Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies

Chairman

Mr. Tadahiro Sekimoto

I am Tadahiro Sekimoto, appointed as Chairman of the Institute for International Socio-economic Studies. I would like to express my cordial gratitude for attending our institute's foundation ceremony today. The institute was founded on July 24 this year under 100% ownership of NEC Corporation. Its objectives are not only to engage in business, but also to implement intellectual activities that contribute to socio-economic development. I have been stating my straightforward opinions on the problems and challenges in this world through activities in various bodies, for instance, as Vice Chairman of Keidanren (Japan Federation of Economic Organizations) and Chairman of its Board of Councillors, as Vice Chairman of Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), and as Chairman of the New Business Conference.This time, I sympathized with the objectives of this institute, and accepted the offer to take the post of Chairman.

Although the institute still has only five members of staff, our mission is to implement flexible activities in the virtual world to connect wisdoms of various fields through digital networks. We intend not merely to transmit information and make proposals, but serve as, in short, a "think tank in action" in cooperation with various other domestic and foreign think tanks. For example, Mr. Armacost, President of the Brookings Institution of the United States has paid us a visit, and I met Mr. Gorbachev of the Gorbachev Foundation in Russia, to reconfirm our continued cooperative relationship in the future. Furthermore, we plan to take action with China Institute of Contemporary International Relations through Asia Forum Japan as well as with Japanese think tanks. In terms of establishing networks of wisdom, we have asked people such as Mr. Terashima, President of Mitsui Global Strategic Studies Institute, who will give a commemorative speech today, and Mr. Kumon, Executive Director of Center for Global Communications International University of Japan, to assist our research activities as institute advisors.

Today, we are in an IT society centered on the Internet where the world is undergoing constant changes. While this situation is often referred to as "dog years," there are also moves such as the Internet Bubble. As the circumstances being such, it is one of our institute's objectives to thoroughly examine the meaning of the IT society and understand its essence. Today, Mr. Terashima, our advisor, will give us a speech under the theme of "Socio-Economy in the IT Era and Japan's Future Path." It would be a great pleasure for us, as the organizer, if you would find this as an opportunity to gain an insight into the essence of the IT era.

Lastly, I would like to conclude my opening address by asking you for guidance and encouragement for the activities of the Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies, and although it is still a baby think tank, we would like you to hold high expectations of our future activities. Thank you very much.