The “1-day Policy Making Simulation Workshop” will be offered by METI and ToTAL again this year, as a part of ToTAL’s regular course and one of the menus of ToTAL/OPEN programs.
It will be an informative opportunity to be able to discuss real time issues with active bureaucrats of METI by experiencing a policy making simulation from a macro perspective of national policy making, and gain some of the important skills of leadership, such as viewing subjects from a broad and diverse perspective.
We welcome applications from not only ToTAL students but also from any non-ToTAL students (both of graduates and undergraduates) from Tokyo Tech and other universities, who are interested in the policies and roles of METI.
■Workshop Theme: Reinforcement of competitiveness of the chemical industry
Message from the facilitator: The chemical industry is one of the leading industries in Japan, in terms of amount of product shipments, value added, and employment. While reinforcement of the chemical industry is essential for the revitalization of the domestic economy, there are numerous issues such as aging plant facilities, lack of human resources due to low birthrate and aging population, imbalance between supply and demand of commodities, and emergence of competitive foreign chemical manufacturers.
In addition, there are even more issues in the field of highly functional chemical products, which Japan used to be especially strong in their basic research (i.e. film and battery materials), such as acceleration of the product life cycle and emergence of materials development using AI.
These issues are common to other industries including oil, steel and glass industries, and they are serious problems in Japan. In this workshop, we will focus on the chemical industry and want the students to experience the policy-making process to solve the structural problems of the manufacturing sector in Japan, and gain a deeper understanding of the actual policies of the Japanese government.
■Facilitator: Shota Tsujii
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Minister’s Secretariat, Personnel Division, Deputy Director
Born in Kyoto Prefecture, Mr. Tsujii holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in fluid mechanics (river hydraulics).
He entered METI in 2012 and was first assigned to the Policy Planning and Coordination Division of Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, where he contributed to the enactment of the New Growth Strategy and the Small Enterprises Promotion Basic Act.
After that, he engaged in coordination between Ministries on the reconstruction from the nuclear disaster, reinforcement of competitiveness in the materials sector including the chemical industry, finding solutions to technical problems (electrical system and control, etc.) upon introduction of renewable energy, and making revisions to technical standards of transmission towers and utility poles to cope with recent intensification of natural disasters.
From March 2020, he is in charge of recruitment of new graduates and mid-career professionals.
【Workshop Outline】
・Due to the situation of COVID-19, this workshop will be offered two times (same content) and we will limit the number of students for each workshop this year.
・We are planning to conduct the class face-to-face on our Ookayama Campus, however, the 1st class on Nov. 29 may be changed to an online class if there are many applicants.
《Class Schedule》
・1st class： November 29, 2020 (Sun) 1pm-5pm
・2nd class： December 6, 2020 (Sun) 1pm-5pm
《Venue》
・1st class： Room S422, 2nd floor, South Building 4, Ookayama Campus, Tokyo Institute of Technology
(*It may be changed to an online class if there are many applicants.)
・2nd class： Room S422, 2nd floor, South Building 4, Ookayama Campus, Tokyo Institute of Technology
(Reference): http://www.titech.ac.jp/maps/ookayama/ookayama.html
《Eligibility》
Undergraduate or graduate students (from Tokyo Tech or any other universities.)
《Capacity》
20 students per class
*We may select students by grade, major, etc. if there are many applicants.
Students at ToTAL (Tokyo Tech Academy for Leadership) and students from Tokyo Tech may have priority in the selection.
《Language to be used in the workshop》
Japanese (Materials may be presented in both Japanese and English)
《Application form》
Download the application form HERE, fill in the form including which class you wish to attend, and whether you prefer to take the 1st class online or face-to-face, and send the completed form to Prof. Yamada by email.
《Application deadline》
November 13, 2020 (Fri)
《Important Notes》
1. If the classes were to be conducted face-to-face, we will limit the number of students to prevent the classroom from being crowded, and put up partitions on desks.
2. We ask students to wash your hands and wear masks regularly, and take good care of your health before joining this class. Please refrain from attending the class if you do not feel well or have symptoms of COVID-19.
《Send application form/inquiries to:》
Prof. Keisuke Yamada
Tokyo Tech Academy for Leadership (ToTAL)
Tokyo Institute of Technology
email: yamada.k.be@m.titech.ac.jp
Tel: 03-5734-2323
