Hilary Clinton Town Meeting at University of Tokyo

[新宮清香]

Dear JASCers

 Hello. My name is Sayaka Shingu(60th delegate and Organizer of JASC Presents.)
 Today I would like to report Town Meeting of Secretary of States Madam Hilary Clinton held at University of Tokyo last day.
 There must be a lot of people who want to participate the event.
 So I would like to share what the participants discussed and how the event was.
 My English is not perfect, but  I hope this report help some JASCers who are interested the event.

Best,

Sayaka Shingu

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Town Meeting of Secretary of States Hilary Clinton at University of Tokyo

Summary
Secretary of States Hilary Clinton emphasized on the importance of direct conversation, creative thinking and spirits of helping for facing recent world challenges, pointing Financial Crisis, Security Issues, Sustainability, and Women's Role. Encouraging all students, next future generation, she insisted on the partnership between US and Japan, Asia.

Details
Keynote Speech by Secretary of States Hilary Clinton
Secretary of States Hilary Clinton stressed that continuous challenges, to creative thinking and spirits of helping others are the key for recent world challenges, which will create new opportunity and finally will result in change. This is why she came to the meeting, in other words, to learn from citizens though direct conversation, and to consider the solutions together. There were three points especially emphasized on; Financial Crisis, Security Issues (such as Terrorism, Nuclear Proliferation), and Sustainability (such as Climate Change, women's role). These global challenges need both creative ideas based on traditional knowledge and new optimistic view toward our future. She ended her speech with the followed words: " it is all up to us for our future "change"."

Conversation with Students of University of Tokyo
Financial Crisis
What is useful approach to recent Financial Crisis both by US and Japan?
The most important thing is to think creatively, which will contribute to a plenty of opportunities in Asia. Japan can contribute to create new economic chances in the world with its unique technology. Indeed it is essential both for US and Japan to expand domestic demand and collaborate globally, since they are world largest economic powers. Yet this decision of economic services are the result of government' and peoples' choice, following continuous creative thinking.

Security Issues
Citizens in Myanmar are suffer from recent economic sanction, are there any better alternatives?
Mr. President Obama starts to review the policy to Myanmar in order to find better measures to Myanmar. International conversation to search better solutions for this issue is necessary.

What do you think nuclear power as an energy resource which is often transferred to military source?
(Secretary of States Hilary Clinton asked the audience to raise their hand if they agree with the private use of nuclear resources, and if they think there are some problems to use it at civil level, whether they agree or disagree with the former question. While half of the audience raised their hand for the former one, almost all of them did for the latter.)
Nuclear energy has both sides of military and an energy resource. Nuclear Proliferation is urgent issue relating to North Korea, Iran and Terrorism. On the other hand the rising need of alternative energy resources of carbon has recently represented us its difficulties of cost and safety to built the plant. Thus, in order to support world energy until the coming new energy age, technology to solve these problems of nuclear energy is needed, which Japan must contribute to.

How do you deal with prejudge to Islamic world which is often happened by the threat of terrorism?
Any prejudges are not forgiven anytime, but world history often showed religious misunderstandings. Central security challenge is to clarify the position we stand now in order to notice demagogue, and stand up for people's rights; US has its history to contribute to Islamic world like ethnic clanging in Kosovo or democratic election in Iraq. Speaking directly is also the key to break through their barrier; Secretary of States Hilary Clinton is going to visit Indonesia where there is the largest Islamic population in Asia. This conversation will lead to the extreme from the inner of Islamic world itself.

What is the global challenge of US-Japan relation?
US-Japan Alliance is almost 50 years and it still continues to be modernized like the sign up for GUAM engagement. There are many things US and Japan can work together: security issue (Gulf coast, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq), and educational exchange, particularly among young people. Also Japan is deeply involved in world affairs both from bi and multi-lateral, having already taken the important role in Israel-Palestine, and contributed to the development in Africa.

Sustainability
How does US exercise leadership to the problem of Climate Change?
When we consider bi-lateral conversation, China is a key stakeholder for climate change issue, since China finally overcame the amount of CO2 emission by US. Yet developed country cannot say to developing country not to industrialize. Instead of suppression, thinking about developing country's priority to establish living standard, developed countries should offer technology helps in order to make compatible both their industrialization and cut of CO2 emission, especially Japan is prominent to this technology for clean energy.

Women's role
How to be a strong woman like you? Should women fight for gender equality or work for child care?
To be truth of yourself, which are leaded by education will result in your decision of choice for your own way of life. In addition, like Secretary of States Hilary Clinton, working outside and raising children are compatible, women don't have to be forced to choose one. Of course, working women is not superior to woman at home, and vice versa, but many women often want to go together between them. Thus helps from the society, partner and family, using traditional knowledge of the society, is essential for women's compatibility and the establishment of woman's role .


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新宮清香
東京大学法学部政治コース３年
第60回日米学生会議参加者

Sayaka Shingu
University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law
60th Japan-America Student Conference Delegate
E-mail: sayaka...@gmail.com

[Hidemi Tanaka]

Sayaka,

Thank you for sharing this with us.  It was very interesting and informative.  I am intrigued by Clinton's visit for two reasons.  First, the fact that Clinton's first diplomatic visit was to Asia is certainly significant. Out of all the regions of the world, she chose Asia, and out of Asia, Japan was the first destination.  I believe this does emphasize the important US-Japan relationship.  and of course, the US is trying to learn from Japan's "lost decade" in the 90s to deal with the recession.  Second, she is visiting the people of the respective countries as well.  Usually, diplomatic visits are only held at the governmental level, but I am glad Clinton is emphasizing the importance of building relationships in the people level, especially students. 

Once again, thank you for sharing your experience with us.

Hidemi