Japan-S. Korea Panel Launched to Address Low-Birthrate Issues

Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 30 (Jiji Press)–Business leaders from Japan and South Korea on Sunday launched a bilateral exchange committee to address falling birthrates and population decline, challenges common to both countries. The committee’s secretariat is based at Japan’s Conference for Choosing the Future, a private-sector organization comprising a broad range of participants, including representatives from the business community, labor organizations and academia. The new committee aims to enable the two countries to share knowledge and experiences in seeking solutions to their demographic challenges through private-sector cooperation. A kickoff symposium was held in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, the same day. Ken Kobayashi, head of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a co-chair of the new committee, said in his opening remarks that he hopes the initiative “will become a driving force for building a society in which younger generations can live with hope.” Also at the symposium, Chey Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and chairman of SK Group, said that what Japan and South Korea can do immediately is to expand opportunities for young people to work and study in each other’s countries and promote exchanges between local communities. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]