Past Events

Innovation in Space

A growing number of actors have become involved in space exploration in recent years. International cooperation is key, with the ISS showing a great example of what can be achieved when space agencies from different countries cooperate. But the present geopolitical context of growing frictions between global powers is rendering continued collaboration uncertain, and may lead to more intense competition for hegemony in space in the future. In this seminar moderated by Sara Russell, Naoko Yamazaki discussed the impact of changing relationships between the major national players on prospects for future international cooperation in space exploration, and the contribution of Japan’s innovative space programme.

From the Forge to the Kitchen: The Art & Precision of Japanese Knives

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Japanese Knife Company, this book, adorned with stunning photography, follows the journey from raw metal into beautifully made knives, crafted through centuries-old traditional Japanese techniques, and into the hands of great chefs and people who love good cooking. This commemorative book is based on the significance and reoccurrence of the number five, commonly considered a lucky number within Japanese culture. It visits five towns in Japan – Takefu (武生), Sakai (堺), Seki (関), Sanjō (三条), Tosa (土佐) – all historically famous for fine blade making by master blacksmiths who live and work there.

Japan's response to the Israel-Palestine conflict

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas represents a new shock for international geopolitical relations, coming less than two years after the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. Hamas’s attacks and Israel’s response have generated various reactions from governments around the world. Global geopolitical divisions could widen and accelerate further as a consequence of this conflict.

In this webinar moderated by Lawrence Freedman, Japan’s former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Hitoshi Tanaka discussed Japan’s perspective on and response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. He analysed the potential impact on the international order and Japan’s position in it.  Additionally, he shared his opinions about Japan’s role as this year’s G7 host and innovative diplomatic approaches that could be taken towards recent global conflicts.

Global Conflicts and Japan's Energy Security

Recent global conflicts including the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars have had major consequences for the present international order and the energy security of many countries, including Japan. The Israel-Hamas war and its potential for escalation may impact the Middle East region and its relations with counties like Japan, putting its energy supplies at risk. In this webinar, moderated by Dan Marks, Professor Koichiro Tanaka from Keio University discussed the impact of global conflicts amid possible concerns about Japan’s energy security.

Japan on a Glass Plate: The Adventure of Photography in Yokohama and Beyond

Between the twilight years of the Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1867) and the end of the Meiji Era (1868–1912) that followed it, photography offered a unique insight into the rapid transformation of Japan from an isolated, feudal society to a modern, industrialised state. In the four decades that followed the opening of the country in 1853, the camera evolved from an imported novelty into a familiar witness of daily life. Drawing from an extensive private collection assembled over many years, this book presents a unique selection of nineteenth-century photographs of Japan, many of which are published here for the first time.

Gallery Tour: Erase and See by Sumi Kanazawa

Join us for a free lunchtime tour related to our exhibition, Erase and See by Sumi Kanazawa, led by Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation staff. The tour will focus on a series of works titled, Drawings on Newspapers, and the concepts behind them, along with a new piece derived from these installations. Kanazawa uses a black 10B pencil to obliterate printed words and images in newspapers, except for those that appeal to her, either for a reason or intuitively. The remaining content is thus excised from its context to weave new stories. For Kanazawa, the erasure of context is a liberating experience, pointing up the discrepancy between an individual’s sense of time and that regulated by society. We will explore Sumi’s artistic practice, ideas, and inspiration. As the number of participants is limited, we urge you to sign up quickly.

Introduction to the Tea Ceremony and Japanese Confectionery (Wagashi)

Japanese confectionery or wagashi, also known as ‘the art you taste with your five senses’, has a long history in Japan, and is closely associated with the traditional tea ceremony. Yasuhiro Hikiami, the 4th generation proprietor of Toyama Prefecture’s famous confectionery producer Hikiami Kōgetsudō, with his superb technical ability, and the creativity that enables him to come up with unexpected and beautiful designs, is a wagashi craftsman widely trusted by tea ceremony practitioners across Japan. His talk and demonstration of wagashi-making will shed light on how these sweets are made, and the thinking that lies behind them.

車いす1000台を届けて見えたウクライナの未来

ロシアのウラジーミル・プーチン大統領がウクライナに全面侵攻して間もなく600日。元産経新聞ロンドン支局長でニューズウィーク誌日本版のコラム「欧州インサイドReport」を担当する在英16年のベテラン国際ジャーナリスト、木村正人が分かりやすく状況を解説します。ただ「伝える」ことから一歩踏み出して、日本製車いす補助具を現地に届けるお手伝いをしたことをきっかけに日本の中古車いすを整備してウクライナに届けるプロジェクトも取材と同時進行で始めることに。

Mister Timeless Blyth

Imprisoned as a conscientious objector during the first World War and interned as an enemy alien in Japan during the second, RH Blyth was a poet, a scholar, a musician, a linguist and a man of Zen who became a teacher to an emperor. Ultimately, he became the key link and mediator between the Japanese Imperial Household and the occupying American forces. He spent the better part of his lifetime building bridges between East and West and was an influence on a whole generation of American writers – Ginsberg, Salinger, Keroauc, Snyder – through his translations of Japanese haiku. He was, in many ways, a man who changed the world. Mister Timeless Blyth is his story.

Japan's Population Decline and Immigration

Japan’s population decline has accelerated in recent years. In 2022, all of Japan’s 47 prefectures reported a population drop for the first time, and the overall population decline was the largest since records began in 1968. In this webinar, Menju Toshihiro talked about the multiple factors contributing to Japan’s population decline, as well as the different measures being considered to address the issue, including immigration policies. Will Japan implement policies to encourage immigration? If so, what kind of changes will be needed in Japanese society? And what other policy responses will be needed, in both the short and long term?

Fukiko Takase Dance Performance & Conversation with Adrienne Hart

Fukiko Takase is an American-born Japanese contemporary dancer. Born in New York, she was raised in Japan by dancers Takako Takase and Katsuko Orita, growing up in studios and theatres from an early age. Over the past 15 years, Fukiko worked with Henri Oguike Dance Company and Company Wayne McGregor before becoming an independent solo artist. In this event, moderated by Adrienne Hart, Fukiko will demonstrate some pieces of contemporary dance in which she has collaborated with Adrienne Hart, and explain the concepts behind the works. Fukiko will also tell us about her dance experiences and share her love of dancing with us, along with her recent activities.

Special Video Screening: 'See Art through the Body' and '1001' by Fukiko Takase

The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation is delighted to present two dance video works by Fukiko Takase – ‘1001’ and ‘See Art through the Body’. These pieces use dynamic dance performances to interrogate human cognition and physicality in modern society.

‘1001’ explores the idea of technology and humanity and mind-body dualism, the notion that humans have a mind with free will and a body that excites mechanical movements, both existing independently and interacting with each other. In ‘See Art through the Body’, in which Fukiko collaborated with sculptor Meg Shirayama and singer and vocal performer Hatis Not, the work is a highly experimental and playful multi-disciplinary creative idea which brings together an immersive gallery experience by collaboration with an artist in gallery and museum space.