My Dear Enemy

Korean Film Nights

Single, jobless and broke, 30-something Hee-soo is miserable. To get back on her feet she comes up with a plan to track down her ex, Byoung-woon, and re-claim the 3 ½ million won he owes her.
Byoung-woon is also penniless but surprisingly happy for he knows the girls who are willing to give him money. Afraid Byoung-woon may run off before clearing his debt, Hee-soo follows him as he visits many girls to borrow money, so the two ex-love birds set out on a one day journey to collect money, and memory.

KCC Multi-purpose Hall

 

China and Regional Security: How Should Neighbouring Powers Respond?

30 April 2013, 6:00 – 7:45pm

Commitee Room 14, The House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1 2TT

China’s continuing enhancement of its international presence is a result both of the country’s growing economic and military strength and its perception of a weakened US. This is in contrast to Deng’s policy of keeping a low profile, and appears at odds with ongoing talk of harmony and peaceful development. Since 2008, China has been increasingly assertive in its approach to territorial issues, not only with Japan, but also with other neighbouring countries. How are these nations to respond? Are there only two alternatives – counter-action or surrender? What about legal/ diplomatic options, including submitting the case to international arbitration? Can China and its neighbours still build stable and cooperative ‘win-win’ strategic relationships to deal with regional security issues such as North Korean nuclear aggression, boundary questions and navigation and resource rights? Or has the long-standing neglect of a historical problem combined with old disputes and new power configurations now set a course of conflict for the next generation? How do US interests play into these questions? Now that the political and economic focus seems to have shifted to the Asia-Pacific region, the attitudes of China and its neighbouring countries will have implications for Europe too. This seminar will examine these themes and consider them from a neutral British perspective, also addressing how the new leaders of China and Japan are dealing with the growing tensions in the region, and the negative attitudes towards each other fostered by the territorial disputes between them.

Professor Michael Clarke

Professor Michael Clarke is currently the Director General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Until July 2007, he was Deputy Vice-Principal and Director of Research Development at King’s College London. He was the founding Director of the Centre for Defence Studies and of the International Policy Institute at King’s. He has taught international politics at the Universities of Aberystwyth, Manchester, Newcastle, and the Open University. He has been a Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons Defence Committee since 1997. In 2004, he was appointed the UK member of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters. In 2009, he was appointed to the Prime Minister’s National Security Forum and in 2010 to the Chief of Defence Staff’s new Strategic Advisory Group. His recent publications include: The Afghan Papers: Committing Britain to War in Helmand2005-06, London, RUSI/Routledge 2011; ‘Strategic Posture Review: United Kingdom’, World Politics Review, November 2011; ‘Does War Have a Future?’, in Lindley-French and Boyar (eds), The Oxford Handbook of War, Oxford, OUP, 2012.

Professor Barry Buzan

Professor Barry Buzan is Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Honorary Professor at Copenhagen and Jilin Universities, and a Senior Fellow at LSE Ideas. During 1993 he was a visiting professor at the International University of Japan, and from 1997-98 he was Olof Palme Visiting Professor in Sweden. In 1998 he was elected a fellow of the British Academy. Among his books are:Security: A New Framework for Analysis (1998, with Ole Wæver and Jaap de Wilde); International Systems in World History: Remaking the Study of International Relations (2000, with Richard Little);Regions and Powers: The Structure of International Security (2003, with Ole Wæver); The Evolution of International Security Studies (2009, with Lene Hansen); and Non-Western International Relations Theory (2010, co-edited with Amitav Acharya).

Sir David Warren

Sir David Warren was British Ambassador to Japan from 2008 to 2012. This followed a career in the Diplomatic Service that focused on East Asian affairs, in which he served three times in the British Embassy in Tokyo (1977-1981; 1993-1998; 2008-2012), and as head of the FCO’s China Hong Kong Department (1998-2000). He was also a member of the team that set up the Government’s business promotion agency, UK Trade and Investment, from 2000 to 2004, and Director of Human Resources for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (and a Board member) 2004-2007. He retired from the Diplomatic Service in January 2013, and has since become a Visiting Professor at Sheffield and De Montfort Universities, and is also Chairman of the Japan Society.

