07Vol.

日本女性エグゼクティブ協会

2015.11.15

NEWS Letter

http: // www.jafe.jp /The Fourth JAFE Seminar held
The fourth JAFE Executive Seminar was held on September 17, 2015 at Tokyo
American Club with Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Akitaka Saiki as our guestspeaker. We had initially planned to have Minister for Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishidaas our guest speaker. However, due to an urgent official duty relating to the peaceand security legislation, he was unable to attend the seminar and named Mr. Saikito speak in his place. Mr. Saiki spoke on the theme of “Challenges for Japan’s
Diplomacy,” explaining various challenges facing Japan, including theirbackgrounds, in a detailed and easy-to-understand manner.

Excerpt from Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Akitaka Saiki’s Address at the Executive Seminar● Domestic politics and diplomacy are closely intertwined(1)Peace and security legislation: The enactment of this legislation has great significance that is directly
linked to Japan’s security and defense policy. It has a great impact on Japan’s external relations and how
it is viewed by neighboring countries.(2)Relocation of the Futenma base: The central government andOkinawa remain sharply divided. At the same time, however, as we must keep our promise to our key ally,
the United States, this is a matter that has significant bearing on the very foundation for mutual trust
between the two countries.(3)Abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea: Since 2002 when thenPrime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited North Korea, the Japanese government—despite changes in thepolitical leadership—has been consistently working toward solving this problem in order to protect thelives and properties of its people.(4)Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): With each country having its
strengths and weaknesses, efforts are being made to coordinate conflicting interests so as to reachagreement in such a way that each country will have some wins to bring home and explain to its people.

● Shifting power balance(1)Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin has very high approval ratings in Russia. Although Russia
has been facing an economic crisis due to Western sanctions over the Crimean issue, President Putin’s
hardline foreign policy remains intact.(2)China: President Xi Jinping has been pursuing high-handed
diplomacy similar to that of Russia, for instance, by advocating for the “Chinese dream,” in which he islinking people’s sense of rivalry against the United States, Europe, and Japan to nationalism.(3)Middleand Near East: Syrian refugees are flowing into Germany and other European countries. Due to theexpansion of Islamic State, the governments of Middle East countries are paralyzed.(4)Internationalorganizations: The Chinese economy has a significant impact as seen in the expansion of the Group ofSeven (G7) into the Group of Twenty (G20) and the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank (AIIB), an international financial institution led by China, as a counter-power to the existing
international financial regime led by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

● Cooperation to developing economies

More women than men are active in this field. Women are playing a very important role with theirscrupulous consideration to details.

07NEWS LetterVol.

2015

11.15

Introduction of Members

Ms. Aiko Okawara

Ms. Makiko Eda

Ms. Atsumi Arima

Honorary member of JAFE and Chairman of JC Comsa Corp.

President of Intel K.K. (Japan)

Ms. Aiko Okawara came to Japan in the 1960s after graduatingfrom the University of Geneva, and started up her business twoyears later. She believes that selecting a niche market, making
strenuous efforts to pursue the niche, and moving ahead of time
are what are required of entrepreneurs. She is counting on JAFE
to disseminate more information and let the world know thepresence of outstanding women in Japan.

Having started off her career after the introduction of a law forequal employment opportunities and treatment for men andwomen, Ms. Makiko Eda has acquired various work andmanagement experiences both in Japan and abroad. She says
she can find a silver lining even in very difficult times thanks towhat she has experienced to date. She wants to help create amore enabling environment for Japanese women so that they
can play more active role in the business world.

Executive officer and the Head of the Corporate Advisory
Division, Mizuho BankMs. Atsumi Arima joined the bank in the year in which the lawfor equal employment opportunities and treatment for men andwomen entered into force. She spent three quarters of her
career to date working in the area of sales and services tocustomers. She says that pleasing customers is a pleasure toher. She has been participating in the activity of JAFE as she
feels she can learn new and valuable information from other
JAFE members who are playing active roles in various fields,
just as suggested by the theory of “the strength of weak ties.”

Report Second JAFE Summer Camp in Tateshina
JAFE organized its second summer camp at Poppins Training Center in Tateshina,
Nagano Prefecture for two days from July 19, 2015. We had Ms. Mariko Bando, anhonorary member of JAFE and the president of Showa Women’s University, as ourspeaker on the first day, and Ms. Masako Mori, another honorary member of JAFE and amember of the House of Councillors, on the second day.
During the luncheon meeting on the second day, participants
put together a set of policy proposals as “Tateshina Appeal”
and submitted it to the government.

JAFE Year-End-Party
For this year’s JAFE Year-End-Party, we are planning to host an eveningof delicious dinner and a charity show. Please join us with your partner.

Date & Time: Thursday, December 10, 2015
at 7:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)

締 切間

近！
ウェブサイトかお 申しら込
頂 けま みす。
w w w. j af e. j p
詳細はHPにてLocation: Ogasawara Hakushakutei (http://www.ogasawaratei.com/)
10-10 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku (One-minute walk from Wakamatsu Kawada Station on the Toei Oedo Line)

Charge: 40,000 yen per couple and 25,000 yen per person
For inquiries about gifts to the charity, please contact JAFE Secretariat.

JAFE Secretariat

Japan Association for Female Executives

Attn: NPO Poppins Secretariat c/o Poppins Corporation, Hiroo Plaza 5F, 5-6-6 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0012 Japan

Phone: 03-6450-4880 E-mail: info＠jafe.jp www.jafe.jp