Events/News

An article based on a roundtable discussion that Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law participated in, “Democracy Turning Its Back on the International Order: Can Pride and Strategy for Global Engagement Be Recovered?” was published in the January 31, 2024 issue of Gaiko. The article discusses the direction we should take in light of ongoing political divisions and conflicts in Western countries, continued support for Ukraine, information warfare during the conflict, the challenges faced by global democracies, and the confrontation with China. Professor Ichihara stated that the United States is failing to maintain any of the requirements of a hegemonic power. She emphasized the need to reconsider the significance of the United States and to rebuild its foreign and security policies accordingly, in addition to discussing the outlook for the situation in Ukraine. She also mentioned the media cooperation agreement signed between China and Russia, stressing that measures against disinformation should be implemented through international cooperation. Finally, she highlighted the importance of Japan's diplomacy, emphasizing the need for proactive efforts to maintain and establish freedom in Asia.

On April 24, 2024, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article, “Just for Being Born Rohingya: The Persecution in a Border Town Today” was published. This article is about the Rohingya people who continue to face discrimination and persecution in the harsh situation in Myanmar. Professor Ichihara pointed out the cruelty faced by the Rohingya: stripped of their Myanmar citizenship and subjected to discrimination as stateless individuals, while simultaneously being conscripted as Myanmar nationals. She commented that the Japanese government and the international community should recognize the legitimacy of the National Unity Government (NUG) from a human rights perspective.

On April 24, 2024, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article, “The Hidden Power Behind Prime Minister Modi's Popularity: A Skillful Social Media Approach and the Media Landscape Today” was published. The article is about an interview with Professor Hiroki Miwa of Teikyo University regarding the upcoming general election to decide the next Prime Minister of India, which is said to be the "world's largest election" with approximately 968.8 million voters. Professor Ichihara pointed out that in India, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Modi and the opposition parties are using troll farms to spread misinformation, resulting in a chaotic election battle. Furthermore, she emphasized that domestic political actions such as the arrests of opposition leaders cannot be overlooked under the Modi administration. She highlighted the importance of international non-state actors calling attention to these issues.

A video titled "Information Warfare: Democracy, Authoritarianism, and the Battle to Shape Public Perception," co-produced by The Japan Times and the Institute for Global Governance Research (GGR), Hitotsubashi University, was released on March 27, 2024. In this video, Professor Tetsuro Kobayashi of Waseda University, Professor Maiko Ichihara of Hitotsubashi University, and Mr. Jonathan Soble from Kreab Tokyo engage in a discussion on whether Japan is an outlier in the disinformation age. They argue that Japan's unique language, media culture, and attitude of not placing too much trust in online political statements have, as a result, coincidentally proven to be strong against anti-democratic influence campaigns. However, they also caution that Japan's weak global communication skills, along with advances in disruptive technologies like generative AI, may expose the country to future threats. Professor Ichihara notes that the Japanese government’s communication style is relatively reactive, and in an era where social media quickly spreads emotionally charged information, it is essential for the government to adopt a more proactive approach to delivering messages filled with inspiration and positive emotions.

On 6 February 2024, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article, “Hong Kong Police Issue Warrant for Canada-Based Agnes Chow on National Security Law Violation for Failing to Appear” was published. This article discusses how Agnes Chow, a Hong Kong democracy activist currently residing in Canada, has been placed on Hong Kong’s wanted list on suspicion of violating the National Security Law after failing to appear for routine check-ins. Professor Ichihara stated that the actions of the Hong Kong authorities amount to rule by fear. She further commented that the Hong Kong government and the Chinese Communist Party behind it should recognize the weakness inherent in needing to suppress the actions of a single citizen to such an extent, as well as understand that such an approach will incur significant long-term costs to the welfare of citizens and the nation’s economy.

On July 5, 2024, TV Tokyo released a video titled “Wanted Pro-Democracy Activists Gather in Japan," in which they introduced a comment from Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law. This video covers the "Japan-Hong Kong Democracy Summit" held in June 2024 at Hitotsubashi University co-hosted by the GGR, which was attended by Hong Kong democracy activists. The summit took place against the backdrop of the complete suppression of democratic movements in Hong Kong due to the National Security Law and the National Security Ordinance. Professor Ichihara emphasized the importance of networking among Hong Kong activists scattered around the world. She also highlighted the persistent difficulty faced by many people who, due to economic relations with China, are hesitant to show solidarity with Hong Kong or, from an academic standpoint, are unable to provide support despite their desire to do so.

On October 9, 2023, Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law commented on the Asahi Shimbun article, "Request for a Redo of the Press Conference to Johnny &, Associates, on the List Issue at the Request of the Parties' Association." This article is about the request by the Association of Parties Involved in Johnny's Sexual Assault Issue for a redo of the press conference by Johnny & Associates because an 'NG' list was created to prevent the nomination of certain reporters. Professor Ichihara pointed out that in addition to the press list issue, there were several other discrepancies with the 2 October press conference. Firstly, the idea of using the name of a company responsible for social contribution projects lacks reflection on the organized sexual crimes of Johnny & Associates, and secondly, there is a lack of understanding of the responsibility of the organization that enabled the rapes by Johnny Kitagawa. She then commented that if the future of Johnny & Associates is decided by the talent within the company, this will not lead to a real solution to creating an organization where victims are not subsumed into the perpetrator system.

On October 3, 2023, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article, "The Crisis of Debate, Pointed out by Professor Sandel. How to Overcome Division and a Sense of Helplessness" was published. This article reports on Professor Sandel's view that one of the factors hindering democratic debate is ableism, and that although politics in Japan is not as polarised as in the West, there is a sense of helplessness among citizens, and how this should be overcome. Professor Ichihara pointed out that the reason why debate is still difficult to generate in Japan is largely due to the tendency to seek non-politics and peer pressure. She then commented on the need to overcome these barriers and consider how ableism fixes the social structure.

On June 29, 2024, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article, “Halting India's 'Crisis of Democracy': An Explanation of Modi's Third-Term Prospects” was published. This article discusses the state of Indian democracy and the background behind the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Modi, winning the general election but failing to secure an outright majority. Professor Ichihara pointed out that it is premature to conclude that this election result has halted India's democratic crisis. First, voter behavior was primarily driven by issues related to daily life, and it remains unclear to what extent there was an intention to stop the decline of democracy. Second, it is uncertain how much the election result will serve to prevent democratic backsliding, and further developments will need to be observed.

On July 3, 2024, TV Tokyo published an article titled "27 Years Since Hong Kong's Handover: Is the Pro-Democracy Movement Shifting to Japan?" The article examines the situation 27 years after Hong Kong's handover from the UK to China, focusing on the current state of freedom and the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. It addresses how the movement has shifted to countries like Japan due to the implementation of the National Security Law and the newly established National Security Ordinance following the 2019 pro-democracy protests. The article also covers an event co-hosted by the Institute for Global Governance Research. At this event, Alric Lee, the representative of the Lady Liberty Hong Kong, a group advocating for Hong Kong's democratization, commented that Japan and Taiwan are now at the forefront of the anti-China movement. While Japan remains a safe place where he feels no fear, he expressed concern for his parents residing in Hong Kong.