The 1^st Global Chuo Symposium was held on May 28^th (Tues.), 2013 at the Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. The goal of the symposium was to convey strategic educational information both within domestically and overseas, which is one of the concepts of the Project to Promote the Cultivation of Global Professionals.

The symposium was held through support from the Embassy of Japan in Thailand, the JICA and many Japanese-related institutions in Thailand. The symposium approached the theme of Thailand as a Focus for Considering International Environmental Issues from a variety of academic fields including engineering, economics, law and the humanities. Speakers and presenters included faculty from related research fields at Chuo University, Thammasat University, and Chulalongkorn University, as well as representatives from Japanese corporations located in Thailand.

The symposium started with a video message from Chancellor & President Fukuhara. More than 100 people attended, including representatives of Japanese corporations and groups located in Thailand, as well as Thai people interested in Japan. In addition to the symposium, there was lively exchange of opinions including a social party after the event.

We hope that the symposium will help to foster even greater cooperation with corporations, groups and graduates, and to establish a foundation for cultivating global professionals.

The program for the 1st Global Chuo Symposium is listed below.

Lecture 1:

Water Control and the Environment in Thailand
Professor Tadashi Yamada, Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University

Part I: Environment and Economics

Chair:

Toshiaki Hasegawa, Professor, Faculty of Economics, Chuo University

Report 1:

Industrial Waste Management and Issues of Japanese Companies in Thailand

So Sasaki, Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Chuo University

Report 2:

Issues and sample cases of solutions about effluent treatment in Thailand

Yoshifumi Iwata, Engineering Manager, SIAM DAIWA INTERNATIONAL Co., Ltd.

Report 3:

Corn plantation's expansion and the effects to economics and environment: Case study in Nan province

Sittidaj Pongkijvorasin, Lecturer, Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University

Part II: Environment and Law

Chair:

Masahiko Omura, Director of International Center, Professor, Chuo Law School, Chuo University

Report 1:

Transnational Environmental Law and Business

Hitoshi Ushijima, Professor, Faculty of Law, Chuo University

Report 2:

Issues of Environmental Law in Thailand: Current Situation and Issues—From the Perspective of Japanese Law

Hideo Ota, Professor, Chuo Law School, Chuo University

Report 3:

Duties of Factory Owners in Thai Environmental Legislation

Narong Jaiharn, Associate Dean for Research, Professor, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University

Lecture 2:

The History of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Thailand, and East Asia’s Economic Development
Motoei Sato, Professor, Faculty of Letters, Chuo University