[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58119-58120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28885]



[[Page 58119]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Opportunity To Apply for Membership on the U.S.-Japan Private 
Sector/Government Commission

AGENCY: International Trade Administration (ITA) of the Department of 
Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice of membership opportunity.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Government is seeking letters of interest for private 
sector membership on the U.S. side of the U.S.-Japan Private Sector/
Government Commission (``Commission''). President Bush and Japanese 
Prime Minister Koizumi launched the Commission in June 2001 as part of 
the U.S.-Japan Economic Partnership for Growth (``Partnership''). The 
Commission is made up of U.S. and Japanese government and private 
sector representatives. It aims to integrate the U.S. and Japanese 
private sectors more fully into the economic work of the two 
Governments. The Commission will enable U.S. and Japanese private 
sector representatives to present input--including expertise, 
observations, and recommendations--on agenda topics agreed to in 
advance by the two Governments.

DATES: In order to receive full consideration, requests must be 
received no later than December 20, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Please send requests for consideration on company letterhead 
by fax or letter to Chiling Tong, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of 
Asia and the Pacific, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2036, 14th St. 
and Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20230, fax (202) 482-4760. 
Requests sent by email will not be considered. Candidates chosen for 
membership will be notified in writing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harrison Cook or Ian Clements, Office 
of Japan, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2320, 14th St. and 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20230, fax (202) 482-0469; or 
Amy Jackson, Office of Japan, U.S. Trade Representative, 600 17th St., 
NW., Washington, DC 20508, fax (202) 395-3597.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1512

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    The U.S. Government seeks letters of interest for private sector 
membership on the U.S. side of the Commission. President Bush and 
Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi launched the Commission in June 2001 as 
part of the Partnership. The Commission is made up of U.S. and Japanese 
government and private sector representatives. It aims to integrate the 
U.S. and Japanese private sectors more fully into the economic work of 
the two Governments. The Commission will enable U.S. and Japanese 
private sector representatives to present input--including expertise, 
observations, and recommendations--on agenda topics agreed to in 
advance by the two Governments. For a description of the goals and 
structure of the Commission and the Partnership, see the ``Annex to the 
Joint Statement,'at the Commerce Department website: http://www.mac.doc.gov/japan/source/menu/partnership/partnership2.html.

Topics

    The topics in 2002 will be ``creating an environment for 
sustainable growth: raising productivity and corporate 
revitalization,'' with a special focus on corporate restructuring. In 
examining this topic, Commission members will likely wish to focus on 
the implications for efficient resource allocation of factors such as: 
corporate governance, efficiently functioning factor and product 
markets, the environment for entrepreneurship, and the legal and 
regulatory system. The Commission topic(s) will change annually.

Duties and Responsibilities of Private Sector Members

    Private sector members will serve at the discretion of the 
Secretary of Commerce. Private sector individuals chosen for the 
Commission will be expected to be fully involved in all necessary 
preparatory meetings and attend the Commission's single 2002 meeting, 
which, as currently envisioned, will be held in the first quarter of 
the year in conjunction with the Subcabinet meeting. The Subcabinet is 
composed of government officials at the Deputy/Vice-Ministerial level 
from key economic agencies and ministries and other agencies and 
ministries appropriate to the Commission's topic(s). The number of 
private sector Commission members will be limited and will be 
determined in coordination with the Government of Japan. Members of the 
private sector delegation will serve for one term. Members who wish to 
serve additional terms must apply under the same rules as other future 
prospective members.
    Private sector members are fully responsible for travel, lodging 
and personal expenses associated with their participation in the 
Commission. They will receive no compensation. The private sector 
members will serve in a representative capacity, presenting the views 
and interests of the particular business sector in which they operate; 
private sector members are not special government employees. Candidates 
will be vetted for pending business before the Commerce Department and 
United States Trade Representative. Members from the private sector 
will be chosen based on criteria set forth in this Notice.
    No later than two months after completion of the first annual 
meeting, the two Governments will conduct a review of the Commission to 
assess the structure and effectiveness of the forum and, as 
appropriate, implement improvements.