Rod Wye

Rod Wye is currently an Associate Fellow with the Asia Programme at Chatham House and a Senior Fellow in the China Policy Institute atNottingham. He was an analyst specialising in China and East Asia for over thirty years in the Research Analysts of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He also did two postings inChina as First Secretary in the British Embassy in Beijing in 1985-88 and again in 1995-99, and Deputy Head of the China Hong Kong Department in 1999-2002.

Dr Bobo Lo (Chair)

Dr Bobo Lo is an independent scholar and consultant. He was previously Director of the Russia and China Programmes at the Centre for European Reform; Head of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House. Dr Lo writes extensively on Russian and Chinese foreign policy. His books include Russiaand the New World Disorder (Brookings and Chatham House, forthcoming in 2013), Axis of Convenience: Moscow, Beijing and the New Geopolitics (Brookings and Chatham House, 2008). Other recent writings include ‘Kinder, gentler geopolitics’, Caixin Media, 22 January 2013, ‘A 21st century myth – authoritarian modernization in Russia and China’ (with Lilia Shevtsova), Carnegie Moscow Center Report, June 2012; ‘What can we learn from China’s modernisation?’, Diplomaatia,May 2012; ‘The Russia-China-US triangle and its post-Cold War fate’, in Robert E. Bedeski and Niklas Swanstrom (eds), and ‘How the Chinese See Russia’,French Institute of International Relations, Dec 2010.

Far East Film Festival 2013

Competition

CHINA (10)

An Inaccurate Memoir, YANG Shupeng, action-western, China 2012, Italian Premiere
Beijing Flickers, ZHANG Yuan, drama, China 2012, Italian Premiere
Design of Death, GUAN Hu, black-comedy, China 2012, European Premiere
Feng Shui, WANG Jing, drama, China 2012, European Premiere
Finding Mr. Right, XUE Xiaolu, romance, HK/China 2013, International Festival Premiere
The Last Supper, LU Chuan, historical drama, China 2012, Italian Premiere
Lethal Hostage, CHENG Er, noirish drama, China 2012, Italian Premiere (in collaboration with Asian Film Festival, Reggio Emilia)
Lost in Thailand, XU Zheng, comedy, China 2012, European Premiere (in collaboration with CinemAsia Film Festival, Amsterdam)
Million Dollar Crocodile, LIN Lisheng, creature movie, China 2012, European Premiere
Painted Skin: The Resurrection, Wuershan, fantasy, China 2012, Italian Premiere (in collaboration with Future Film Festival, Bologna).

HONG KONG (7)

The Bullet Vanishes, LO Chi-leung, detective thriller, HK 2012, European Premiere
Cold War, Longman LEUNG, Sunny LUK, police action, HK 2012, European Premiere
The Guillotines, Andrew LAU, period-action, HK 2012, European Premiere
Ip Man – The Final Fight, Herman YAU, kung fu biopic, HK 2013, European Premiere
My Sassy Hubby, James YUEN, comedy-romance, HK 2012, International Festival Premiere
Saving General Yang, Ronny YU, period-action-thriller, HK 2013, European Premiere
The Way We Dance, Adam Wong, hip-hop dance romance, HK 2013, International Festival Premiere

INDONESIA (1)

Shackled, Upi, psycho-horror, Indonesia 2012, Italian Premiere

JAPAN (12)

Angel Home, TSUTSUMI Yukihiko, drama, Japan 2013, World Premiere
The Complex, NAKATA Hideo, horror, Japan 2013, Italian Premiere
The Floating Castle, INUDO Isshin, HIGUCHI Shinji, epic-action, Japan 2013, European Premiere
G’mor Evian!, YAMAMOTO Toru, punk family drama, Japan 2012, European Premiere
Girls for Keeps, FUKAGAWA Yoshihiro, comedy-drama, Japan 2012, European Premiere
I Have to Buy New Shoes, KITAGAWA Eriko, romance, Japan 2012, European Premiere
It’s Me, It’s Me, MIKI Satoshi, surrealistic-comedy, Japan 2013, World Premiere
Key of Life, UCHIDA Kenji, black comedy, Japan 2012, Italian Premiere
Maruyama, The Middle Schooler, KUDO Kankuro, self fellatio-comedy, Japan 2013, World Premiere
Rurouni Kenshin, OTOMO Keishi, period action-fantasy, Japan 2012, Italian Premiere
See You Tomorrow, Everyone, NAKAMURA Yoshihiro, coming-of-age drama, Japan 2013, International Festival Premiere
A Story of Yonosuke, OKITA Shuichi, nostalgic-drama, Japan 2013, International Festival Premiere

