The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, embassies of the Visegrad 4 countries (V4: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) in Tokyo and Josai University Educational Corporation jointly hosted the V4 plus Japan Seminar: The future of the global economy and free trade on April 5, 2019 in the hall of Building No. 1 on Josai University Educational Corporation’s Tokyo Kioicho Campus. This is the seventh time Josai has jointly hosted this seminar.

Approximately 50 people, including officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, members of embassies based in Japan, researchers of universities and think tanks, media representatives, our faculty members and students participated in this seminar.
　 Following speeches from Dr. Motoyuki Ono, Trustee and Special Assistant to the Chancellor of Josai University Educational Corporation and Ambassador Marián Tomášik of Slovakia, which holds the Presidency of V4, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kenji Yamada gave a keynote speech.

While Associate Professor Boštjan Bertalanič of Josai University served as the moderator throughout the seminar, the experts representing each country presented their views on various themes such as:

●	World Trading System and Indo-Pacific: Japan’s Perspective
●	OECD ― SK presidency and digital economy
●	Global Trading System on a Crossroad ― From the Visegrad Group Point of View
●	Foreseen economic changes between Japan and the EU through EPA ― expectations and prospects
●	Trade policy challenges in a changing geopolitical environment

The participants lively exchanged a variety of opinions in connection with these subjects.

In the closing remarks Professor Akira Shirahata, President of Josai University, mentioned that V4 countries and Japan are important partners sharing universal values and principles such as democracy, the rule of law, human rights, freedom, and market-based economy; and he was satisfied with Josai’s contribution to the further enhancement of relation among the parties by co-hosting this seminar.