Candidate Eligibility and Selection Procedures

    The process for recruiting and selecting Commission members from 
the U.S. private sector is based on objective, written criteria 
developed in accordance with the Annex to the Joint Statement. The 
Annex can be found at the Commerce Department website: http://www.mac.doc.gov/japan/source/menu/partnership/partnership2.html. A 
candidate's partisan political activities (including political 
contributions) are not relevant to and will not be considered part of 
the selection process.
    To be eligible for consideration, all candidates must be a U.S. 
citizen and not a registered foreign agent under the Foreign Agents 
Registration Act of 1938 (FARA).
    All requests for consideration will be reviewed by a General 
Secretariat, which is composed of officials from the Department of 
Commerce and the Office of the United States Trade Representative. 
Members of the General Secretariat will evaluate each submission based 
on the evaluation criteria and provide a ranking of Excellent, Good, or 
Poor. Each ranked request for consideration will be sent to the 
Assistant Secretary for Market Access and Compliance, Department of 
Commerce, and the Assistant United States Trade Representative (AUSTR) 
for Japan (the ``Selecting Officials'') for final selection. The 
Selecting Officials will review the rankings and comments of the review 
team and will determine the candidates who will be selected for the 
commission.

Evaluation Criteria

    In reviewing prospective members, a Government Secretariat, 
composed of officials from the Department of Commerce and the Office of 
the United States Trade Representative, will consider the following 
evaluation criteria:

[[Page 58120]]

     Experience in executive level positions, such as CEO of 
U.S. companies;\1\
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    \1\ A U.S. company is defined in the Procedures and Rules for 
Industry Sector Advisory Committees as a firm incorporated in the 
United States (or an unincorporated U.S. firm with its principal 
places of business in the United States) that is controlled by U.S. 
citizens or by another U.S. entity. An entity is not a U.S. company 
if 50 percent plus one share of its stock (if a corporation, or a 
similar ownership interest of an unincorporated entity) is 
controlled, directly or indirectly, by non-U.S. citizens or non-
U.S., entities. If the member is to represent an entity or 
corporation with 10 percent or greater non-U.S. ownership, the 
nominee must demonstrate at the time of nomination that this 
ownership interest does not constitute control and will not 
adversely affect his or her ability to serve on the Commission.
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     Experience doing business with or in Japan;
     Expertise in the topic to be considered by the Commission. 
In 2002, the topic will be ``creating an environment for sustainable 
growth: Raising productivity and corporate revitalization;''
     Commitment to undertake any necessary preparatory work and 
to participate in any preparatory meetings and the Commission meeting 
itself;
     Commitment to assume the costs of travel, lodging and 
other personal expenses related to Commission participation;
     Contributions to membership diversity based on company 
size, type, and location; and
     Other considerations relevant to the Commission as 
described in the Annex to the U.S.-Japan Joint Statement by President 
Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi on June 30, 2001.

Submission Procedures and Requirements

    To be considered for membership, please provide a personal resume 
and materials that would identify the following: (1) Name and title of 
the individual requesting consideration; (2) name and address of the 
company where the candidate is employed; (3) company's product or 
service line; (4) company size (market capitalization, annual revenues, 
number of employees); (5) company's experience in Japan (exports, 
sales, employees, years in Japan); (6) why candidate wishes to be 
considered for the Commission; and (7) the particular sector of the 
business community the candidate would represent.
    Third parties, such as trade associations and government officials, 
may nominate or endorse potential candidates, but candidates must 
submit their own letters to be considered for Commission membership. 
Referrals from political organizations and any references to political 
contributions or other partisan political activities will not be 
considered in the selection process.
    Please send requests for consideration on company letterhead by fax 
or letter. See ADDRESSES. Requests sent by email will not be 
considered. Candidates chosen for membership will be notified in 
writing.

    Dated: November 13, 2001.
Chiling Tong,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia and the Pacific.
[FR Doc. 01-28885 Filed 11-19-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DA-P