January 15th, 2026
【9th Event of IIMA's 30th Anniversary Program】
Exploring the Potential for Cooperation Amid Tensions Between Globalization and National Sovereignty
Globalization driven by the digital revolution and growing economic interdependence has rapidly integrated the world economy, but has simultaneously aggravated global challenges like wealth disparity and income inequality. The backlash, particularly from the United States, is actively destabilizing the international economic order. This has heightened the conflict between national sovereignty and international cooperation in areas like trade, currency, and the strategic struggle over taxing rights.
In this era of multipolar tension, the BEPS project (OECD/G20) is a notable success story, proving that international cooperation can counter multinational tax avoidance. However, continued commitment is required as certain challenges remain.
This webinar will survey the structural changes and wealth imbalances caused by globalization, then use international taxation as a case study to explore how institutional cooperation can be achieved. We will finally examine how Japan should approach the digital economy and how it must engage with the future international economic order. Webinar will be moderated by Masatsugu Asakawa, President of IIMA, former Chair of the OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs, who led the BEPS project.
| Date ＆ Time | Thursday, January 15, 2026, 16:00-17:15 (JST) |
|---|---|
| Host | Institute for International Monetary Affairs (IIMA) |
| Progress | Panelist Presentations and Panel Discussion |
| Event Style | Virtual Event via Zoom |
| Language | Japanese (Simultaneous English translation available) |
| To Apply | Click here |
Panelists (in speaking order)
Atsushi Nakajima
Professor Emeritus, University of Niigata Prefecture
After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo, he joined the Industrial Bank of Japan (now Mizuho Bank). He has served in a wide range of senior positions, including General Manager of the Paris Branch, President of IBJ Paris, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Research Department, Senior Executive Managing Director and Chief Economist at Mizuho Research Institute, Chairman of the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI), Professor at the Faculty of International Economics, University of Niigata Prefecture, and Director/Professor of its Northeast Asia Research Institute. He has held his current position since October 2025. He also concurrently serves as President of the Board of the Fondation Maison franco-japonaise (MFJ). His areas of expertise are domestic and international economic and financial analysis, as well as international finance. He has spent nearly twelve years living in France, including part of his childhood.
Shigeki Morinobu
Senior Policy Research Officer of The Tokyo Foundation
Special Researcher, Policy Research Institute of the Ministry of Finance.
Doctor of Law. After graduating from Kyoto University's Faculty of Law in 1973, joined the Ministry of Finance, Japan. served as Director of the General Affairs Division, Tax Bureau; Professor at Osaka University; Commissioner of Tokyo Customs; and taught at Princeton University. retired in 2006, having last served as Director-General of the Ministry of Finance's Policy Research Institute. Visiting Scholar at Columbia Law School.
Moderator
Masatsugu Asakawa
President, Institute for International Monetary Affairs (IIMA)
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.