Northeast Asia Economic Databook 2007 published

Contribution of "The Oil Industry in Russia: Is the Oil Boom a Prelude to De-Democratization?" to The Political Economy of the Oil Industry in Developing Countries, edited by Aki Sakaguchi, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO) (Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Publishing of "Making the Most of the Region’s Precious Asset: Niigata Port" (a dialogue with Akira Shinoda, the Mayor of Niigata City) in the Special Feature on Projects in the Niigata Nippo [Niigata Daily] (Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

ERINA Business News Vol. 66 published

Address to the Women’s Committee of the General Constructors Association of Niigata (Senior Fellow Shinsaku Suzuki)

Presentation at the Foreign Media Niigata Prefecture Press Tour (ERINA, Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

Presentation at the Niigata Port Study Group (Association for Development of Niigata Port & Harbour, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Address at the Regional Promotion Association workshop for attracting overseas tourists, on the theme of international tourism in Niigata Prefecture (Senior Fellow Shinsaku Suzuki)

Fiscal 2007 2^nd Meeting of the Board of Trustees and External Assessors

Busan Investment Seminar (Toki Messe, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

Busan Investment Seminar (Nagaoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

Address entitled "The Current Status of and Future Prospects for the Siberian Land Bridge" at the 2008 Academic Forum of Northeast Asia Plenary Exchange Meeting (Tokyo, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

FY 2007 7^th seminar for supporting members (6^th Floor Meeting Room, Dr. Michiaki Harada, General Manager, Business Promotion Department, Japan Coal Energy Center)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Round-Table Meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida, and others)

Presentation at the National Institute for Environmental Studies Workshop (Tsukuba, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Attendance at the 4^th Asahi Shimbun Asia Network Fellows’ Forum (Tokyo, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Speaker at the regular meeting of the SENTAN Technology Study Group (Niigata Grand Hotel, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

Attendance at the National Institute for Defense Studies "Russia and Eurasia Research Group" (Tokyo, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Medical Exchange Foundation board of trustees meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Attendance at the "US Joint Research Committee" of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (Tokyo, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Panelist at the "Workshop on Asian Traffic and Transportation Statistics" (Tokyo, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Meeting for exchange of information and opinions with Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail M. Bely (Hotel Okura Niigata, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Reception for President of the Far Eastern State Technical Fisheries University, Georgy N. Kim, and party. Accompaniment on visits to fisheries facilities within Niigata Prefecture (Sado City and Niigata City, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

Presentation at the New Policy Research Council (Shin Seisaku Kenkyukai) (Hotel Niigata, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Address entitled The Current Status of the Siberian Land Bridge (Trans-Siberian Railway) and the Challenges for the Future at the "Workshop on the Formation of an Asian International Transport Network" (Niigata Shimin Plaza, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Panelist at the symposium "A Shared Regional Future" supporting regional revitalization and staged by Niigata Nippo (Researcher Zhu Yonghao)

Speech on Northern Territories Day (Yamaguchi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Panelist at the Exchange Student Network Symposium (Toki Messe, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

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Presentation entitled The Prospects for the Siberian Land Bridge and Japan–Russia Economic Relations at the "National Land Formation Forum" staged by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Maizuru City (Maizuru, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Round-Table Meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Presentation entitled "Russia’s Energy Diplomacy toward the Asia-Pacific Region" at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) (Washington DC, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Appearance on Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (CBC) radio program "Information Supplement" (Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Participation in "An Enhanced Agenda for U.S.—Japan Partnership" staged by Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) (New York, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

FY 2007 6th seminar for supporting members (Niigata Industrial Creation Organization (NICO), Kazutsugu Oshima, Visiting Researcher, School of Economics, Peking University)

Presentation at the symposium "Energy Cooperation in Northeast Asia and Japan’s Strategy" staged by the Institute for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, Seoul National University and the Slavic Research Center at Hokkaido University (Seoul, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Appearance as commentator on the NHK BS1 television programme "Today’s World: The Scramble for the DPRK’s Mineral Resources" (Tokyo, Associate Senior Researcher Mitsuhiro Mimura)

Address entitled "The Latest State of Play in Russia’s Distribution of Goods and the Siberian Land Bridge" at the Tsuruga Port Seminar, Tsuruga Port International Trade Corporation (Tsuruga, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

