Events by year: 2014

29 April 2014

Russia and the Power of Diplomacy: What can the International Community do?

The third seminar in our 2014 series on “Power”. In the previous seminar, we discussed “soft power”, and the panel concluded that a combination of hard and soft power, namely ‘smart power’, is the most effective way to influence other states in the contemporary world. But what can a weaker state with limited hard power (military force) do to deter other states? Can the international community be effective in pressuring stronger powers like Russia to change course without resorting to hard power? How can the diplomatic efforts of the international community be made effective?

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8 April 2014

The art lover’s guide to Japanese museums

We were delighted to host the London launch of the Japan Society’s latest publication, “The art lover’s guide to Japanese museums” by Sophie Richard. Japan is a ‘museum kingdom,’ operating some 5600 museums nationwide – a figure that eclipses the 1800 or so accredited museums in the UK. The museums of Japan feature rich collections and excellent exhibitions in world-class galleries. The art lover’s guide to Japanese Museums acts as a personal guide, introducing readers to some of the most distinctive and inspiring art museums in the country.

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3 April 2014

The UK-Japan Alliance during World War I

One hundred years after the start of the First World War, this seminar presented two different points of view on a turning point in the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Japan assisted Britain by defeating Germany in the Far East early on in the war, yet several factors tested the relationship between Britain and Japan. The event was chaired by Professor Ian H. Nish of the London School of Economics.

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31 March 2014

As Though Tattooing on My Mind

Gozo Yoshimasu will talk about his latest solo exhibition at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. As Though Tattooing on My Mind is the first exhibition of the Japanese poet and artist Gozo Yoshimasu in the UK, and summarises fifty years of Yoshimasu’s career as one of the world’s most innovative and influential poets and artists. The exhibition presents pieces of his visual artwork together with various forms of his poetry, including double-exposure photography, copper-plate engravings, the sui generis gozoCiné video work and original manuscripts from his latest visual poetry series, Kaibutsu-kun (Dear Monster).

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31 March 2014

As Though Tattooing on My Mind

Gozo Yoshimasu’s first exhibition in the UK will open on the 31 March at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. As Though Tattooing on My Mind summarises fifty years of Yoshimasu’s career as one of the world’s most innovative and influential poets and artists. The exhibition presents pieces of his visual artwork together with various forms of his poetry, including double-exposure photography, copper-plate engravings, the sui generis gozoCiné video work and original manuscripts from his latest visual poetry series, “Kaibutsu-kun” (Dear Monster).

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25 March 2014

Soft Power- Influence and Persuasion

“Soft power” can be defined as a country’s ability to get what it wants by attracting rather than coercing others – by engaging hearts and minds through cultural and political values and foreign policies that other countries see as legitimate and conducive to their own interests. Is Japan’s use of its soft power a success at the moment? Is it possible for a state to use soft power and not make it look like propaganda?

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14 March 2014

Compact and Adaptive – Towards Sustainable Design

Architecture is responsible for about 45% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, but how can this be changed? This event highlighted the new trends of “compact” and “adaptive” design in the UK and contrasts their novelty here with their history in Japan, where they are more firmly embedded into the culture and design thinking. The speakers discussed how living space can be “compact” but rich, inspired by the classic scale and order of a Japanese house, which is combined with advanced concepts and technologies.

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11 March 2014

Japan and China: Through Journalists’ Eyes

Along with the impact of social media, today’s international relations are enormously influenced by how journalists cover stories and how they portray different countries. With that in mind, this seminar looked at how Japan and China and the relations between them have been discussed recently by journalists, and why.

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10 March 2014

Energy and Climate Change Policy: How is it influenced by the Business Sector?

Securing energy is a life and death issue for the economic activities of any nation, while climate change is a shared concern for both developed and developing countries. State policies relating to energy and climate change can have a massive influence on a country’s business sector, but the business sector can also influence these policies. This seminar examined what steps are being taken by the business sectors in the UK and Japan to address these concerns.

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25 February 2014

Report From Fukushima: Medical assistance to local residents

On 11 March 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami struck Japan and led to meltdowns in the reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The release of radioactive material into the air, water, and soil raised public concerns about radiation exposure and the long-term risk of cancer among nearby residents. Mr Shuhei Nomura of Imperial College London talked about his experience in the recovery period after the disaster as well as the key issues and challenges facing the residents in the region.

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19 February 2014

The Power of Information and Knowledge

This first seminar of our 2014 series on the theme of “Power” will focus on the relationship between information and society, and how the understanding and use of information have been the primary factors in the development and character of the modern age. Prominent British historian Professor Jeremy Black and the Asahi Shimbun European Bureau Chief, Mr Toshiya Umehara discussed the power of information and knowledge, and the dangers of its absence. The seminar was chaired by Professor Arthur Stockwin.

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