Featured Speakers

Peter Diamond
Peter Diamond
Robert Engle
Robert Engle
John Shoven
John Shoven
Masaaki Shirakawa
Masaaki Shirakawa
Naoyuki Yoshino
Naoyuki Yoshino
  • 21 March Keynote Address "Alternative Ways of Measuring Age and Their Consequences"
    by John Shoven, Stanford University

    22 March Keynote Address "Good Pension Design"
    by ​Peter Diamond, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    23 March Keynote Address "A Financial Approach to Climate Risk"  including The Pumphandle Effect on CO2 Concentrations
    by Robert Engle, New York University

    24 March Keynote Panel “Demographics, Aging, and Pensions” with
    Peter Diamond + Robert Engle + Masaaki Shirakawa 

     

  • Preliminary Program (revised 3/23/19)


    Conference Schedule

    Thursday, March 21 
    8:30 am – 6:00 pm Early Career Researcher Workshop
    12:00 – 6:30 pm  Registration Open
    1:00 – 2:15 pm  Welcome and Opening Address by John Shoven, Stanford University, “Alternative Ways of Measuring Age and Their Consequences”
    2:15 – 2:45 pm  Coffee/tea break
    2:45 – 4:30 pm  Concurrent Sessions
    4:45 – 6:30 pm  Concurrent Sessions
    6:45 – 8:00 pm  Welcome Reception

    Friday, March 22
    8:00 am – 6:30 pm  Registration Open
    8:30 – 10:15 am  Concurrent Sessions
    10:15 – 10:30 am  Coffee/tea break
    10:30 – 12:00 pm  Keynote Address by Peter Diamond, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "Good Pension Design"
    12:00 – 12:45 pm  Lunch
    12:45 – 2:30 pm  Concurrent Sessions
    2:45 – 4:30 pm  Concurrent Sessions
    4:30 – 4:45 pm  Coffee/tea break
    4:45 – 6:30 pm  Concurrent Sessions

    Saturday, March 23
    8:00 am – 6:30 pm  Registration Open
    8:30– 10:15 am  Concurrent Sessions
    10:15 – 10:30 am  Coffee/tea break
    10:30 – 12:00 pm  Keynote Address by Robert Engle, New York University, "A Financial Approach to Climate Risk"
    12:00 – 12:45 pm  Lunch
    12:45 – 2:30 pm  Concurrent Sessions
    2:45 – 4:30 pm  Concurrent Sessions
    4:30 – 4:45 pm  Coffee/tea break
    4:45 – 6:30 pm  Concurrent Sessions
    6:45 – 9:00 pm  Participants Dinner with address by Naoyuki Yoshino, Dean, Asian Development Bank Institute

    Sunday, March 24
    8:00 am – 12:30 pm  Registration Open
    8:30 – 10:15 am  Concurrent Sessions
    10:15 – 10:30 am  Coffee/tea break
    10:30 am – 12:00 pm  Roundtable Discussion on Demographics, Aging, and Pensions including Robert Engle, Peter DiamondJohn Shoven, and Masaaki Shirakawa (former Governor of the Bank of Japan)
    12:30 pm – 8:00 pm Half-day City Tour (stops at Odaiba, Asakusa, and Tokyo Skytree; with drive-bys of the National Diet Building, Imperial Palace, and Toyosu Fish Market; $69 per person; proceed to registration link for ticket purchase)

    Conference Close


    Program Committee

    Committee Chairs

    • Ippei Fujiwara, Keio University, and Australian National University
    • Wade Martin, WEAI Executive Director
       

    Session Organizers

    • Hideo Akabayashi, Keio University
    • Robert Z. Aliber, University of Chicago
    • Morris Altman, Newcastle Business School, University of Newcastle, Australia
    • Samuel Amponsah, Tokyo International University
    • Tibor Besedes, Georgia Institute of Technology
    • Syon Bhanot, Swarthmore College
    • Kimberly Burnett, University of Hawaii at Manoa
    • C. Monica Capra, Claremont Graduate University
    • Santiago Carbo-Valverde, CUNEF, Bangor University, Funcas
    • Alberto Chong, Georgia State University
    • Yee Keong Choy, Keio University
    • Hope Corman, Rider University
    • Lawrence Dacuycuy, De La Salle University
    • Takero Doi, Keio University
    • Thomas Durfee, University of Minnesota
    • Zadia Feliciano, Queens College, City University of New York
    • Jack Hou, California State University, Long Beach
    • Minchung Hsu, University of California, Los Angeles
    • Tony Shih-Hsun Hsu, National Taiwan University
    • Jr-Tsung Huang, National Chengchi University, Taiwan
    • Tokuo Iwaisako, Hitotsubashi University
    • Georgios Karras, University of Illinois at Chicago
    • Hyeongwoo Kim, Auburn University
    • Changkeun Lee, Yonsei University
    • Huey-Lin Lee, National Chengchi University
    • Michael A. Leeds, Temple University
    • Jie Li, Central University of Finance and Economics, China
    • Chih-Yung Lin, Yuan Ze University
    • Qing Liu, Tsinghua University, Beijing
    • Shunsuke Managi, Kyushu University
    • Panagiotis Mitkidis, Aarhus University and Duke University
    • Pawel Mlodkowski, Miyazaki International College
    • Teresa Molina, University of Hawaii at Manoa
    • Samuel L. Myers, University of Minnesota
    • John J. Oh, Finance ICT Convergence Association
    • Siqi Pan, University of Melbourne
    • Minsoo Park, Sungkyunkwan University
    • Joanna Poyago-Theotoky, La Trobe University
    • Michael Ransom, Brigham Young University
    • Majah-Leah V. Ravago, Ateneo de Manila and Philippine Economic Society
    • Francisco Rodriguez-Fernandez, Universidad de Granada and Funcas
    • James Roumasset, University of Hawaii at Manoa
    • Miki Seko, Musashino University and Keio University
    • Tommy Tang, Queensland University of Technology
    • Yihong Tang, Central University of Finance and Economics, China
    • Massimiliano Tani, University of New South Wales
    • Shinji Teraji, Yamaguchi University
    • Joachim Weimann, University of Magdeburg
    • Clevo Wilson, Queensland University of Technology
    • Jianpo Xue, Renmin University of China
    • Masashi Yamamoto, University of Toyama
    • Takashi Yoshida, Kanazawa Seiryo University
    • Naoyuki Yoshino, Asian Development Bank Institute
    • Valentin Zelenyuk, The University of Queensland
    • Xun Zhang, Beijing Normal University
  • Map of Keio University, Mita Campus (printable PDF)

    All concurrent sessions will be held in the South School Building of Keio University, Mita Campus (Friday's keynote address will be in the North Hall of the North Building). Enter the campus through the Main Gate (South Gate), and the South School Building is directly ahead. Visit http://www.keio.ac.jp/en/maps/mita.html for a campus map and information on subway access.

    Airports

    Haneda International Airport (officially known as Tokyo International Airport) is the closest international airport to Keio University and surrounding hotels. If flights into Haneda are not available, Narita International Airport is slightly farther away, but still easily accessible.

    Passport and Visa

    To visit Japan, you must have a valid passport. Visa requirements differ depending on your country of permanent residence. View the visa application requirements for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan fo rmore information. To request an invitation letter for a visa application letter, email [email protected]. Invitation letters will only be issued to people who are registered to attend the conference.

    Audio-Visual Equipment

    A computer and LCD projector and screen will be provided in each meeting room for conference presenters. 

    Important Dates

    December 15: Registration cancellation deadline with 50% refund. After December 15, entire fee is non-refundable
    February 1: Last day to pre-register at reduced rates.
    March 1: Deadline to purchase/reserve special activity tickets.
    March 1: Paper presenters circulate papers to all session participants.

    Cancellation and Refund Policies

    • Cancellations must be received in writing. Please e-mail [email protected].

    • Program participants must advise the participants in their session(s) of their cancellation.

    • Refunds for program participants:
      On or before December 15, fifty percent (50%) of participation fee is refundable. After December 15, the participation fee is non-refundable due to the high administrative cost of rearranging the affected sessions and participants.

    • Refunds for all others, not on the program: 
      On or before March 1, the full registration fee is refundable, less $25 handling fee. After March 1, the registration fee is non-refundable.

    • Membership dues are non-refundable.

    • Refunds will be processed after the conference and are subject to a $25 handling fee.

