On November 18, 2025, the Institute for Global Governance Research (GGR) at Hitotsubashi University held the 45th Brown Bag Lunch Seminar titled “Making a Case for Democracy Assistance in This New Era.” The speaker was Dr. Lynn Lee, the Senior Director for East Asia and Strategic Partnerships at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Dr. Lee began by outlining the ongoing global crisis of democracy. At present, only 6.6% of the world’s population lives under a fully democratic system, while approximately 40% live under authoritarian regimes. Even within democratic countries, dissatisfaction has grown due to the gap between democratic promise and lived experiences, leading to a rise in preference for elected strongmen. Moreover, authoritarian states are expanding their exploitation of influence through disinformation, digital surveillance exports, and economic coercion. In the Indo-Pacific region, it is said that between 2019 and 2024, the number of countries experiencing democratic backsliding was three times greater than those showing improvement, and satisfaction with democracy has declined even in major democratic nations such as Japan.

Dr. Lee then highlighted the achievements of NED. The organization has contributed to maintaining independent journalism in the Philippines, advocating governance reform in Sri Lanka, and strengthening the resilience of civil society in Ukraine prior to Russia’s invasion. However, in recent years, new challenges such as digital authoritarianism, disinformation, and transnational repression have emerged, requiring further strategic development. Specifically, she emphasized the need to cultivate a democratic culture and build strategic resilience.

Finally, Dr. Lee discussed Japan’s leadership opportunities in promoting democracy. Japan has established a unique position as a trusted Global North-South bridge, owing to its track record of partnership-based, practical, and respectful support, as well as its relatively limited historical frictions compared to Western donors. Areas where Japan could take the lead include bridge-building between global regions, advancing governance and capacity building through institutions such as JICA, supporting digital technologies for democratic resilience, such as AI ethics and secure communications, providing discreet yet effective assistance in regions where large-scale Western support is less welcome, and building partnerships with established and emerging democratic countries in Asia. Dr. Lee concluded her lecture with the message that democratic solidarity in Asia should not be imposed externally but must be built through regional leadership.

【Event report prepared by】

Takakura Akari (Undergraduate student, Faculty of Law, Hitotsubashi University)