Heizo Takenaka

Professor of Policy Management at Keio University, Director, Global Security Research Institute

Dr. Takenaka was entreated by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to join his Cabinet in 2001. After assigned as the Minister for Economic/Fiscal Policy, he was named as the Minister for both Financial Services and Economic/Fiscal Policy, the Minister for both Economic/Fiscal Policy and Privatization of the Postal Services and the Minister for both Internal Affairs and Communication, and Privatization of the Postal Services.

Prof. Takenaka worked closely with PM Koizumi and therefore a series of reforms they made was called Koizumi-Takenaka Reform. During his period, He has reformed and privatized world largest financial organization at that time, Japanese Postal Saving “Yucho” that was used as original fund of disordered public investment. Prior to this, he accomplished the disposal of non-performing loans of Japanese banks, which had hindered the Japanese economy for more than 10 years.

During his period, real GDP has risen average 2.2% and based on investors’ positive perspectives, stock price of Japanese companies has risen more than 80% on average basis. Dr. Takenaka also has been aggressive to restructuring of public finance and the primary balance has drastically improved from 28 trillion yen when he was assigned in 2002, to 6 trillion yen in 2006. The total amount of savings would be the same as deficit-covering by 9% increasing of consumption tax.

Professor Takenaka returned to academia, leaving both the Cabinet and the House of Councilors when Prime Minister Koizumi resigned on September, 2006. Now he is a professor of Keio University and world-renown economist that regularly appears on TV, Radio, Magazines and newspapers including Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, New York Times and many other premium papers. He is invited to speak at many prestigious international conferences as keynote addresses. At World Economic Forum, he is one of the WEF foundation Board members along with Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations (1997-2006), H.M.Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Mr. Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman of the Board, Nestlé and Dr. Susan Hockfield, President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He also speaks at WEF as an experienced financial minister and economist.

Prof. Takenaka was born at Wakayama Pref. in 1951. Dr. Takenaka received his Ph.D in economics from Osaka University. He joined Japan Development Bank in 1973 before starting his academic career in 1981 as a visiting scholar at both Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania. Prof. Takenaka was named a member of the Economic Strategy Council (advisory board for economic policy to the Prime Minister) in 1998 and a member of the IT Strategy Council (advisory board on IT policy to the Prime Minister) in 2000.

He is now a professor of Keio University and Director of the Global Security Research Institute. He also serves on several advisory boards and committees including: Senior Research Fellow, Japan Center for Economic Research (JCER); Director of Academyhills and Chairman of Pasona Group Inc.

Speech Topics

1. Global Financial Crisis
2. Economic Trends in Asia
3. Japanese Economy and Politic situation
4. Leadership
5. Venture, Entreprenureship

 

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＜video＞

■Whither the Suga Administration — a Conversation with Gerald Curtis and Takenaka Heizo

■【ICF2015】Heizo Takenaka - City Brainstorming

■How to Measure a New Economy | DAVOS 2020