Past Events

The Iran War and Implications for Japan

More than a month has passed since the United States and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran, with Iran responding by launching attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf. As geopolitical tensions rise, the future of the global economy and relations between countries may be redefined. In this webinar, moderated by Bill Hayton, Professor Koichiro Tanaka analysed the impact of the conflict in Iran, related energy issues and Japan’s strategic position in relation to the United States and Iran, as well as the potential role of the G7 in addressing these challenges.

Gallery Tour: Lines, Gazes, Landscapes

Join us for a free lunchtime tour of Hikaru Fujii’s first solo exhibition in the UK, Lines, Gazes, Landscapes, led by Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation staff.

Fifteen years after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 11 March 2011, this exhibition brings together several works by Fujii and offers a space to reflect on the ongoing questions the catastrophe continues to raise about memory, landscape, and how we look at history today.

Shrines, Kami, and the Future: Shinto in the Digital Age

This event explores how Shinto – centred on kami (deities or spirits) and shrines – continues to shape everyday life and imagination in contemporary Japan. Professor Kikuko Hirafuji will introduce the role of shrines as living spaces of practice and community, while also addressing the challenges they face in the digital age and in a rapidly ageing and shrinking society. Particular attention will be given to how forms of belief associated with animism are being reinterpreted and transformed in response to new social and technological conditions, including emerging practices such as rituals for robots.

360° VR Documentary: Eight Million Gods

Niall Hill, Lecturer in Immersive Factual Storytelling at UCL, will introduce Eight Million Gods, a new 360° virtual reality documentary, which attendees will have a chance to view. This immersive film is an encounter with people, places, and spirits of Shinto, introducing them to English-speaking audiences unfamiliar with the tradition, and tracing them into contemporary culture. The project forms the basis of a new inquiry into sacred experience in immersive media.

AI in Medical Practice

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping medical practice, with impacts already evident in diagnosis, surgery and physician performance. In this webinar, Dr Sugimoto, a distinguished surgeon at Teikyo University Hospital, discussed the current state of AI implementation in medical practice in Japan, as well as his work combining AI, virtual reality (VR) and robotics in surgical operations. Dr Stamatia then presented on AI-assisted tumour resection during robotic surgery, addressing both the opportunities and challenges, and offering insights into how AI is changing the way physicians perform surgery.

Tojo: The Rise and Fall of Japan's Most Controversial World War II General

In this talk, based on his new book ‘Tojo’, Peter Mauch gave us a nuanced look at the life and leadership of General Tojo and his role in the rise and fall of Japanese militarism. This is the first English-language biography of the controversial leader since 1961, and Peter draws on the new archival sources that have since become available, including Tojo’s own writings and the diaries of his secretaries and numerous military sources. We follow Tojo’s career as he successfully launched himself into the highest echelons of political power and negotiated fractious military rivalries.

Gallery Tour: Lines, Gazes, Landscapes

Join us for a free lunchtime tour of Hikaru Fujii’s first solo exhibition in the UK, Lines, Gazes, Landscapes, led by Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation staff.

Fifteen years after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 11 March 2011, this exhibition brings together several works by Fujii and offers a space to reflect on the ongoing questions the catastrophe continues to raise about memory, landscape, and how we look at history today.

As the number of participants is limited, we urge you to sign up quickly.

Storytelling in the Age of AI

In this talk moderated by Mattias Frey, the filmmaker and researcher Hikaru Kinouchi explored the theme “Storytelling in the Age of AI: What Changes, What Doesn’t.” Drawing on his multidisciplinary experience as a film producer and his academic background in neuroscience and the social sciences, Hikaru discussed the current state of AI in the film industry, how it is reshaping the filmmaking process, and how it is redefining the role of the creator. He also examined the relationship between storytelling and investment, why stories matter and how their value is assessed, and how AI may reshape the way stories are created and evaluated in the future.

The Donroe Doctrine and Japan’s Position in a New World Order

The post-war international order, anchored in international law, the UN charter and multilateralism, is undergoing a profound transformation with the emergence of so called ‘great power politics’ and the adoption of the ‘Donroe doctrine’ as the US’s new foreign policy under the Trump administration. Traditional security alliances and economic relations between countries are being tested, accelerating the transition away from a US-centred order. In this webinar, Japan’s former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hitoshi Tanaka, will explore what is driving change in the global order, as well as the impact of the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ on Japan and East Asia.

Japan’s Lost Decades: A Call for Fundamental Statecraft Reform

The world is gripped by geopolitical crisis, with wars intensifying and tensions in East Asia running high. For Japan, still constrained by its ‘Lost 30 Years’, the central question is how to secure national interests and achieve true renewal. The Committee to Examine Japan’s Lost 30 Years has formulated comprehensive proposals for the fundamental reform of national governance, which were presented at this lecture. The Committee contends that ‘the lost 30 years were in fact ‘the 30 years we lost’, the result of political and bureaucratic inertia. At the heart of the problem lies the absence of statecraft — the strategic, long-term management of the state.

Hikaru Fujii in Conversation with May Adadol Ingawanij

To mark the opening of Hikaru Fujii’s solo exhibition, we are delighted to host an artist talk by Hikaru Fujii, one of Japan’s most prominent contemporary artists, primarily working with film to explore the role of artistic practice within today’s social and political conditions. Hikaru will discuss with Professor May Adadol Ingawanij the ideas and inspiration behind his work.

Private View: Lines, Gazes, Landscapes by Hikaru Fujii

Join us for a private view of Hikaru Fujii’s solo exhibition at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, Lines, Gazes, Landscapes. Fujii is one of Japan’s most prominent contemporary artists, primarily working with film to explore the role of artistic practice within today’s social and political conditions. His practice is grounded in extensive historical research and frequently draws on archival materials related to Japanese imperialism and colonial occupation. This exhibition brings together several works by Fujii, shown in the UK for the first time, to examine moments in which empire and disaster appear side by side, occupying the same space.