MALAYSIA (1)

Istanbul Here I Come, Bernard CHAULY, romance, Malaysia 2012, European Premiere

NORTH KOREA (BELGIUM-UK-NORTH KOREA) (1)

Comrade Kim Goes Flying, KIM Gwang-hun, Nicholas BONNER, Anja DAELEMANS, comedy-drama, BELGIUM-UK-NORTH KOREA 2012, Italian Premiere

THE PHILIPPINES (4)

I Do Bidoo Bidoo, Chris MARTINEZ, musical, The Philippines 2012, European Premiere
Mariposa in the Cage of the Night, Richard V. SOMES, thriller, The Philippines 2012, International Festival Premiere
The Strangers, Lawrence A. FAJARDO, horror, The Philippines 2012, International Festival Premiere
Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles, Erik MATTI, action-horror, The Philippines 2012, International Festival Premiere

SOUTH KOREA (12)

All About My Wife, MIN Kyu-dong, comedy-romance, SK 2012, Italian Premiere
The Berlin File, RYOO Seung-wan, spy-action, SK 2013, European Premiere
EunGyo, JUNG Ji-woo, drama, SK 2012, European Premiere
Ghost Sweepers, SHIN Jung-won, ghost-comedy-horror, SK 2012, International Festival Premiere
How To Use Guys With Secret Tips, LEE Won-suk, gangnam style-comedy-romance, SK 2013, International Festival Premiere
Jury, KIM Dong-ho, funny apologue, SK 2013
Juvenile Offender, KANG Yi-kwan, youth-drama, SK 2012, Italian Premiere
National Security, CHUNG Ji-young, human rights drama, SK 2012, Italian Premiere
New World, PARK Hoon-jung, gangster epic, SK 2013, Italian Premiere
The Thieves, CHOI Dong-hoon, heist-action, SK 2012, Italian Premiere
A Werewolf Boy, JO Sung-hee, fantasy-romance, SK 2012, European Premiere
The Winter of the Year Was Warm, David CHO, drama, SK 2012, International Festival Premiere

TAIWAN (5)

Apolitical Romance, HSIEH Chun-yi, contemporary romantic comedy, Taiwan 2013, International Festival Premiere
GF*BF, YANG Ya-che, drama-romance, Taiwan 2012, Italian Premiere (in collaboration with Asian Film Festival, Reggio Emilia)
Forever Love, SHIAO Li-shiou, KITAMURA Toyoharu, comedy-romance, Taiwan 2013, European Premiere
Touch of the Light, CHANG Jung-chi, drama, Taiwan 2012, Italian Premiere
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?, Arvin CHEN, romance, Taiwan 2013, Italian Premiere (in collaboration with Torino GLBT Film Festival)

THAILAND (5)

9-9-81, AAVV, horror, Thailandia 2012, International Festival Premiere
Countdown, Nattawut “Baz” POONPIRIYA, psycho-horror-thriller, Thailandia 2012 International Festival Premiere
The Gangster, Kongkiat KHOMSIRI, action-drama, Thailandia 2012, European Premiere
Home, Chookiat “Matthew” SAKVEERAKUL, romance-drama, Thailandia 2012, European Premiere
Long Weekend, Taweewat WANTHA, horror, Thailandia 2013, 2012 International Festival Premiere

Special Sections

 

KING HU IN HIS OWN WORDS – SPECIAL SECTION

My Lucky Star, HO Meng-hua, comedy, HK 1963
Raining in the Mountain, King HU, period-action, Taiwan/HK 1979
A Touch Of Zen, King HU, period-action, Taiwan 1971

