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(1) JICA Chair Special Lecture at National University of Laos
Date: Monday, November 13, 14:00-16:30
Location: National University of Laos
Lecturer: Shinichi Kitaoka, Special Advisor
Participants: Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Faculty of Letters (English and Japanese), Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Laos-Japan Center students and faculty, and about 300 others
(2) JICA Chair Special Lecture at the National Institute of Political Science and Public Administration
Date: Tuesday, November 14, 9:20-11:40
Location: National Institute of Political Science and Public Administration
Lecturer: Shinichi Kitaoka, Special Advisor
Participants: Kenichi Kobayashi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, vice president, faculty and staff of the institute, central government officials under training at the institute, and approximately 450 others
Background and Objectives
Taking advantage of the opportunity of Special Advisor Kitaoka’s visit to Laos, JICA chairs were held at the National University of Laos and the National Institute of Political Science and Public Administration.
At the National University of Laos, lectures were given to faculties whose curricula are linked to the lecture theme of “Establishment of Modern Japan” and to students and faculty members of the Laos-Japan Center, which supports the development of Laotian business personnel and the building of networks between local management personnel and Japanese companies.
The National Institute of Political Science and Public Administration, established in 1995, is a training facility for cadres under the jurisdiction of the Party’s Central Political Bureau, and employees of central ministries and agencies are required to undergo training at this facility in order to be promoted. In addition to the fact that the establishment of modern Japan is a useful topic for future cadres, the lecture was held to raise awareness of the JICA chair in Laos and to increase interest in the development experience of Japan, the future leader of Laos.
Outline of Special Lectures
The lecturer, Special Advisor Kitaoka, gave a detailed explanation of the Edo period, which is important for understanding how the foundation for modernization was laid. In particular, he explained the samurai-farmer-artisan-commerce system, the shogunate, the Shogunate, and seclusion of the country, which were characteristic of the Edo period, and then led to the Meiji Restoration of 1868, explaining important events in the modernization of Japan, including the leaders who led the Restoration, the abolition of the samurai system that was a symbol of the Edo period, the formation of the Liberal Party and the Constitutional Reform Party, the establishment of the Constitution, and the opening of the National Diet in 1890. The book also includes a description of the founding of the Liberal Party and the Constitutional Reform Party, and the establishment of the Diet in 1890.
After a lecture on the establishment of modern Japan, he explained Japan’s contribution to and relationship with Laos. He ended the lecture by quoting JICA’s mission “Leading the World with Trust” and expressed his wish to continue friendly relations with Laos based on trust.
Summary of Questions and Answers
National University of Laos
The topics included: why farmers were ranked higher than merchants in the Edo period; why Japan was able to recover from defeat and grow into one of the world’s leading economic powers; why the literacy rate was high in the Edo period; the benefits to Japan of maintaining effective relations between Laos and Japan; Japan’s strategy in the Japan-US trade friction; Japan’s challenges of low birth rates and an aging society that is reducing the number of workers; and how to help Laos recover from the current economic recession. Many faculty members and students raised their hands to ask Special Advisor Kitaoka for advice on how Laos can recover from the current economic recession, and a lively Q&A session and exchange of opinions on a wide range of topics ensued.
National Institute of Political Science and Public Administration
In addition to questions such as whether there is a class system based on status and income in Japan today, and what challenges Japan faces and how to address them, there were also questions and requests for advice on how to approach JICA’s international cooperation in Laos, and points that need to be considered in order to spread policy content and its implementation from the central to the local level. A wide-ranging exchange of views and opinions took place between the faculty, staff, and students of the Institute, as well as the future leaders of Laos who are currently training at the Institute.
Group photo after a lecture at the National Institute of Political Science and Public Administration
The venue, attended by about 450 people at the National Institute of Political Science and Public Administration
Lecture by Special Advisor Kitaoka at the National Institute of Political Science and Public Administration
Participants ask questions after a lecture at the National University of Laos
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