Japanese Economists To Address NZ Business Leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5 March 2008

Japanese Economists To Address New Zealand Business Leaders

Two eminent Japanese economists will visit New Zealand next week to address an audience of business people, policy-makers and academics on the implications of deepening economic integration in East Asia for New Zealand business.

Dr Shujiro Urata of the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry and Tatsuhiko Yoshizaki of Sojitzu Research Institute in Tokyo will discuss the projected economic effects of Japan’s proposal for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East-Asia (CEPEA) and how these will affect business. Dr Urata will discuss the establishment of the new economic think tank, ERIA, which will have a research and member support role similar to the OECD.

The aim is to raise awareness of ERIA (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia). The seminars will be held in Auckland and Wellington on 13 March and Christchurch on 14 March.

Robert Scollay, economist at the University of Auckland Business School, and Ken Geard, Fonterra trade policy consultant, will provide insight on the implications of CEPEA (ASEAN+6) for business from a New Zealand perspective.

It is envisaged that CEPEA will evolve into an economically powerful regional trade bloc.

The New Zealand government was an early supporter of the CEPEA (ASEAN+6) model and the establishment of ERIA.

At the seminars business leaders and policy makers will learn about the anticipated economic effects of CEPEA (ASEAN+6) and the increasing business opportunities existing within this rapidly growing East Asian market, with its combined population of over three billion people and GDP in excess of US$10 trillion.

The seminars are free but registration is required. The principal organisers of the seminars are the Auckland office of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.

ENDS

Background: ASEAN+6 refers to a regional grouping of countries with the 10 ASEAN countries at its core, in addition to China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand.

The seminars will be held in:
Auckland – Thursday 13 March 8.30am–1pm at the Hyatt Regency Auckland
Wellington – Thursday 13 March 5.15pm-6.30pm at The Treasury
Christchurch – Friday 14 March 3pm-6pm at the Christchurch Art Gallery

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