THE QUIET MAN PASSES – REMEMBERING MARIO O’HARA

Demons, Mario O’Hara, The Philippines 2000

FRESH WAVE SHORTS (HONG KONG)

Before Friday, Enoch CHENG
Dong, Li Yushan
Flowers With Aphasia, Happyheart LI
God Bless All Parents, LAU Wing-tai
Heartbeat 48, Leo LAM
Such A Girl Like Me, MAN Uen-ching

WORLD PREMIERE = First public screening in the world

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL PREMIERE = First festival screening in the world
EUROPEAN PREMIERE = First public screening in Europe
ITALIAN PREMIERE = First public screening in Italy

http://www.fareastfilm.com/EasyNe2/Homepage_eng.aspx

Can “Abenomics” Lift Japan Out of its 15-Year Deflation?

18 April 2013

6:00 – 7:30pm, followed by a drinks reception to 8:30pm

13/14 Cornwall Terrace, London, NW1 4QP

Organised by The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation

Japan has struggled with chronic deflation since its financial and real estate bubble burst 20 years ago, triggering a severe financial crisis in 1997-1998.  Since then, the Japanese economy has in fact grown in real terms, albeit sluggishly, as a result of extraordinary fiscal and monetary stimuli implemented in response to this crisis. Nonetheless, most Japanese now feel less well-off (unless they travel abroad to take advantage of the strong Yen) and Japanese industrial pre-eminence, especially in electronics, is being challenged by Korean competition. Against this backdrop, the LDP won the general election last December in a landslide, ushering into the limelight again Shinzo Abe (Prime Minister in 2006-7), who has since embarked on a new economic initiative, nicknamed “Abenomics, ” which has pushed equity markets up by more than 30%.  In this seminar the speakers address the question: ‘What is “Abenomics”, and can it achieve its goal of lifting Japan out of deflation?’  They also consider what its side-effects might be domestically, and what the implications could be for other advanced economies, especially the UK and Eurozone, which are experiencing their own prolonged period of economic troubles.

Yosuke Kawakami

Yosuke Kawakami was appointed Minister for Financial Affairs at the Embassy of Japan in July 2010, where he follows developments in UK fiscal, monetary and financial policies as well as in the London financial markets and represents Japanese interests in these areas. He is on secondment from the Japanese Ministry of Finance where he served as Director in the Financial Bureau, the Customs Bureau and the Minister’s Secretariat, as well as Deputy in the International Finance and Banking Bureaus.  He also has extensive overseas experience, having previously served at the IMF, OECD, and at the Embassy of Japan in Moscow in his 30 year career in public service. Since arriving in London, he has kept close watch on the near implosion of the Euro as well as the slow financial recovery and rising tensions in Europe, which has caused him to question the wisdom of the economics and finance professions, and thier ability to learn from past mistakes.

Andrew Smithers

Andrew Smithers started Smithers & Co. Ltd. in 1989 and now the firm provides advice on international asset allocation to more than 100 clients worldwide, covering the economies, stock, bond and currency markets of Japan, the US and major European countries. It is particularly well known for its work on the Japanese economy. Prior to starting his own firm, Andrew was at S.G.Warburg & Co. Ltd. where he ran the investment management business for some years.He read Economics at Cambridge, first visiting Japan in 1968 and living there from 1986 to 1989. He has been a regular contributor to the Nikkei Veritas Market Eye column (until Sept 2011) and to theLondon Evening Standard and Japan’s Sentaku magazine. His publications include: Valuing Wall Street with Stephen Wright, (McGraw-Hill, 2000) and Japan’s Key Challenges for the 21st Centurywith David Asher, published in Japanese by Diamond Press in 1999. He is a member of the Advisory Board for the Centre for International Macroeconomics and Finance (CIMF) at Cambridge and a Fellow of CFA (UK).

Edward Carr (Chair)

Edward Carr joined The Economist as a Science Correspondent in 1987. After a series of jobs covering electronics, trade, energy and the environment, he moved to Paris to write about European business. In 2000, after a period as Business Editor, he left for the Financial Times, where he worked most recently as News Editor. He returned to The Economist in 2005 as Britain Editor, and was Business Affairs Editor for several years before taking up his appointment as Foreign Editor in June 2009.