New Approaches in the UK and Japan

The world is always changing, and currently, changes in the international environment seem particularly wrenching. President Donald Trump provides challenges for Japan as it seeks to reinforce its key alliance with the US at a time of growing risks to its security from North Korea and China. In the UK, politics is dominated by questions about the shape of relationships with the rest of Europe following Brexit. Both countries are responding by seeking to forge stronger relationships with partners geographically further away.

This reshaping of the international environment brings new challenges, most obviously on the security and trade front. But there is no shortage of slower-burning issues caused by factors like societal ageing and increasing global mobility, along with long-standing problems such as climate change.

Our seminar series this year focuses on some of these issues, particularly on those that are rising up the agenda because of the appearance of either new problems, or possible new solutions.