October 6th, 2025
【6th Event of IIMA's 30th Anniversary Program】
Japan-Europe Challenges and Partnership under the Current Global Situation
IIMA will hold the sixth of twelve events in its 30th Anniversary Program, "The Turbulent Global Situation and the Future of the Japanese Economy and the Yen," a webinar titled "Japan-Europe Challenges and Partnership under the Current Global Situation".
In the current global situation, from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the rise of “Trump 2.0,” and ongoing Middle East tensions, global uncertainty is accelerating. In this context, the EU, like Japan, is a key defender of the liberal international order, faces many shared economic and geopolitical challenges. Could Japan and Europe learn from each other in addressing these issues? Exploring such opportunities, future partnerships among nations and regions aligned with Japan’s values will become more crucial in the current global climate.
This webinar will provide an overview of political, economic, and financial trends in Europe in the context of the global situation, and will discuss the challenges facing Japan and Europe, outline the direction of future Japan-Europe cooperation, and provide key takeaways for both sides.
| Date ＆ Time | Monday, October 6, 2025, 13:00-14:30 (JST)/6:00-7:30 (CET) |
|---|---|
| Co-Hosted by | IIMA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |
| Progress | Panelist Presentations and Panel Discussion |
| Event Style | Virtual Event via Zoom |
| Language | Japanese (Simultaneous English translation available) |
| To Apply | Click Here |
Panelists (in alphabetical order)
Ken Endo
Professor, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo
Ken Endo completed the Master’s Program at the Graduate School of Law, Hokkaido University. Obtained an MA (cum laude) in European Studies at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, and a Ph.D. in Politics at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford. His research specializes in international politics, the EU, and national security. He has served as an editorial member of Asahi Shinbun and as a member of the Policy Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. He is currently a Specially Appointed Professor at the European University Institute and an Adjunct Fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs.
Kazuo Kodama
President, Foreign Press Center Japan
Kazuo Kodama assumed the position of President at Foreign Press Center Japan in November 2020. Joining the Foreign Ministry in 1976, his diplomatic career includes Press Secretary at the MOFA (2008-10), Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN (2010-13), Ambassador to the OECD (2013-16) and Ambassador to the European Union (2016-20). He obtained both a B.A. and M.A. in P.P.E. (Honors degree) at the Oxford University. From 2022, he is a visiting professor for diplomatic relations at the law faculty of the University of Hiroshima.
Sadayoshi Takaya
Professor of International Monetary Economics at the Faculty of Business and Commerce,
Kansai University
Sadayoshi Takaya graduated from the Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University. After serving as professor at Kinki University, he assumed his current position in April 2004. Served as visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, at the University of Catholic Louvain in Belgium, and at the European University Institute in Italy, president of the European Union Studies Association Japan (2023 – 2025), and advisor to the Osaka Prefecture and City Council for the Promotion of Osaka's International Financial City. Specialized in International Monetary Economics and Finance, and European Economics.
Moderator
Masatsugu Asakawa
President, Institute for International Monetary Affairs (IIMA)
Masatsugu Asakawa joined the Ministry of Finance, Japan (MOF) in 1981. At MOF, before being appointed as Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs (2015-19), he held several senior positions, including Executive Secretary to the Prime Minister (2008-09), Deputy Vice Minister for Policy Planning and Coordination, and Director-General of the International Bureau. He also held senior roles at the IMF and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Additionally, he served as Chair of the Committee on Fiscal Affairs, OECD (2011-16), and as the President of ADB (2020-25). Since July 2025, he has been the President of the Institute for International Monetary Affairs (IIMA). He earned a BA from the University of Tokyo in 1981 and an MPA from Princeton University in 1985.