  • Registration

    Registration fees below apply to everyone except volunteer paper presenters (see participation/registration fee information on Program Participation  tab):

    • US$290 for members (add $50 after February 1, 2019)
    • US$360 for non-members (add $50 after February 1, 2019)
    • US$135 for students (add $50 after February 1, 2019)
    • US$100 for non-economist guests over 18 years of age

    Discounts: WEAI Institutional Member affiliates are eligible for a 20% discount on registration fees. For the code to take the discount at checkout, contact your designated representative or call us at 714-965-8800.

    Benefits: 1) Conference program and complimentary conference bag. 2) Admittance to all general and concurrent sessions; coffee breaks; and Welcome Reception. 3) Waiver of manuscript submission fees for current WEAI members submitting their conference paper to Economic Inquiry or Contemporary Economic Policy by September 30, 2019.

    Policies: Program participants must register to remain on the conference program. Everyone over the age of 18 must register, including spouses and adult guests. Badges are required at all conference events, including sessions, coffee breaks, receptions, and special activities. Early registration closes on February 1, after which fees increase $50. 

    Special Activities

    Participant's Dinner & Keynote Address | Saturday, March 23 -- 6:45-9:00 pm
    Featuring keynote address by Naoyuki Yoshino, Dean, Asian Development Bank Institute. Purchase your tickets during the registration process, or log back in and add them to your registration at a later date (see 'Add Guest/Session+' link on registration order details). $55 per person, advance ticket purchase required. 

    Tokyo Half-Day City Tour | Sunday, March 24 -- 12:30-8:00 pm
    Purchase your tickets during the registration process, or log back in and add them to your registration at a later date (see 'Add Guest/Session+' link on registration order details). $69 per person, advance ticket purchase required. Tour itinerary includes the following:

    12:30pm Buses depart Keio University heading to Odaiba
    1:00-2:30pm Lunch and free time at Odaiba
    Odaiba is a high-tech entertainment hub on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. Visitors enjoy Mt. Fuji views from the Daikanransha Ferris wheel, and interact with robots at the Miraikan science museum. Malls include Aqua City and the Venice-themed VenusFort, and there are sushi bars with views along the waterfront.
    2:30-3:40pm Drive by the National Diet Building, Imperial Palace, and Toyosu fish market
    3:40-5:10pm Asakusa
    Asakusa is the center of Tokyo's shitamachi (literally "low city"), one of Tokyo's districts, where an atmosphere of the Tokyo of past decades survives. Asakusa's main attraction is Sensoji, a very popular Buddhist temple, built in the 7th century. The temple is approached via the Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries.
    5:30-7:00pm Tokyo Skytree
    The Tokyo Skytree is a television broadcasting tower and landmark of Tokyo. It is the centerpiece of the Tokyo Skytree Town in the Sumida City Ward, not far away from Asakusa. With a height of 634 meters, it is the tallest structure in Japan and the second tallest in the world at the time of its completion. A large shopping complex with aquarium is located at its base. The highlight of the Tokyo Skytree is its two observation decks which offer spectacular views out over Tokyo. The two enclosed decks are located at heights of 350 and 450 meters respectively, making them the highest observation decks in Japan and some of the highest in the world.
    8:00pm Return to Keio University departure point

     

    Special Activity General Information:

    • Children (of all ages) must have a ticket for all special activities.
    • Special activity ticket(s), will be included in the registration packet you will receive on-site.
    • Space is limited for special activities.
    • Please purchase or reserve all special activity tickets by March 1.
    • Special acitivity ticket cancellations must be made in writing by March 1 to receive a refund. We are unable to give refunds for late cancellations.
  • Housing Information and Reservations

    Past experience with WEAI international conferences has been that attendees are free spirited in their preferences for housing, and more often than not, the vast majority of contracted rooms go unutilized as the internet serves up such a tempting array of options from a budget Airbnb studio apartment to a luxury suite in a boutique hotel.

    Luckily, housing is plentiful in Tokyo and choices depend on your budget and sense of adventure. So whether you wish to experience a Japanese capsule hotel, or the Godzilla-themed Hotel Gracery, it's entirely up to you.

    A very small number of rooms have been set aside for WEAI conference attendees at two properties near the Mita campus of Keio University.

