News
Democracy and Human Rights Program
Comment on “Demonstrating Will to the Government: ‘Anti-Putin Noon Protests’ Held Throughout Russia” [in Japanese]
July 18, 2024
On March 17, 2024, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article, "Demonstrating Will to the Government: 'Anti-Putin Noon Protests' Held Throughout Russia" was published. This article covers the events of the final day of the Russian presidential election on March 17, when supporters of the opposition leader Alexey Navalny called for "anti-regime actions" at noon local time, resulting in lines forming at polling stations across Russia. Professor Ichihara pointed out that while Putin attempted to use the election to legitimize his position, it ultimately weakened his standing in the international community. She also commented that the international community should seriously consider ways to show solidarity with the anti-Putin factions moving forward.
Democracy and Human Rights Program
Comment on “Wife of Navalny Pledges to Carry on His Legacy: About 60,000 Demand Handover of His Body” [in Japanese]
July 13, 2024
On February 19, 2024, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article, "Wife of Navalny Pledges to Carry on His Legacy: About 60,000 Demand Handover of His Body" was published. This article is about the demand to hand over the body of Russian anti-government leader Alexey Navalny, who died in prison, to his family. Professor Ichihara commented that only the people of the country can change the state of their country and that she hopes the outrage over Navalny's death will continue to spread and become a groundswell in Russia, and that it is important for foreign countries to continue to provide moral support to Russians who speak out.
Democracy and Human Rights Program
Talk on “China and the Keys to Its Global Influence” [in Spanish]
July 10, 2024
On March 27, 2024, Sascha Hannig Nuñez, a doctoral student in the Graduate School of Law, was invited as a guest to deliver a lecture titled "China and the Keys to Its Global Influence" on the podcast “World Analysis (Análisis Mundial),” an initiative launched by the University Finish Terrae. During the discussion, Ms. Hannig talked about the current technology-related tensions between the United States and China, as well as how the two powers exercise pressure over Chile and Latin America as a whole. The discussion also touched upon potential risks related to authoritarian influence and how countries are taking sides in an eventual new form of Cold War. In this lecture, she discussed in detail the relationship between China and the United States, Beijing's technological capabilities, and China's relations with Latin America.
Democracy and Human Rights Program
Comment on “Young People Avoid Discussing Human Rights Out of Fear: Journalist Koichi Yasuda’s Concerns” [in Japanese]
July 10, 2024
On February 19, 2024, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article "Young People Avoid Discussing Human Rights Out of Fear: Journalist Koichi Yasuda's Concerns" was published. This article is about an interview with Koichi Yasuda, a journalist who says that although the younger generation, in particular, is highly interested in "human rights," a fundamental right that everyone should respect, he increasingly feels that the term "human rights" is shunned, feared, and sometimes made fun of in the field of reporting. Professor Ichihara commented that it is not so much that young people as a whole tend to avoid discussions about human rights, but rather that the sense of ownership—seeing themselves as stakeholders in these issues—has become more polarized compared to the past.
Democracy and Human Rights Program
Comment quoted in “Study assures that Chile is the country most influenced by Chinese YouTube channels in Latin America” [in Spanish]
July 01, 2024
On March 14, 2024, La Tercera published a comment of Ms. Sascha Hannig Nuñez, a doctoral student in the Graduate School of Law, in the article "Study assures that Chile is the country most influenced by Chinese YouTube channels in Latin America." This article discusses the joint research conducted by the Center for Analysis for Democracy (CAD) and Freedom House, which examined the behavior of Beijing's propaganda media in Spanish across more than 14,000 videos. The research revealed that Chile is the most mentioned country in the region, with the most predominant topics being related to the pandemic and economic cooperation. Ms. Hannig noted that Chile's elite class has a very friendly attitude toward China, which makes it easier for them to enter the academic and business world. She commented that China's interest in Chile is also related to its potential to expand its influence over other countries in the region.
