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Globalization and the Reorganization of Japan’s Auto Parts Industry

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One prominent feature of Japanese automobile manufacturing in the postwar period was a system of sourcing parts from closely affiliated smaller firms in long-term, stable relations.
Changes in the global automobile industry have made that system too expensive. Increasing competitive pressures resulting from global excess capacity in the early 2000s and have forced a transformation in the business model of the automotive industry. Modulization and a switch to "global best sourcing" for standard parts have turned the previous logic of  Japanese subcontracting on its head, as first-tier suppliers become even closer partners of large assemblers, while small firms become replaceable. Mergers and joint ventures have changed the structure of Japan's auto part industry, resulting in larger firms that compete globally. Undergoing a transformation toward cost-cutting and increased technological capabilities in the late 1990s and early 2000s has afforded these firms a fortuitous head start in preparing for the global auto crisis of 2008/09, which is threatening to wipe out smaller parts markers around the globe.

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International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management
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Prospects for a Regional Human Rights Court in Southeast Asia

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Carolyn A. Mercado is a senior program officer with The Asia Foundation in the Philippines. In this position she manages the Law and Human Rights program. She assists in the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of other selected activities within the Foundation's Law and Governance program and handles mediation and conflict management, and other forms of dispute resolution processes. She has also served as a temporary consultant to the Asian Development Bank on the Strengthening the Independence and Accountability of the Philippine Judiciary project and the Legal Literacy for Supporting Governance project.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Mercado was an intern with the Center of International Environmental Law in Washington. Previously, she served consultancies in Manila for the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the International Maritime Organization, NOVIB, and the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources. She has served as lecturer on environmental law at Ateneo de Manila University, San Sebastian College of Law, and the Development Academy of the Philippines. She also previously served as executive director of the Developmental Legal Assistance Center, corporate secretary of the Alternative Law Groups, and as a legal aide to a member of the Philippine Senate.

Education: B.A. in political science from the University of the Philippines; LL.B. from the University of the Philippines College of Law. She was also a Hubert Humphrey Fellow in international environmental law, University of Washington and a European Union Scholar in environmental resource management, Maastricht School of Business in the Netherlands.

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Carolyn Mercado Senior Program Officer Speaker The Asia Foundation
Seminars

Energy, Environment, and Economic Growth in Asia

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This dialogue will bring together distinguished experts from Stanford and Silicon Valley, top specialists from around the region, and leaders in various fields such as business, politics, academia, and media.  We will begin with an exploration of the influence of energy competition on international relations in Asia.  After establishing the geopolitical context the group will explore new ideas on how to promote energy efficiency, clean technology, and the reduction of carbon emissions.

Experts will look closely at the Japanese experience in the development and dissemination of energy efficient and pollution-control technologies, critical elements of meeting growing demands for energy without causing greater harm to the environment.  We will discuss how the United States, under the new Obama administration, may contribute more to the reduction of carbon emissions and the advance of alternative energy technologies.  And we will analyze how the growing energy consumers in developing Asia can join a post-Kyoto Protocol that effectively mitigates the environmental impact of energy use and reduces the tensions arising from competition for energy resources.

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Seminars
Stanford Kyoto Trans-Asian Dialogue

Tomohiro Yamaguchi

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Corporate Affiliate Visiting Fellow
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Tomohiro Yamaguchi is a corporate affiliate visiting fellow at Shorenstein APARC for 2009-10.  Previously at Sumitomo Corporation in Japan, he was in charge of developing new business in the Mobile & Internet Business Department. In this capacity, he engaged in a startup of a DSL company, one of Sumitomo Corporation's venture businesses.  Additionally, he developed and operated new software products such as SaaS for enterprises and Music SNS for consumers.  He graduated from Kobe University with a BA in Intercultural Studies.

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Masahito Sugita

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Corporate Affiliate Visiting Fellow
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Masahito Sugita is a corporate affiliate visiting fellow at Shorenstein APARC for 2009-10. He started his career as a systems engineer of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Tokyo, Japan in 1987, and has been involved in development of various IT systems for enterprises, such as automobile manufacturers, dealers and transportation companies. His latest position at his company is as a manager in Strategic IT Business Planning Department and he is in charge of research for new IT businesses. He graduated from the University of Tokyo with a BE in Precision Machinery Engineering.

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Daiju Nakahashi

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Corporate Affiliate Visiting Fellow
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Daiju Nakahashi is a corporate affiliate visiting fellow at Shorenstein APARC 
for 2009-2010. Prior to joining Shorenstein APARC, he has worked at Sumitomo 
Corporation, one of the major trading and investment conglomerates in Japan for 
fifteen years. He has been engaged in sales and marketing of IT-related products 
and services as well as venture investments and new business developments in the 
IT industry. In addition, he has experience to manage one of the affiliated companies 
of Sumitomo Corporation as an executive vice president. He graduated from Keio 
University with a degree in Commerce and Business."

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Masatsugu Mitsuyama

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Corporate Affiliate Visiting Fellow
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Masatsugu Mitsuyama is a corporate affiliate visiting fellow at Shorenstein APARC for 2009-10. 
Prior to joining Shorenstein APARC, he has worked in the CATV Department in Sumitomo Corporation for 6 years. His main responsibility was supporting the management of one of the  affiliated companies, Jupiter Telecommunications, Inc., which is the largest CATV company in Japan. At Jupiter Telecommunications, Inc., Mitsuyama was the manager of Corporate Planning Department and was in charge of M&A, planning corporate strategy, investing, etc. He graduated from Keio University with a major in Business and Commerce.

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Buddhaditta Bose

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Corporate Affiliate Visiting Fellow
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Buddhaditta Bose is a corporate affiliate visiting fellow at Shorenstein APARC for 2009-10. Prior to joining Shorenstein APARC, he has been working for Reliance Life Sciences in Navi Mumbai (India) since 2004 in the corporate development function. His job responsibilities include assisting the top management in strategy development and its execution. He has also worked in the business development function. Buddhaditta earned his bachelor degree in engineering from Nagpur University (India) before doing a post graduation in information technology from IIT Kharagpur (India) and post graduation in business management from XLRI (India).

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