The Trans-Siberian Railroad Land Bridge: Major Artery for Business between Japan and Russia (publisher: Seizando), written by Researcher Hisako Tsuji, received prize in the 7th Book Contest held by the Government Publications Round-table

Participation in the executive board meeting, Japan-China Northeast Development Association (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

ERINA Report Vol. 80 published

2008 ERINA Policy Proposal Seminar: "Policy Proposals for the Northeast Asian Age" (Todofuken Kaikan ("Meeting Hall of the Prefectures"), Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura, and others)

Speech entitled "The Government-Ordinance-Designated City of Niigata in the Japan Sea Rim Region" at the Industrial Employment Center Economic Organizations’ Information Exchange Meeting (Senior Fellow Shinsaku Suzuki)

Presentation at the workshop co-hosted by ERINA and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and others (Washington State University, Seattle, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Address at the "Economic Committee for Northeast Asia", Japan-China Northeast Development Association (Tokyo, Senior Fellow Ikuo Mitsuhashi and others)

"Business Seminar on China’s Northeast" (Hotel Nikko Niigata, Senior Fellow Shinsaku Suzuki and others)

Address entitled "Russia’s Domestic Distribution of Goods and the Siberian Land Bridge" at the Port of Osaka Group (Osaka, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Participation in the executive board meeting of the Northeast Asian Studies and Exchange Network (NEASE-NET) (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Address entitled "The Siberian Land Bridge: The Potential for Akita’s Economic Interchange" at the "Japan Sea Rim Interchange Seminar" held by the Akita Prefecture Japan Sea Rim Interchange Promotion Council (Akita, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

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Article introducing ERINA in the Niigata City publication Niigata, Government-Ordinance-Designated City

Contribution of "New Developments in Direct Investment to Japan and Japan-China Investment Cooperation" to Heilongjiang Quyu Jingji (Regional Economy in Heilongjiang), Issue No. 1, Heilongjiang Regional Economy Society (External Relations Division Deputy Director Masayuki Tsukuba)

Contribution of "Trends in Japan’s City Clusters and the Niigata City Cluster" to Heilongjiang Quyu Jingji (Regional Economy in Heilongjiang), Issue No. 1, Heilongjiang Regional Economy Society (Researcher Zhu Yonghao)

Attendance at the Pan-Okhotsk Region International Symposium (Sapporo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Address entitled "Developments in the Siberian Land Bridge and the Expectations for Japanese Freight" at the Graduate School of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University (Kobe, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Address at the Korean Federation of Commerce and Industry in Japan (Tokyo, Associate Senior Researcher Mitsuhiro Mimura)

Contribution of "The Course of Northeast Asian Development and China’s Northeast" to the Japan–China Economic Journal, February 2008 edition, Japan-China Economic Association (External Relations Division Deputy Director Masayuki Tsukuba)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Round-Table Meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida and others)

ERINA Business News Vol. 65 published

2008 Northeast Asia International Conference for Economic Development in Niigata (Toki Messe (Niigata Convention Center))

ERINA Special Seminar (Toki Messe (Niigata Convention Center), Vladimir I. Simonenok, Deputy Chief, Administration of Energy, Primorsky Territory Government and Igor B. Svetlov, Director, The Far Eastern Center for Strategic Research on the Fuel and Energy Complex Development (FECSRED))

Participation in the round-table meeting with the heads of the Japan Centers in Russia (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Visit of the Mayor of Longjing City, China (Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Speech at the symposium "Heads of Local Government Discussion on the Stimulation of the Port of Niigata" (Hotel Niigata, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Appearance on NHK’s "Close-Up Today" (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) (Tokyo, Associate Senior Researcher Mitsuhiro Mimura)

Attendance at the New Year Greeting Party of the Japan-China Economic Association and the Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Japan (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

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Attendance at presentation by Gazprom, "The Eastern Gas-Supply Program" (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Speech at the general meeting of the NPO Regional Infrastructure Research Association, "Northeast Asia within the World, Niigata within Northeast Asia" (Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

Speech at the Japan Sea Rim Round-Table board meeting, "Activity in the Development of the Russian Far East" (PR & Planning Division Manager Hirofumi Arai)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Round-Table Meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Attendance at the round-table meeting relating to Japan-Russia environmental cooperation (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Visit of Director Inaba, Japan-China Northeast Development Association (Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

