Greetings from the Chairman

In 1967, the Center was established as a public-private funded "Trade Training Center" under the Trade Training Center Act, and was reorganized as an incorporated foundation in 1986 with the repeal of the Act. In response to the social issues of the time, the Center's efforts have shifted to "developing human resources for international business toward a trading nation," "promoting understanding of Japan against the backdrop of intensifying trade friction," and "supporting the development of Asia as a growth center of the world.

The Articles of Incorporation were amended in 2019, and the new Center for International Economic Collaboration (CFIEC) was established the following year, 2020.
As a think tank working on "Strengthening Economic Partnerships in Light of Globalization and Digitalization," we have launched the Digital Protectionism Research Project and the Northeast Asia Partnership Promotion Project. As research and study projects, we are conducting "Coping with Digital Transformation," "New Trade Rule Strategy," "Business and Human Rights," "Economy and Security," "Northeast Asia Economic Partnership," "Japan-Israel Digital Partnership," "Economic Security and Domestic and Foreign Policy from China's Perspective," etc. In addition, we are engaged in "International Affairs Webinars" and "Contributed Articles" as part of our information dissemination activities.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of the 20th century and the subsequent trend toward democratization and liberal economies in the eastern countries, there was a growing expectation that the world political economy would begin to follow this major trend. However, since then, the global situation has been marked by new conflicts between nations - between democracies and tyrannies, between the U.S. and China in their struggle for supremacy, coups d'etat and political turmoil in Myanmar and other Asian, Middle Eastern, and African countries, and even Russia's invasion of Ukraine, The situation continues to be dominated by military power, and it is now strongly recognized once again that there is no "end of history" for humankind.

On the other hand, the rapid development of information technology has been remarkable, and AI technology, which is more than just a means of information transmission and has the potential to replace human work to a considerable extent, as seen in generative AI, has steadily penetrated our daily lives. Japan, which once dominated the world in technologies and products such as semiconductors and other electronic components and devices, has now fallen far behind the world in the information industry. While it is true that the rapid decline in birthrates and the aging of society have cast a heavy shadow over Japan's economy and society, it is undeniable that Japan is lagging far behind European and Asian countries that are facing similar problems.

In June 2023, CFIEC formulated its mid-term vision, "CFIEC 2030," in light of the current global situation and the current state of Japan. As a think tank, CFIEC aims to create a platform for intellectual exchange, while at the same time providing highly accurate information in a neutral, easy-to-understand, and timely manner. Stakeholders include industry, government, and academia, all of which are at the forefront of trade issues. In cooperation and collaboration with relevant government agencies, industry, and academia, we will analyze and propose a broad range of paths for Japan to take, including initiatives for a digital society, with trade issues at the core. In the management of the Center, we will seek the cooperation of experts from Japan and abroad as the intellectual foundation of the Center, while pursuing further enhancement of the Center and strengthening the functions of the secretariat.

I believe that the Center's major mission is to provide an intellectual foundation for "restoring a vibrant Japan" in the midst of the current turbulent domestic and international situation. While keeping an eye on the increasingly complex international situation, we at the Center will strive to create a strategy to create a Japan that moves forward strongly with a sense of crisis. We sincerely ask for your understanding and support of our activities.