Consulate General of Japan in Detroit

Contact:
Glenn Oswald                                                                 Consulate General of Japan
Lana Mini                                                                      Public Relations
Marx Layne & Company                                                    (313) 567-0120 ext. 226
(248) 855-6777

CONSULATE GENERAL OF JAPAN IN DETROIT CO-SPONSORS LECTURE BY RENOWNED JAPANESE ECONOMIST ON TPP TRADE AGREEMENT
Dr. Fukunari Kimura to speak at Ohio State University on February 8

WHAT: The Consulate General of Japan in Detroit has announced it is co-sponsoring a lecture by well-known Japanese economist Dr. Fukunari Kimura.  The lecture will take place on February 8 at Ohio State University.  Admission is free and open to the public.

Dr. Kimura will speak about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Trade Agreement and the East Asia Political Economy.  The TPP is currently facing ratification in the United States, after years of negotiations.  The TPP has been called the largest regional trade accord in history and would set new terms for trade and business investment among the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations, including Japan.

Dr. Kimura’s lecture has been organized by the Ohio State University Institute for Japanese Studies and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan, is sponsored in part by a U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant for the OSU East Asian Studies Center and co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit. 

WHO: Dr. Kimura is currently a Professor in the Faculty of Economics of Keio University in Tokyo.  He also is the Chief Economist, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.  Dr. Kimura earned a PhD in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He recently published books and articles on international production networks and economic integration in East Asia. 

WHEN:  Monday, February 8 at 4:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Ohio State University, Knowlton Hall, Room 190, 275 West Woodruff Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210. 

“The TPP is of utmost importance to Japan and the United States.  We are pleased to co-sponsor these events featuring such a well respected economic expert to talk about its implications,” said Mitsuhiro Wada, Consul General of Japan in Detroit.  “Dr. Kimura’s impeccable credentials make him the ideal candidate to speak about this trade agreement.  It will be a very informative and enlightening speech.”

About the Consulate-General of Japan in Detroit
The Consulate-General of Japan in Detroit was established in 1993 by the Government of Japan to serve in the states of Michigan and Ohio. The Detroit office is one of 14 Japanese Consulates General in the United States. The Consulate strives to promote better understanding of Japan and Japanese culture through educational and cultural programs. The office protects the interests of Japanese citizens and strengthens the Japan-U.S. alliance through furthering relations with local governments, companies, educational institutions, cultural organizations and the general public. For more information, visit www.detroit.us.emb-japan.go.jp/index.htm or call (313) 567-0120. 

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