Investment in an Era of Mega-Regionals

ICTSD, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) organised a Policy Dialogue on “Investment in an Era of Mega-Regionals” on 12 July in Tokyo.

This seminar provided a comprehensive overview of emerging issues within the new global investment landscape and its potential implications on both the trade and investment legal regimes. It assessed whether the present regime is adequate in responding to today’s most pressing global challenges, and put forward some practical options for reforms and areas for greater coordination and collaboration within the international community. Issues discussed included implications of the TPP investment model for Japan, reform of the investor-State dispute settlement system, business perspectives on investment rules, investment harmonisation in the Asia Pacific, investment promotion, investment and trade policy coherence, and taxation and international investment.

Speakers included:

• Julien CHAISSE, Professor of Law, Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Sean DOHERTY, Head of International Trade and Investment, World Economic Forum
• Peter DRAPER, Managing Director, Tutwa Consulting
• Mark FELDMAN, Professor of Law, Peking University
• Jonathan FRIED, Permanent Mission of Canada to the WTO, Geneva
• Shotaro HAMAMOTO, Professor, Kyoto University
• Ichiro HARA, Director, International Affairs Bureau, Keidanren
• Yuuki INOMOTO, Senior Advisor, Marubeni Economic Research Institute
• James LOCKETT, Vice-President, Head of Trade Facilitation and Market Access, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
• Shigeki MAEDA, Executive Vice President, JETRO
• Ricardo MELÉNDEZ-ORTIZ, Chief Executive, ICTSD
• Michitaka NAKATOMI, Special Advisor to JETRO and Consulting Fellow, RIETI
• Mitsuhiro YOKOTA, Director for FTA/EPA Negotiations, METI