Democracy and Human Rights Program
Comment on “In Russia’s Strict Vigilance, Tears Flow as Crowds Offer Continuous Floral Tributes: ‘Navalny Lives Forever'” [in Japanese]
June 26, 2024
On February 17, 2024, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article, "In Russia's Strict Vigilance, Tears Flow as Crowds Offer Continuous Floral Tributes: 'Navalny Lives Forever'" was published. This article discusses the spontaneous floral donations made by citizens across Russia to memorials of Soviet-era repression following the death of Russian anti-government leader Alexey Navalny. Professor Ichihara commented that without a society that makes the most of a great man of courage, ability, and conviction like Navalny, Russia will continue to lose not only its human capital but also its economic strength and stability.
Democracy and Human Rights Program
Comment on “Russian Anti-Government Leader Navalny Dies in Prison, Cause of Death Being Investigated” [in Japanese]
June 24, 2024
On February 16, 2024, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article "Russian Anti-Government Leader Navalny Dies in Prison, Cause of Death Being Investigated" was published. This article refers to the announcement by the Russian authorities that Alexey Navalny, a Russian anti-government leader who rose to prominence as a critic of the Putin administration and was imprisoned in Russia, died on February 16. Professor Ichihara commented that the fact remains that Navalny was killed by the Russian government and that his death was a great loss to Russia.
Democracy and Human Rights Program
Comment on “‘Kishida’s Government without an Aide in Charge of Human Rights, a Ripple Effect of the Disappearance of the Prime Minister’s ‘Pledged’ Post.” [in Japanese]
June 18, 2024
On September 25, 2023, a comment of Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law on the Asahi Shimbun article, "'Kishida's Government without an Aide in Charge of Human Rights, a Ripple Effect of the Disappearance of the Prime Minister's 'Pledged' Post” was published. This article reports concerns that the absence of an assistant to the prime minister on international human rights, a 'key post' promised by Prime Minister Kishida in his LDP presidential campaign, in less than two years could send the wrong message to the international community. Professor Ichihara points out that with the rapid loss of interest in human rights and democracy in the Biden administration, the China-related agenda of conservatives within the LDP has also shifted from the issue of human rights repression to security, particularly the China-Taiwan issue. She then notes that the current post-absenteeism issue truly reflects the loss of momentum in Japan and the US that had driven the Kishida administration's initiatives. She then comments that, with or without the post of Assistant to the Prime Minister, steady diplomacy is needed to support an international society in which freedom and human rights are protected, and that this requires an axis of Japanese diplomacy dedicated to underpinning the liberal international order.
Global Risk and Crisis Management Program
Statement on “Efforts and Challenges Regarding the Start of Negotiations on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT)” [in Japanese]
June 17, 2024
On February 21, 2024, Professor Nobumasa Akiyama of the Graduate School of Law attended a hearing of the House of Councilors Committee titled "21st Century Warfare and Peacebuilding – Building a New International Order," specifically addressing the topic of "Efforts and Challenges Regarding the Start of Negotiations on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT)." Professor Akiyama discussed the international political environment resulting from the regulation of fissile material production for nuclear weapons and what Japan should do in response. He first discussed how and where the acquisition of fissile material for nuclear weapons should be regulated and the significance of such regulation. Furthermore, he explained the issues in the FMCT negotiations regarding the scope of regulation, the definition of terms, and the nature of verification.
Democracy and Human Rights Program
Introduction of Ms. Sascha Hannig Nuñez’s article in ” Chinese State Media’s Spanish-language YouTube Channel Has High Output but Low Influence” [in Chinese]
June 14, 2024
On February 13, 2024, an article by Voice of America (VOA) titled "Chinese State Media’s Spanish-language YouTube Channel Has High Output but Low Influence" featured an article written by Ms. Sascha Hannig Nuñez, a doctoral student in the Graduate School of Law. The article mentioned that Ms. Hannig pointed out in her paper that the three major Spanish-language YouTube channels of Chinese state-run media have produced and published many videos over the past few years, many of which contain propaganda. It also introduced that while these videos contribute to the spread of disinformation, their view counts are extremely low, and they have not had any significant influence among Spanish-speaking audiences. Furthermore, she told VOA that despite the low reach, these Chinese state-run media YouTube channels and their propaganda content still warrant caution.