Young Economists Washington Seminar
September 7-13, 2008
Washington, D.C.
The Mansfield Foundation, in its 7th collaboration with the Tokyo American Center (TAC) at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, hosted a program that involves organizing a visit to the United States for a small delegation of Japanese economists from government, media, business, academia and research institutions. The Young Economists Washington Seminar is a weeklong series of seminar discussions and on-site visits designed to expose the economists to the dynamics of the U.S. economic system. The program aims to provide up-and coming leaders in Japan with an inside look at the various factors behind America’s economic growth. The following were selected to participate in this year’s program:
Nobuo Iizuka, Director and Senior Economist, Economic Research Department, Japan Center for Economic Research
Tetsuya Ishizuka, Associate Program Officer, Project Division, Sasakawa Peace Foundation
Wataru Miyanaga, Deputy Director, Economic and Industrial Research Department, Development Bank of Japan
Hiroyuki Nitta, North America Division, Overseas Research Department, Japan External Trade Organization
Kazumasa Oguro, Research Fellow, Research Department, Institute for International Policy Studies
Shinya Yasumatsu, Senior Economist, Economic Research Department, Mizuho Research Institute
The Economists in the Board Room, the meeting place of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
This year’s economists met with various U.S. government officials and economic experts to discuss the short-term and long-term outlook for the U.S. economy and the various options being discussed by U.S. policy makers and economists. Other discussion topics included: U.S.-Japan economic relations; macroeconomic policy (fiscal and monetary); trade; regulatory reform; the sub-prime loan crisis; energy and the environment; and health care.
Christopher D. Winship, Deputy Director, Office of East Asia at the U.S. Department of Treasury and former Mansfield Fellow meets with the group to discuss U.S. economic and fiscal policies
The group also spent a day on Capitol Hill visiting staff members from key House and Senate committees.
In a meeting with staff members of the House Committee on Financial Services
The economists wrapped up their week of meetings with a reception hosted by Citigroup Inc. where they mingled with speakers they met over the week, Mansfield Fellows, and various other Asian and economic experts.
Executive Director L. Gordon Flake and Laura J. Lane, Senior Vice President, International Government Affairs of Citigroup, Inc. welcome the economists to Washington, D.C.
Mansfield Foundation Hosts Korean National Assembly Delegation
August 18-22, 2008
Washington, D.C.
The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation welcomed five members of Korea’s National Assembly to Washington August 18-22, 2008 to discuss issues of importance to U.S.-Korea relations. Members of the delegation included: Chin Young (Grand National Party); Jeon Hye-Sook (Democratic Party); Lee Dal-gon (Grand National Party); Lim Hae-kyu (Grand National Party); and Park Sang-Eun (Grand National Party).
Executive Director Gordon Flake briefed National Assembly members at the Mansfield Foundation’s Washington office.
The study visit was supported by the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and the Korea Foundation. During five days of meetings, the Korean lawmakers met with U.S. government officials and Asia experts to discuss issues including: U.S. policy and perspectives on North Korea; U.S. relations with China and other Asian nations; the presidential candidates’ views on Asia; and the process and politics involved in U.S. ratification of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA).
Michael Green (center) of CSIS and Georgetown University discussed the U.S. elections with National Assembly members Park Sang-Eun, Lim Hae-kyu, Jeon Hye-Sook, Chin Young, and Lee Dal-gon.
The National Assembly members had the opportunity to exchange views on U.S.-Korea relations with Rep. Tom Davis (R-Virginia), Ambassador Joseph DeTrani from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and senior congressional staff. They also discussed the November 2008 U.S. elections with the chief Asia advisors for the Obama and McCain campaigns. The group heard about the prospects for the KORUS FTA in discussions with representatives of the U.S. business community, members of the U.S.-Korea FTA Business Coalition, and Korea specialists at Washington think tanks and research organizations.
W. Keith Luse (center) of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations met with National Assembly members Chin Young, Lim Hae-kyu, Jeon Hye-Sook, Lee Dal-gon, and Park Sang-Eun on Capitol Hill.
Ambassador Joseph DeTrani of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence briefed the delegation on U.S. policy toward North Korea.
National Assembly members shared their views on issues ranging from North Korean refugees to bilateral beef trade, resulting in frank and productive exchanges with U.S. government and business representatives.