ERINA Report Vol. 79 published

Event commemorating the 35^th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan: "Lecture by Shotaro Yachi, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs" (Hotel Italia Ken, Niigata, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida and others)

Appearance on NHK "Radio Evening Edition" (Tokyo, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

5^th seminar for supporting members (Bandaijima Building, Hiroshi Nakao, Visiting Professor, Kyoto University of Art and Design)

Participation in the research and examination committee on the interchange which has made practical use of the Sea of Okhotsk region (Sapporo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Report at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) (Oslo, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Visit of delegation to Japan of the Investment Promotion Team, Busan, ROK (Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida and others)

Visit of Head of the Economic Policy Division, Commerce, Industry & Labor Relations Department, Tottori Prefecture and others (Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida and others)

Presentation of "The Eurasian Rail Transport Network and Japanese Use Thereof" at the Far East International Transport and Logistical Forum (Vladivostok, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Contribution of "Jilin Province’s Vision for Setting Up Routes into Russia and the DPRK—The Key to the Development of the Northeast" in the 17^th December edition of the Mainichi Shimbun Economist Extra (Associate Senior Researcher Mitsuhiro Mimura)

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Event commemorating the 35^th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan: "Lectures Commemorating the 35^th Anniversary of the Normalization of Diplomatic Relations Between China and Japan" (Speakers: Cui Tiankai, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Japan, and Hiroyuki Iwaki, General Manager, Commentator Press Room, Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) (Marine Hall, Toki Messe, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato and others)

Visit of Information and Planning Division Head, Hokkaido Intellect Tank (Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura and others)

Seigakuin University International Financial Research Symposium (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

ERINA Business News Vol. 64 published

Workshop with delegation from the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences (ERINA Meeting Room, Executive Trustee Mamoru Sato and others)

Address at the Niigata Peace Action Center "Changes in the International Situation concerning the Korean Peninsula and Japan’s Policy Toward the Two Koreas" (Associate Senior Researcher Mitsuhiro Mimura)

Visit from International Affairs Division, Industrial Department, Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Research Division, Hokkaido Research Institute for the Twenty-first Century Co., Ltd. (Researcher Ken Ishii)

Getting to Know Asia Niigata International Association International Understanding Lecture: "Russian History and its Connections with Japan" (Senior Fellow Toshiji Maeda)

ERINA article, “Expectations for a further activation of interchange and cooperation in Northeast Asia” in Heilongjiang Jingjibao (Heilongjiang Economic News)

JESNA Vol. 6 No. 1 published

Attendance at the 10th International Symposium on East Asia (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Contribution of paper "Energy Cooperation in Sino-Russian Relations" to the November 2007 edition of Oil and Gas Review, JOGMEC (Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation) (Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

"Greater Tumen Initiative — Gateway to Northeast Asia" Investment Forum 2007, staged by the UNDP, Vladivostok, Russia (Vladivostok, Senior Fellow Mitsuhashi Ikuo)

Visit by the Industrial Promotion Research Special Committee of Shimane Prefectural Assembly (Executive Trustee Mamoru Sato and others)

Participation in delegation visiting China to promote the opening of new aviation routes to China’s capital region (Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai, Researcher Ken Ishii)

Harbin Municipal Bureau of Commerce delegation courtesy call (Executive Trustee Mamoru Sato and others)

"Niigata International Business Messe 2007" (Niigata City Industrial Promotion Center, Executive Trustee Mamoru Sato and others)

"The Challenge of a Changing International Energy Market" co-hosted by the Energy Charter Treaty and the IEA (Vienna, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Speech at Keiwa College "Employment Round-Table" (Niigata City, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Japan–Mongolia Public–Private Joint Conference of Trade and Investment (Tokyo, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato and others)

Contribution to Newsletter No. 3 of the Northeast Asian Studies and Exchange Network (NEASE-NET) The East Asian Community and the Northeast Asian Subregion (Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

"4^th International Forum on Northeast Asian Tourism (IFNAT)" (Sokcho City, Senior Fellow Shinsaku Suzuki and others)

Speech "The Issue of the moment"—Northeast Asia’s Dynamism, Niigata Advertising Association Information Day (Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

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Tohoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry and Mizuho Research Institute "National Land Policy Development Research Committee" (Sendai, Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

Niigata Prefecture Shenyang Charter Flight mission (Shenyang, External Relations Division Deputy Director Masayuki Tsukuba)

