News

On October 25, 2023, Asahi Shimbun introduced a comment by Professor Maiko Ichihara at the Graduate School of Law to the article titled, "No Matter Who is the Next President, China is the Top Priority, and the U.S. Cannot Afford a ‘Multi-Pronged Strategy.’" This article is about President Biden, who is running for a second term, and what he said in his address to the nation about competition with China, which will be a major challenge for the United States to lead the next international order in the face of growing authoritarianism and shaken democracy both at home and abroad. Professor Ichihara pointed out that Japan, which has been dependent on the U.S. since the end of World War II, must play a proactive role in stabilizing the international order as the relative power of the U.S. declines. She then commented on the importance of each Japanese person seeing this as his or her personal matter and striving to become an innovator without fear of risk.

On October 25, 2023, Asahi Shimbun introduced a comment by Professor Maiko Ichihara at the Graduate School of Law on the article titled, "‘Foreign Languages are the Gateway’ According to the President of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS), the Reason for Accepting the Afghan Teacher." This article is about TUFS' acceptance of Hasibullah Mowahed, who studied at TUFS, as a temporary faculty member. Professor Ichihara pointed out that TUFS's willingness to help others, even at the cost of time and money, is essential for developing true diversity and social problem-solving skills. On the other hand, she commented that such activities require a great deal of effort and that government support is needed to prevent university professors from becoming worn out.

Hitotsubashi University's Integrated Report was published on 24 October 2023. It included a discussion between Vice President Atsushi Yamada and Professor Maiko Ichihara (Assistant Vice President) on "Hitotsubashi Should Become a Supporting Force of the World." In this discussion, they discuss Hitotsubashi University's international strategy, its achievements, and the direction it should take in the future. The two professors emphasizes that Hitotsubashi University's international strategy and international exchange should focus on producing human resources who will be responsible for world peace and order in the long term, the university itself contributing to the sustainability of world order, and playing a role as a hub for social sciences in Asia, while maintaining and developing the three pillars of diversification, networking, and online access.

On September 25, 2023, Aljazeera featured an interview with Hnin Htet Htet Aung, a Master’s student at the School of International and Public Policy, for an article titled, "‘Still My People’: Myanmar Diaspora Supports Democracy Struggle Back Home." This article focuses on how Myanmar people living abroad are helping to sustain the democracy movement with limited international support that was spurred into action by the February 2021 military coup. Hnin Htet Htet Aung was interviewed for her actions of standing outside a Tokyo metro station with a collection box to raise money for humanitarian causes and raise awareness and empathy among her Japanese peers. She said, "Although I am in Japan personally, I always think about what I can and should do for my country. That is my responsibility to contribute to my country."

On August 13, 2023, the Asahi Shimbun published a comment by Professor Nobumasa Akiyama, Dean of the Graduate School of International and Public Policy, on the article "NPT abandons official document, Preparatory Committee closes, Russia and Iran remain opposed." The article discusses the first Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, which closed on 11 November amid criticism from Russia, Iran, and other parties in the unusual situation of not leaving the Chairman's Summary Draft as an official document. Director Akiyama commented that this showed the gravity of the international situation facing the NPT regime, with strategic conflicts such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's growing nuclear capability casting a shadow over it.

On October 16, Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law appeared in a panel, "The War in Ukraine and its Global Impact" in the international conference titled “Forum 2000: For a Democratic World Order” organized by Forum 2000. The panelists discussed what will happen in the world in the future, cooperation among democracies, and the role of the United Nations, as the effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the movement for a new international order becomes more apparent. Professor Ichihara pointed out that one positive element of Asia including Japan is the shared understanding that Ukraine cannot be given up because abandoning it would mean allowing revisionist authoritarian states such as Russia to change the status quo. On the other hand, one element of concern is that the framing of “democracy versus autocracy” remained impactful and gave an impression to the Global South that it was an ideological war. She discussed that we need to maintain liberal discourse in the international community while building good cooperative relations with other countries, including the Global South.

On October 6, 2023, CADALTV published an interview with Sascha Hannig Nuñez, a doctoral student in the Graduate School of Law, entitled ‘’The Debate over Whether TikTok is a Security Threat.’’ The interview focuses on what TikTok is, how it differs from ByteDance's other platforms, and why some countries are limiting their presence on TikTok and other platforms due to security and other concerns. Ms. Hannig explained that there is no exemption from controversy and questions, ranging from TikTok's potential to become a military tool to its ability to induce the opinions of minors, who are its primary consumers.

On September 1, 2023, Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law commented on the Asahi Shimbun article "Despite Higher World Ranking, Kyoto University Fails to be Selected for International University of Research Excellence." The article states that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced the results of the first selection for the 'International University of Research Excellence' on September 1, 2023, which aims to be a world-class research institution, and that universities like the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University were not selected. Professor Ichihara commented that if only universities with high international rankings are to receive funding, it would only strengthen existing social structures and make it difficult to make changes. Instead, we should break preconceptions and support transforming organizations and people, she points out. She also point out the issue that an article title like this could strengthen people's preconceptions.

On June 3, 2023, the program "G7 Hiroshima in Review" with Professor Nobumasa Akiyama, Director of the Graduate School of International and Public Policy, was broadcast on the International Politics Channel. The program covers the G7 Hiroshima Summit from 19-21 May, including commentary on the names of the leaders, the laying of flowers at the cenotaph, and the G7+Ukraine Summit. Director Akiyama stated that the words of Prime Minister Kishida and President Biden on the list of names lacked some resonance, but that the words inscribed on the list were of great significance in showing that nuclear weapons should not be used and what the tragedy of Hiroshima means for humanity. He also said that cooperation with Russia, China, Iran, India, and other countries is also essential to achieve the "world without nuclear weapons" that the citizens of Hiroshima expect. He further commented that President Yun's laying of flowers at the cenotaph together with Prime Minister Kishida was of great significance to the Korean hibakusha living in Japan and was also important as one of the steps towards reconciliation in Japan-Korea relations.