     

     

    The Celestine Tokyo Shiba

    3-23-1 Shiba, Minato 105-0014, Tokyo Prefecture
    https://www.celestinehotels.jp/tokyo-shiba/eng/

    **The WEAI room block is full as of 19 Feb** 

    • 1.3 km from Keio University, Mita campus
    • 10 minutes on foot, 5 minutes by taxi
    • Rates may be lower going directly to the Celestine website, depending on how far out you book your room, so check there first.
    • Rates quoted, including breakfast, are
      Moderate Double 22,800-24,800JPY
      Superior Double 24,800-26,800JPY
      Superior Twin 26,800-29,800JPY

     

     

     

     

    Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo

    1-1-50, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo
    https://www.miyakohotels.ne.jp/tokyo/english/index.html

    • 1.7 km from Keio University, Mita campus
    • 20 minutes on foot, 6 minutes by taxi
    • Rates quoted are
      Comfort Superior Twin Non-smoking Room
         1 guest/room ー 26,336JPY; w/breakfast 29,068JPY
         2 guests/room ー 29,900JPY; w/breakfast 35,364JPY
      Comfort Deluxe Twin Non-smoking Room
         1 guest/room ー 31,088JPY; w/breakfast 33,820JPY 
         2 guests/room ー 34,652JPY; w/breakfast 40,316JPY
      Executive Floor Superior King Non-smoking Room
         1 guest/room ー 38,216JPY
         2 guests/room ー 44,156JPY

     

  • Early Career Researcher Workshop 

    21 March 2019 | Keio University, Tokyo, Japan

    Designed to help early career researchers refine their research and presentation skills.  Each researcher is paired with a mentor for a one-day intensive workshop. Selected participants are expected to also present their research in a volunteer concurrent conference session. Conference participation fees are waived for selected papers. 

    2019 Selected Participants

    Mihaly Tamas Borsi, Universitat Ramon Llull
    Wenti Du, Akita International University
    Nam Foo, Curtin University
    Shota Ichihashi, Bank of Canada
    Richard Iles, Washington State University
    Jagoda Kaszowska, Polish Academy of Sciences
    Atsushi Kawamoto, The World Bank
    Bilal Khan, University of International Business and Economics
    Ling Yee Khor, University of Hohenheim
    Seong Hee Kim, Seoul National University
    Shagata Mukherjee, Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics
    Melati Nungsari, Asia School of Business
    Kristina Sargent, Middlebury College
    Juliana Silva Goncalves, University of Sydney
    Fei Su, Hefei University of Technology
    Saki Sugano, Daito Bunka University
    Meiping Sun, Fordham University
    Giannina Vaccaro, University of California, Irvine
    Erin Wolcott, Middlebury College
    Terry Yip, McMaster University

    Workshop Schedule
    8:00 am    Welcome coffee and tea service
    8:30 am    Researchers and mentors meet one on one to discuss paper in detail
    9:30 am   Researcher/mentor pairs regroup into workshop sessions for presentations and comments
    12:00 pm  Lunch break and Opening Keynote Address
    2:15 pm    Refreshment break
    2:30 pm    Reconvene for continuation of workshop sessions for presentations and comments
    3:30 pm    Recap and debrief
    6:45 pm    Welcome Reception

    To Submit an Application - Deadline passed. Sorry!​
    Please email your CV and an abstract of no more than 1000 words (please title PDF file “<lastname>-abstract.pdf”) to Andra Johnson at WEAI ([email protected]).  Please, no password protection in your pdf security settings.

    Criteria for Selection
    Participant selection is based on topic importance, and originality of ideas and techniques.

    Program Timeline
    Application deadline:  November 1, 2018
    Selections announced:  December 1, 2018
    Complete paper to mentor (< 6,000 words, excluding appendices):  February 18, 2019

    Workshop Chair
    Ippei Fujiwara
    Professor, Faculty of Economics
    Keio University

    Questions? Contact [email protected]

Participating Allied Societies

WEAI Conferences regularly include participation by Allied Societies. Allied Societies organize anywhere from just a few sessions to an entire conference including membership and board meetings. Whether your group is long-established or part of an emerging specialty, WEAI can help bring your members together and increase your visibility within the discipline.

Questions? Call 714-965-8800 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.

Sponsors