Amid the deepening economic gloom and growing layoffs at home and abroad, corporate and government leaders in the Kansai region gathered Thursday in Kyoto for an annual two-day seminar on economic, political and social issues.
Only the day before the kickoff of the Kansai Economic Seminar, Osaka-based Panasonic Corp. announced it will cut 15,000 jobs and close down 27 plants worldwide as it braces for an estimated ¥380 billion loss for the year ending March 31.
That announcement prompted warnings and criticism from senior business leaders gathered at the Kyoto International Conference Center, while senior lawmakers in attendance urged companies to do their best to avoid mass layoffs.