee, Committee on Trade & Investment, Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) (Senior Counsellor, Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc)
- Mr. Hamid MAMDOUH, Director of Trade in Services, World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Mr. Ed KILLESTEYN, Deputy Secretary, Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Government of Australia (Convenor of APEC's Business Mobility Group
)- Ms. Hélène CLARK, Head of Unit in charge of the European Employment Strategy, Directorate General for Employment and Social Affairs, European Commission
- Mr. Manab MAJUMDAR, Team Leader of WTO Division, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
- Questions and Answers
Afternoon session (14:30 - 17:30)
* Round-table discussion among experts
- Views of Japanese business community
- Views of economies dispatching the labor to abroad
- Views of economies accepting the labor from abroad
- Free discussion following views of the Japanese academia
- Views of the Japanese Government officials
- Mr. Tomoaki KATSUDA, Director, Foreign Workers' Affairs Division, Employment Security Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
- Mr. Makita SHIMOKAWA, Director, Services Trade Division, Economic Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Mr. Masanori DODO, Director, Registration Division, Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice
- Mr. Tomoaki KATSUDA, Director, Foreign Workers' Affairs Division, Employment Security Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
6. Background
(1) Movement of natural persons was addressed in the Uruguay Round and it will be the key issue in WTO Services Trade Negotiations in line with the Doha Ministerial Declaration.
(2) APEC has been engaged in activities on movement of natural persons such as APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) and APEC Engineer, aiming to invigorate economies in the region.
(3) Developing economies request Japan to accept foreign laborers. Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement (JSEPA) addresses mutual recognition of professional qualifications. In the meantime, ASEAN+3 is strengthening its cooperation for promoting exchange of people.
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