Seminar Series 2011:
Climate and Energy Policy in Post-Crisis Japan and the UK
Presentation by Mr Arima Presentation by Professor Hamanaka Presentation by Mr IwabuchiThe sixth seminar in the 2011 series, Uncertain Futures: The Individual, Society and the State in the UK and Japan, explored the energy challenges facing Japan as the government seeks to address the economic implications of the March 2011 crisis in the Tohoku region. Meanwhile, as a result of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant incident, the nuclear debate in the UK and beyond has intensified with implications for future energy policy. With more than 60 percent of Japanese nuclear power generation shut down since the disaster, Japan must now address nuclear safety issues and the more active pursuit of renewable energy sources. There are voices in both countries that consider ‘nuclear power should remain an important part of the energy mix and an integral part of a low-carbon-economy’ (The Times, 15 March 2011). Others advocate a move away from over-reliance on nuclear power and greater energy diversification. The costs of changing policies, increased subsidies for renewables, and the impact on public spending were addressed by our speakers who represent different perspectives in the climate and energy policy debate.
About the contributors
Jun Arima
Jun Arima is Director General of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) in London, seconded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). From 1992 he has served in the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE). In 1996, he was sent to the OECD as Councillor (energy advisor) to the Permanent Delegation of Japan. He has served in senior positions in ANRE since his return to Japan. In 2002 he was sent to Paris and spent four years there as Head of the Country Studies Division for the International Energy Agency (IEA). His activities in international climate and energy issues have seen Arima recognised internationally, most recently as Japan’s chief negotiator at the UN Climate Talks in Cancun, Mexico in December 2010.
Naoki Iwabuchi
Naoki Iwabuchi is Deputy General Manager, Global Environment Business Development Division of Mitsubishi Corporation International (Europe) plc. Since 1994 he has developed and managed the private power generation business worldwide for Mitsubishi Corporation (MC). From 2000 through 2007 he served as Vice President of Diamond Generating Corporation based in Los Angeles, CA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MC where he managed development, acquisition, and asset management of approximately 2GW (on a net equity basis) of power generation facilities. His current responsibility is to oversee MC's power generation business in both renewable and conventional areas in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Professor Jim Skea
Jim Skea has been Research Director, UK Energy Research Centre, based at Imperial College, since 2004. He has been Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College since May 2009. He previously directed the Policy Studies Institute and the Economic and Social Research Council’s Global Environmental Change Programme. He has operated at the interface between research, policy-making and business throughout his career. He is a founding member of the Committee on Climate Change and Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group III (climate change mitigation). He was Launch Director for the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and also chaired the Technical Advisory Group that developed the British Standards Institution specification for assessing the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of goods and services.
Professor Hironori Hamanaka
Hironori Hamanaka is a highly respected expert on Japanese environment policy with a career of over 40 years in the environmental field, both as a policymaker as well as an academic. As Director-General of the Global Environment Department of the then Environment Agency he was directly involved in the negotiations running up to the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. From 2001 to 2004, he served as Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs at the Ministry of the Environment. Professor Hamanaka is currently Chair of the Board of Directors at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and Project Professor in the Graduate School of Media and Governance at Keio University.
Antony Froggatt (Chair)
Antony Froggatt is Senior Research Fellow, Energy, Environment and Development Programme at Chatham House. He has been a freelance energy policy consultant since 1997, based in London. With Mycle Schneider, Froggatt is co-author of The World Nuclear Industry Status Reports, which suggest that nuclear power will continue to decline. His recent publications include 'Low-Carbon Economy: Frontier Energy', The World Today, August 2010, 'Sustainable Energy Security: Strategic Risks and Opportunities for Business', Lloyd's 360 Risk Insight-Chatham House White Paper, June 2010 and 'Climate and Energy Security Policies and Measures: Synergies and Conflicts', with Michael A Levi, International Affairs, 85/6, 2009.
Seminar details:
22 September 2011
6:00 – 7:45pm, followed by a drinks reception to 8:45pm
Embassy of Japan, 101-104 Piccadilly, London, W1J 7JT
Organised by the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in association with the Embassy of Japan
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Download seminarSeminar Series information:
Seminar Series 2011:
Uncertain Futures: The Individual, Society and the State in the UK and Japan
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