The concept of an "East Asian Community" and regional integration is currently drawing much attention in Japan since it is not only relevant to Japanese diplomacy and regional security but also a domestic issue, with its possible relation to migration and changes in the labor force.

In this series, from the various arguments revolving around "East Asia," we hope to examine the future of East Asia from the following points of view: East Asian Community from the U.S. perspective and its influence on U.S.-Japan relations; the migration of peoples such as the migration of workers to Japan, its implications for a brain and labor drain and its connection to globalization; the possibility of sustainable development with emphasis on environmental networking in Asia, where economic growth will continue; and lastly the future of Sino-Japanese relations, viewed as key for any meaningful East Asia regional cooperation.(For details of each seminar, please visit our website)

April 5 (Wed.), East Asian Community and the U.S.-Japan Alliance
Speaker: Gerald Curtis (Professor, Columbia University)
Commentator: Yoshihide Soeya (Professor, Keio University)

April 14 (Fri.), Global Mass Migration in East Asia|Economic Integration and Political Reorganization
Speaker: Toshio Iyotani (Professor, Hitotsubashi University)
Commentator: Tetsuro Irohira (Doctor, Minami Aiki Village Clinic)

May 10 (Wed.), Toward Sustainable Development in East Asia|How to Promote Environmental Cooperation
Speaker: Shunichi Teranishi (Professor, Hitotsubashi University)
Commentator: Tomio Watanabe (General Manager, Asset Recovery Management Unit, Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd.)

May 17 (Wed.), Sino-Japanese Relations in East Asia
Speaker: Zhu Jianrong (Professor, Toyo Gakuen University)
Commentator: Ryousei Kokubun (Professor, Keio University)

Time: 19:00~20:30 for all seminars
Venue: Lecture Hall, International House of Japan
Language: Japanese
Admission Fee: Per Series (4 lectures) 7,000 yen, per lecture 2,000 yen (students 1,000 yen)
Registration: Please fax (03-3470-3170) or e-mail (program@i-house.or.jp) to the Program Department.