Georgios Kostakos, Yasuhiro Ueki, and Stephen Kinloch-Pichat joined President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste in discussing the world in need of a new paradigm for the future of global governance. Please click here for the full report of the online meeting held on 12 January 2024. (5/2/2024)
In an online discussion meeting organized by the Kyoto Peacebuilding Center and supported by the Peacebuilding Association of Japan and ACUNS Tokyo Office held on 12 January, President José Ramos-Horta called for reforming the Security Council to meet the traditional and new challenges posed to Humanity, particularly by Artificial Intelligence by expanding the numbers of permanent and non-permanent members to overcome the legacy of the Cold War. Ambassador Shinyo found it necessary to abolish the permanent membership in the long run and create a new forum for cooperation not only between the Great Powers but also between the so-called global or middle-power countries and the Global South. Mr. Chikvaidze suggested a major restructuring to include G20 members and the African Union in the UN Security Council. Please see the details of their views by clicking here.
Thank you to Professor Takaaki Mizuno for inviting me to his final lecture at Kanda University of Foreign Studies. It was the most rewarding opportunity to talk with his students on this special day. I was impressed that his students were learning in-depth about contemporary international peace and development issues. The video that showed students’ discussions on behalf of the countries involved regarding conflicts occurring around the world was insightful and remarkable.
Franz Baumann, the new ACUNS President, suggests that while the climate crisis is, in fact, a fossil fuel crisis, the old mantra that mitigating global heating can be achieved without cost, inconvenience, or change is fading. Whatever Big Oil’s rearguard actions, the open question is: Before the climate tips, will whatever is politically possible prove to be ecologically sufficient, or will the ecologically necessary miraculously become politically possible? The answer is if only that plan from Rio would be resuscitated. Please click here for his full article.
Dr. Vanessa Abou-Khalil, the GPAJ member, discusses the historical evolution of the relationship between Japan and the Middle East during periods of conflict with the United States as part of the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS) Seminar.To access the full recorded discussion on 23 July 2023, please click on the link below: https://youtu.be/iUFQwLn6rdI?si=9SyFlxmEKRIOfNNS
Dr. Kubota, the GPAJ member, in his recent publication titled, “Remaining behind in the community” discusses the rebel service provision and internal (non-)displacement of civilians in the former Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), Pakistan. Please click here for a full story.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mahathir, who visited Japan to attend the Japan-Asian Summit, gave an interview to NHK on December 15, and stated that while Southeast Asia has become a site of intense conflict between the United States and China, Japan has set itself apart from both countries. He urged that Japan should develop its own unique diplomacy based on its own vision. See his interview with NHK.
Mr. TANIMOTO Masakuni delivered a special message from Mr. ETO Seishiro, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of the National Diet of Japan, at the Joint Japan-US Memorial Ceremony at Pearl Harbor on December 8, 2023. Please click here for details.
The United Nations has just issued a report indicating that many UN peace operations are now in a spate of drawdowns, reconfigurations, and terminations. For the full report, please click here.
The 7th Tokyo Peacebuilding Forum was held on 25 November 2023 at JICA Ichigaya Building with a total of 62
participants (41 on-site and 21 online).