Events

The Economic Security Research Program (ESRP) at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), The University of Tokyo and the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies (ICAS) at Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ), co-host a brown bag lunch seminar featuring Irina Novakova, the Head of the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC), NATO HQ, with the support of Royal Danish Embassy, Japan.

EADRCC is NATO's principal mechanism to respond to civil emergencies. Ms. Novakova will first give a speech addressing NATO's work on cooperative security, which covers cooperation with Japan and working to support partners build up their resilience and security. She'll also focus on examples from support for Ukraine, cooperation on disaster response, and support for building partners' defence capacities.

Her introductory remarks will be followed by comments from two expert panelists. Robert Dujarric (ICAS, TUJ) will give us a historical perspective, while Maya Sobchuk (RCAST, The University of Tokyo) will touch upon the issue of strategic communication and disinformation in disaster responses. Akira Igata will be the moderator, while also commenting from the angle of economic security policies. This will be followed by a moderated discussion and Q&A with the audience.

Economic security has become one of the top priority areas for policy-makers in both Japan and the United States. Furthermore, there is now a general consensus between the two countries regarding the perception of shared economic security risks as well as in areas where cooperation among allies and partners in addressing these risks would be mutually beneficial.

However, there are areas of specific policy coordination that require further discussion to promote an effective U.S.-Japan economic security cooperation. The development and protection of critical and emerging technologies is a top concern among them, where coordination and cooperation in using numerous policy tools would be effective in furthering the national interests of both countries. These include: subsidies; joint R&D; visa regulations; export controls; inbound and outbound investment screening mechanisms; and cyber security.

In order to discuss these issues, the Economic Security Research Program (ESRP) at RCAST, The University of Tokyo and Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA will co-host a symposium titled "Japan-U.S. Economic Security Policy Coordination: Development and Protection of Critical and Emerging Technologies" on March 4th. This symposium will feature speakers from the U.S. who have been at the forefront of practice and research in these issues in the government, legal practice, academia, think tank, and business sectors.

The relationship between Japan and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has been one of the underexplored areas in international politics. However, the threat perception and foreign policy of the CEE states are changing due to the dramatic shift in the global security environment. This change has opened up new possibilities for cooperation between Japan and CEE countries.

ESRP is proud to invite three speakers from the European Values Center for Security Policy (EVC), a Prague-based think tank and the only European think tank with a permanent presence in Taiwan. The three speakers will discuss "Economic Security," "Disinformation," and "Taiwan" from the perspective of the CEE countries. This will be followed by a moderated discussion and a Q&A with the audience.

The Japan-ROK relationship is on the brink of a new era. Both nations can significantly contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the creation of a sustainable society by deepening multifaceted cooperation.

In this context, to deepen exchanges between Japan and South Korea and explore common issues and solutions, the Economic Security Research Program (ESRP) and the Initiative for Global Security and Energy Transition at RCAST, The University of Tokyo welcomes the faculty members from the Economic Security Cluster at the Institute for Future Strategy (IFS), Seoul National University, to co-host an in-person public symposium titled "Japan-ROK Economic Security Symposium: Semiconductor, AI, and Sustainable Technologies" from 15:00-17:00 on January 30.

【ROK's economic Security Policies】
- Jong Hee Park (Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Seoul National University)

【Semiconductors and AI Cooperation】
- Seok Joon Kwon (Assistant Professor, School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University)

【Carbon Neutral Technology and Climate Change】
- Ki Tae Nam (Professor, Material Science and Engineering, Seoul National University)

【Japan's Economic Security Policies, Semiconductors, and AI】
- Akira Igata (Director of ESRP / Project Lecturer, RCAST, The University of Tokyo)

【LCA of Sustainable Technology】
- Eri Amasawa (Project Associate Professor, RCAST, RE-Global, The University of Tokyo)

【Biotech and Food Production】
- Megumi Avigail Yoshitomi (Visiting Researcher, RCAST, The University of Tokyo / President, Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA))