Japanese trade organization leader to speak

Hiroyuki Ishige, chairman and CEO of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), will speak at the University of Nebraska on Sept. 13 as a guest of the developing Clayton K. Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance. Ishige will address the progress made toward Asia-Pacific economic integration and the role of the United States and Japan.

The keynote address will be at 3 p.m. at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center, 2021 Transformation Drive.

Ishige has been chairman and CEO of JETRO since October 2011. JETRO is a government-related organization that works to promote trade and investments between Japan and the rest of the world. The organization assists overseas companies entering Japan, supports exports for Japanese goods and services, and contributes to the enhancement of global economic partnership through policy studies and research.

Ishige’s address will focus on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade agreement among 12 Pacific Rim countries, including Japan, which was signed in February after seven years of negotiations. The partnership is significant because it introduces a 21st century trade framework, which places an emphasis on labor, the environment and climate change. The new partnerships established by the TPP will result in stronger supply chains that make it easier for small and medium-sized markets to compete. This has led to increased interest in the TPP from non-member countries.

“The state of Nebraska is a very important trading partner for Japan, and an important aspect to mutually beneficial trade is the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” said Ichiro Sone, chief executive director of JETRO Chicago. “Ishige will provide those in attendance (at the Yeutter Symposium) with an analysis of the impact it will have in the Asia-Pacific economies and the important roles of the United States and Japan.”

JETRO is fostering the growth of TPP by creating a taskforce for the partnership’s utilization and holding seminars for companies. The organization has also established a consortium called “Japan as a New Exporting Power.”

Overseas trade markets are critical to the growth of Nebraska. Japan is one of Nebraska’s largest trade partners in Asia, importing about 20 percent of the state’s beef and 50 percent of its pork.

“The university is honored to host Chairman Ishige, a true leader in the global marketplace, as a Yeutter Symposium speaker,” said University of Nebraska Chancellor Ronnie Green. “Inviting Ishige to share a keynote address supports our vision to prepare our graduates to have a comprehensive understanding of international trade and global finance.”

In 2015, the University of Nebraska began a private fundraising initiative to establish the Clayton K. Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance. The institute builds on the university’s strengths to expand the international component of its teaching and research programs. To date, more than $8 million has been raised.

Ishige’s address will be followed by a hors d’oeuvres reception and networking opportunity. Admission to the event is free and the public is invited to attend.