NAGOYA -- French economist Jacques Attali will be appointed as an innovation adviser to the Aichi Prefectural Government, Gov. Hideaki Omura announced March 11.

"We hope he will offer advice on prefectural innovation policies from a global perspective," Omura told reporters at a regular news conference.

Attali served as a special aide to President Francois Mitterrand from 1981 to 1991. In 1991 he became the inaugural president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Amid stagnation of the global economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Attali proposed what he called "the economy of life," prioritizing human life and health.

A ceremony to mark his appointment is slated to be held at the Aichi Prefectural Government's local autonomy office on March 13, and Omura and Attali are due to hold a discussion online.

(Japanese original by Motoyori Arakawa, Nagoya News Department)