Nordic Talks Japan: How to Advocate for Peace and Democracy in the Digital World

On April 26, 2023, Professor Maiko Ichihara, Professor at the Graduate School of Law and School of International and Public Policy, Hitotsubashi University, and GGR Researcher, took part in “Nordic Talks Japan: How to Advocate for Peace and Democracy in the Digital World,” organized by Nordic Innovation House Tokyo. At the event, leading experts from Nordic countries and Japan discussed how digital technology can be used to promote peace and democracy. Professor Ichihara explained that the diffusion of digital technology has given citizens influence over international relations. While appreciating the value of social media as a forum for citizens to voice their opinions, the professor cautioned against the tendency for communication to be limited to those who hold homogeneous views. Finally, the professor pointed to the current use of AI technology for surveillance in authoritarian states and suggested that we should devise ways to use technology to protect citizens from state surveillance.