Events by year: 2021

14 December 2021

Domestic AI in the UK and in Japan

Workplace digitalisation and automation have attracted substantial academic and policy attention in recent years. In contrast, the digitalisation of households and the rising automation of housework and care work has received limited attention. The value of unpaid domestic labour is not included in GDP or other national income accounting indicators, making it largely invisible. Yet unpaid work is important, with housework and care work making an important contribution to total welfare and economic output. Domestic digitalisation and automation may have evaded scholarly attention, but these trends have not evaded consumers.  With the rise of digitalisation and predictive automation, our homes are currently undergoing a major transformation. In this webinar we explored the implications for households in Japan and the UK. 

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6 December 2021

Astronauts as the Origin of Space Society

Space exploration is becoming more accessible than ever, and an increasing number of people are expected to travel to space in the near future. The idea of humans travelling to and living in space is certainly fascinating, but how is it likely to develop from here? In this seminar, we looked at human forays into space in the past, present and future. Our special guest, astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, talked about her motivations in becoming an astronaut and her experiences of travelling and living in space. She also shared her thoughts about how space travel and living might change in the future.

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3 December 2021

Gene Technology and Climate Change

Gene technology has enormous potential to bolster our response to climate change. In this webinar, two experts will present on the use of innovative genetic technologies in both animals and plants to address climate change challenges and mitigate some of the consequences for humanity. Professor Kentaro Shimizu talked about his study of wheat in the framework of the 10+ genome international consortium aiming to contribute to “the second green revolution”. Professor George Church then explained how gene technology could be used to bring back long-extinct species, presenting his fascinating project of reviving and restoring the woolly mammoth.

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2 December 2021

Between Man and Machine

The quest for artificial life (ALIFE) has prompted researchers to reconsider their understanding of the nature of life. Professor Ikegami has developed various types of ALIFE systems and has been thinking about the differences between humans and machines (or “what humans and machines have in common”). Advanced technologies and cities are inevitably becoming life-like. Ikegami believes that we have now progressed from the age of AI into the age of ALIFE. In this seminar, Professor Ikegami introduced his current work (some of which is art-related)  and discussed some interesting issues surrounding artificial life. He discussed what it is about life that is lacking in today’s robots, and what lies between man and machine.

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29 November 2021

Japanese Poetry: Beyond the Haiku

The popularity of haiku around the world has meant that the form has become almost synonymous with Japanese poetry as a whole. Yet there is a great wealth of Japanese poetry other than haiku which deserves attention. In this webinar, three speakers will look at Japanese poetry beyond haiku, from the first written Japanese texts in the early 8th century up to contemporary times. Professor Sonja Arntzen introduced examples from the early period; Dr Alan Cummings then discussed early-modern poetry; and the poet Yasuhiro Yotsumoto showcased the development of colloquial free verse in modern and contemporary Japan.

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25 November 2021

AUKUS and its geopolitical implications for Asia

The trilateral defence agreement AUKUS represents a significant new strategic development for the Indo-Pacific, with implications for regional and global security. This security pact is seen as a military alliance to counter China’s assertiveness, has angered France and caused increased uncertainty about future relations between the US and the EU, and prompted concerns among ASEAN countries about their roles in a possible US-China conflict. What are the implications of AUKUS for the geopolitical landscape in Asia and what is Japan’s perspective on this agreement? In this seminar chaired by Vincent Ni, the panellists discussed the implications of AUKUS and its geopolitical dynamics in Asia.

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23 November 2021

Koki Tanaka in conversation with Sally Tallant

In this talk, Tanaka reflected on his artistic practices, about living together, filming and acting, community and performativity, and his approaches to history over the years. It also included his experience of being forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to reconsider his method of bringing people together. The discussion was moderated by Sally Tallant, President and Executive Director at the Queens Museum in New York, who is currently leading a programme, ‘Year of Uncertainty,’ that brings artists, community partners, and co-thinkers together with the team to reimagine the museum. Along with Tanaka’s newly published book “Reflective Notes (Recent Writings),” this talk gave us hints to help rethink how to live together during and after the pandemic.

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9 November 2021

Unpaid care and domestic work

Unpaid care and domestic work in Japan

Women in Japan were estimated before the pandemic to spend 4.8 times as much time as men on unpaid work, a gap significantly higher than that of the UK, where it is 1.8x. Pandemic-related measures and lockdowns have increased the burden on women, who face difficulties balancing the number of unpaid working hours with the rest of their lives. Despite being a serious situation in Japanese society, this multifaceted problem is rarely taken up by politicians and often overlooked by the media. In this webinar, the speakers discussed the current situation in Japan and its causes, including multigenerational households and caring relationships, as well as the social norms and structures that reinforce gender inequality in Japan.

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2 November 2021

UK-Japan Security Cooperation in a Historical Context: From Afghanistan to Afghanistan

The visit to Japan by UK Carrier Strike Group 21 marked an important step towards the deepening of UK-Japan security cooperation. It is seen as an implementation of the UK’s recent “Indo-Pacific tilt” in foreign policy, but also exists in a much larger historical context: two wars in Afghanistan fought by British forces, in 1878-1881 and 2001-2021, both accidentally introduced closer security cooperation between the two island powers. What are the implications for the future of UK-Japan relations? Professor Yuichi Hosoya gave a historical perspective, before Paul Madden CMG, former British Ambassador to Japan, commented and moderated a discussion with the audience.

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28 October 2021

Two literary Brits in Japan

In this talk, our Director General Jason James shared the story of two writers who stayed in Japan in the 1920s. Edmund Blunden arrived in Japan in 1924 to take up a post as Professor of Literature at Tokyo University. The novelist William Plomer arrived in 1926, and the two became friends, of a sort. Upon returning to the UK, both spread the word about Japan and their influence still remains in today’s cultural scene.

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15 October 2021

The US Withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Changing Global Power Balance

The withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan has altered Asia’s geopolitical map, with potential implications for global power relations with actors like China and Russia. The US is expected to focus more attention on the Indo-Pacific region in years to come, intensifying a potential confrontation with China and increasing the concerns of the international community. How could this affect Japan? In this webinar chaired by Gideon Rachman, the panellists discussed the implications of the Afghanistan fiasco for geopolitics more broadly, including Japan-US-China relations, and the implications in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

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14 October 2021

コンテポラリーダンサー髙瀬譜希子氏による アーティストトークイベント

本ウェビナーでは、世界で活躍するコンテポラリーダンサーの髙瀬譜希子氏に、プロとして活動するまでの軌跡、コンテポラリーダンスの魅力、最新の作品について語っていただきます。また、コロナ禍でダンサーとしての活動をどのように調整してきたか、コロナ禍における心境、新たなコンテポラリーダンスの可能性、芸術を通じた人生の捉え方などについても意見も伺います。

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