International Trade Fair for Food (Toki Messe, Associate Senior Researcher Shagdar Enkhbayar and others)

Attendance at the Japan–Russia Round-Table Meeting (Tokyo, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

Chairperson at “The Ongoing Dialogue between Central Europe and East Asia: Toward New Perspectives on Eurasia”, the Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University (Sapporo, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Yanbian Prefecture Bureau of Commerce delegation courtesy call (Executive Trustee Mamoru Sato and others)

Speech Russia and Energy Policy, Sojitz Research Institute (Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Address at the Cabinet Office "On the Development of the Russian Far East" (Tokyo, PR & Planning Division Manager Hirofumi Arai)

ERINA Report Vol. 78 published

Appearance on the TV Tokyo (BS Japan) programme "World Business Satellite" (Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

Address on East Asian Economics, Graduate Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies (Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

Participation in the NEASE-NET Forum (Shimane Prefecture, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

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Speech: Developments and the Role of Industry in Niigata in Economic Exchange in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) Rim, at the Industry Section Meeting, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Senior Fellow Shinsaku Suzuki)

ERINA Business News Vol. 63 published

Niigata University sub-major "Northeast Asia Socio-Economic Seminar" (ERINA Meeting Room, Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura and others)

Participation in the Fiscal 2007 Japan–China Economic Association mission to China (Beijing, Executive Trustee Mamoru Sato)

Niigata Prefecture International Students' Job Fair 2007 (Niigata Shimin Plaza, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato and others)

"Japan–Russia Conference to Promote Interregional Economic Exchange" (Khabarovsk, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida and others)

Participation in the Far Eastern Economic Forum (Khabarovsk, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Address at the Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau - land, transport and infrastructure administration (advanced-level) training "Northeast Asia within the world, the Hokuriku region within Northeast Asia" (Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

Participation at the Korean Association for Public Administration and Sun Moon University Symposium "The Strengthening of International Cooperation in Northeast Asia and the Role of Chungcheongnam-do" (Asan, ROK, Visiting Researcher Yu Yingzi)

Presentation at the international workshop on "Reconstruction of Infrastructure in North Korea and the Framework for Implementation" hosted by the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements (Anyang City, ROK, Associate Senior Researcher Mitsuhiro Mimura)

Meeting to exchange opinions with the Trustees, External Assessors, the Managerial Committee and Supporting Members (Hotel Nikko Niigata)

Participation in the Conference on Energy and Security Challenges, staged by the Institute for Security and Development Policy (Stockholm) and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (Singapore) (Singapore, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Panelist at KWE (Kintetsu World Express) seminar (Tokyo, Researcher Hisako Tsuji)

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Presentation by internship student from the Monterey Institute of International Studies

Participation in the Conference of Major Cities in the Japan Sea (East Sea) Rim Region (Hunchun, Senior Fellow Shinsaku Suzuki)

Participation in the Ulaanbaatar Forum for East Asia - Resources, Energy and the Environment, Ulaanbaatar Forum (Ulaanbaatar, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Participation in the Niigata Prefecture delegation visiting Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, Executive Trustee Mamoru Sato and others)

ERINA Report Vol. 77 published

Annual Report published

2^nd Japan-Russia and Japan-Mongolia Environmental Business Investigation Committee (Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Tokyo, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

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Address at the International Research Seminar at Niigata Women’s College (Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

4^th seminar for supporting members (Bandaijima Building, Choi Gil-muk, Manager, Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) Tokyo Office)

Attendance at the 1st Pacific Economic Congress (Vladivostok, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida and others)

ERINA Business News Vol. 62 published

Address at the National Port Cities General Meeting (Hotel Okura Niigata, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Address at the International Agriculture Seminar at Niigata University (Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

Attendance at the Global Policy Initiative "Kickoff" Tokyo Forum (Tokyo, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Round-Table Meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato and others)

Participation at the 6^th Japan-ASEAN Dialogue (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Attendance at the general meeting of the Nippon Keidanren Japan-Russia Business Cooperation Committee (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Attendance at the 38^th executive board meeting of the Japan-China Northeast Development Association (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Participation in the 6^th Governing Board Meeting and 21^st Policy Plenary Meeting of the Council on East Asian Community (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Lecture on Japan-ROK-DPRK Relations (Niigata University of International and Information Studies, Associate Senior Researcher Mitsuhiro Mimura)

Participation in the "Dirty, but Warm: Energy and Environment in Slavic Eurasia and Its Neighborhood" Symposium at the Slavic Research Center of Hokkaido University (Sapporo, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Speech to the LDP Niigata Prefecture Diet Members' Group for the Development of Niigata East Port (Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida and Senior Fellow Mitsuhashi Ikuo)

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Special ERINA lecture for schools (Shibata City Kajikawa Junior High School, Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

Speech to the LDP Niigata Prefecture Postal and Transportation Diet Members' Group (Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

1^st Northeast Asia Food Security Exploratory Committee (Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Tokyo, Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura and others)

Address and Individual Consultation at the "Russian Far East Business Seminar" organized by the Department of Commerce, Industry and Labor, Aomori Prefecture (Aomori, Senior Fellow Toshiji Maeda)

3^rd seminar for supporting members (Chinese Economic Seminar) (Bandaijima Building, Japan Bank for International Cooperation—Support)

Participation in the Overseas Mission of the Niigata Association of Corporate Executives (Hunchun & Changchun, Executive Trustee Mamoru Sato)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Round-Table Meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

ERINA Report Vol. 76 published

Participation in the Meeting of Assessors of the Japan-China Economic Association (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

1^st Japan-Russia and Japan-Mongolia Environmental Business Investigation Committee (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

Lecture at the Hokuriku Bank "Masumasu no kai" meeting (Hokuriku Bank, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Address at the Businesswomen’s Club of the Niigata Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Niigata Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Senior Fellow Shinsaku Suzuki)

Fiscal 2007 1^st Meeting of the Board of Trustees and External Assessors

Participation in the executive board meeting of the Northeast Asian Studies and Exchange Network (NEASE-NET) (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Participation in the "The Russia-Diplomacy of the Baltic and Scandinavian Nations" Symposium at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (Tokyo, Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)

Internship student from the Monterey Institute of International Studies begins program at ERINA (William Marty O’Rear, to 30^th August)

Special lecture at J. F. Oberlin University (Tokyo, Associate Senior Researcher Mitsuhiro Mimura)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Medical Exchange Foundation board of trustees meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Address at the Local Authority Representatives Forum general meeting and policy seminar (Research Division Director Toshihiko Nakamura)

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Participation in the 2007 Japan–China Economic Cooperation Conference in Harbin (Harbin, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida, to 1^st June)

Participation in the "Vision for the Development of Basic Infrastructure in the Russian Far East" seminar and strategy game (Khabarovsk, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida, PR & Planning Division Manager Hirofumi Arai)

ERINA Business News Vol. 61 published

Meeting for exchange of opinions with Toshiji Maeda (Jichikaikan, Niigata City, Senior Fellow Toshiji Maeda and others)

Address at the 19^th Ordinary General Meeting of the Shibata Corporate Association (Shibata City, Senior Fellow Shinsaku Suzuki)

2^nd seminar for supporting members / regional seminar (Crosspal Niigata, Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail M. Bely)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Round-Table Meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

Participation in the NEANET executive board meeting and general meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Speeches to the International Affairs Committee of the Niigata Association of Corporate Executives (Hotel Nikko Niigata, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida and External Relations Division Deputy Director Masayuki Tsukuba)

"The Changing North Korean Economy" (JCER Economic Journal, May 2007 edition, Associate Senior Researcher Mitsuhiro Mimura)

36^th Northeast Asia Economic Committee meeting and its 34th research meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

1^st seminar for supporting members (Bandaijima Building, Kensaku Kumabe, President, Russia-Eurasia Research Institute)

Participation in the executive board meeting and 4^th policy seminar of the Northeast Asian Studies and Exchange Network (NEASE-NET) (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Attendance at the Liaoning Province Economic and Trade Exchange Meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida)

Attendance at the Japan-Russia Round-Table Meeting (Tokyo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Susumu Yoshida, External Relations Division Director Hisashi Sato)

Visiting researcher at Monterey Institute of International Studies (Associate Senior Economist Tomoyoshi Nakajima, to 18^th May)

ERINA Report Vol.75 published

Speaker at the Ritsumeikan Center for Korean Studies International Symposium (Kyoto, Associate Senior Economist Tomoyoshi Nakajima)

Contribution to "Energy Forum" April edition "What Should Japan’s Energy Diplomacy toward Russia Be?" (Associate Senior Researcher Shoichi Itoh)