2012 Pyle Center Conference

“Northeast Asia in Transition: New Leadership, New Dynamics”

The National Bureau of Asian Research, in partnership with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation and the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, hosted a conference on “Northeast Asia in Transition: New Leadership, New Dynamics” on Tuesday, November 13, 2012, on the campus of the University of Washington.

The conference was organized by NBR’s Kenneth B. and Anne H.H. Pyle Center for Northeast Asian Studies.

All major Northeast Asian countries, as well as the United States, have recently undergone or are preparing for elections or other leadership transitions that will not only impact their respective domestic political landscapes but also shape their foreign policy priorities. These leadership transitions include:

• Major Chinese leadership changes at the upcoming 18th National Congress scheduled for fall 2012
• A new Japanese prime minister in fall 2011 and general elections by summer 2013
• The 2012 legislative and presidential elections in South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States
• North Korean leadership changes following the death of Kim Jong-il in late 2011
• Russian legislative elections in 2011 and the 2012 presidential election

To examine the political, economic, and social issues affecting Northeast Asia amid these transitions, NBR invited a select group of experts to participate in a one-day conference comprised of several panel discussions.

These discussions offered members of the academic, business, and policy communities an opportunity to discuss the complex stakes involved in these leadership transitions.

WELCOME, KEYNOTE, AND LUNCH DISCUSSION

Welcome

Resat Kasaba, University of Washington
Richard J. Ellings, The National Bureau of Asian Research
Lara Iglitzin, The Henry M. Jackson Foundation

Keynote Address

Michael K. Young, President of the University of Washington
Audio

Special Lunch Discussion: "Leadership in the 21st Century"

Roundtable Moderator: John Hempelmann, The Henry M. Jackson Foundation

Roundtable Participants:

Cathy Allen, International Political Consultant
Thomas B. Fargo, The National Bureau of Asian Research
Slade Gorton, The National Bureau of Asian Research
Kenneth B. Pyle, University of Washington

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Jonathan Walton at 206-632-7370 or PSA@nbr.org.

CONFERENCE CO-ORGANIZERS:

IN COOPERATION WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:

An Asia Policy roundtable brings together conference presenters Yoichiro Sato, Ren Xiao and Sung-Yoon Lee to comment on the domestic and foreign policy challenges confronting the new leaders in these countries and examine the implications for East Asia: Northeast Asia’s New Leaders and the Challenges Ahead.

Dr. Michael Young, President of the University of Washington, asks in his Keynote speech whether any of these transitions will bring about any change at all, and what that means for both the region and the world. Listen to the Keynote audio.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Jonathan Walton at 206-632-7370 or PyleCenter@nbr.org.

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