Kiyoshi Kurokawa and Shigeru Miyagawa

 "What can Japan do to create a knowledge-based society?"

Part Two of a three-part UNITAR Hiroshima Roundtable Series on Diversity

• Roundtable Infonote
  
• Press Coverage (日本語)

Kiyoshi Kurokawa
Professor
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
Former Special Advisor to the Cabinet

• Talking Points (English/日本語）
  
• Audio Transcript
• Website
  
• Previous UNITAR Roundtable

Shigeru Miyagawa
Professor of Linguistics
Professor of Japanese Language and Culture
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

• Talking Points (English/日本語）
  
• Powerpoint Presentation
• Audio Transcript
  
• Website
  
• Previous UNITAR Roundtable (UNITAR Coverage)

Roundtable Topic

This Roundtable represents the second lecture in the 2009 UNITAR Hiroshima Series on Diversity. The first, given by Carlos Lopes, Executive Director of UNITAR, focused on the economic and social benefits of a knowledge-based society created by diversity. In this second lecture, two Japanese scholars, leaders in their fields, will give their perspectives on diversity in Japan specifically based on their own national and international experiences. They will try to elicit some principles for a sustainable society in Japan by addressing key questions, such as:

• What does “diversity” mean in Japan, in terms of society, academia and culture?
  
• Why does Japan need innovation and diversity?
  
• What are Japan’s strengths and weaknesses, how can she address these and who are those who may contribute to such “out of the box” thinking?
  
• What is the role of education?
  
• How can culture, science and technology contribute to a knowledge-based society?
  
• What can Japan offer the world in this area?