Events category: Annual Seminar Series

1 January 2020

Beyond Coronavirus

The novel coronavirus outbreak has shocked the world, severely impacting societies and economies in countries across the globe with the UK and Japan being no exceptions; this year can thus be considered a major historical turning point. Our Annual Seminar Series will examine the world beyond coronavirus from various different perspectives, including the global order, globalisation, human mobility, new technological developments, and changing society and work styles. We will also invite a number of creative experts to discuss the future of museums, design, and architecture, and consider how these areas can find new sources of inspiration and imagination.

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3 June 2020

Leadership in crisis: does gender matter?

Unprecedented challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic have tested the leadership of organisations, companies and countries around the globe. In this webinar, we discussed leadership in times of crisis, and asked the questions: ‘What are the key elements in successful leadership in crisis?’ and ‘Does gender matter?’. Avivah Wittenberg-Cox shared examples of female crisis leadership and discuss what their responses have in common. Yumiko Murakami, Head of the OECD Tokyo Center, shared the OECD’s analysis on the role of trust in government, how gender diversity can impact the policy-making process and addressed the provocative question: does “female” leadership work better in time of crisis?

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11 November 2019

The Technology Revolution in Education

Recent technological innovations have enabled the proliferation of new educational tools and created new ways to deliver educational content globally. These technologies are having a profound impact on society by extending access to education and improving the quality of learning. Moreover, they are expected to extend the frontiers of traditional learning methods, prompting innovation in education systems around the world. Professor Jakob Ravn explained the importance of technology in education, including the impact of technology on learning, and how digital innovation is changing the educational ecosystem. Professor Takehiko Kariya discussed the limitations of the new approaches, and the necessary preconditions that need to be considered to apply them in the Japanese environment.

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29 October 2019

The Challenge of Migration in the UK and Japan

Migration has become one of the most prominent global issues of the 21st century. In the UK, the possibility of a no-deal Brexit in October this year might severely impact low-skilled migration, while in Japan some see migration as an important potential solution to the imminent demographic challenge the country is facing. In this seminar chaired by Professor Brad Blitz, two speakers explained the current migration situation in the UK and Japan. Dr Heather Rolfe focused on low skilled migration in the UK, and Dr Nana Oishi then presented the growing ‘brain drain’ phenomenon in Japan.

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17 October 2019

Digital Technologies and Global Innovation

Innovation bringing global change can emerge from anywhere in the world. Recent innovations in digital technologies applied to new business models, such as FinTech and digital payments, have started to generate significant benefits for our economies and societies. These technologies are expected to expand the frontiers of traditional financing systems. In this seminar, Soumitra Dutta explained how digital technologies are expected to impact global innovation. Makoto Goda explained the impact of digital transformation in the context of local economies, as well as presenting some examples of local currency applications in Japan. Finally, Ben Brabyn talked about the innovation ecosystem in London, and how to apply a similar model to other cities.

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1 July 2019

The role of design in a new digital era

Over the past 35 years, information has become increasingly digitalised, and this has also transformed the realm of design. In the digital era, design plays a crucial role in creating a more resilient, resourceful and sustainable society. Businesses across all industries rely on design and branding to improve their operations and respond to changes in culture, society and markets, while institutions frequently use design to express their cultural and historical values. This seminar explored the role of design and innovation and its impact on society.

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21 June 2019

Digital technology as a bridge between art and society

The rapid evolution of digital technology is re-shaping traditional ways of practising both science and art. Technology provides an interception point that brings together these fields, generating beneficial interactions that support innovation and transformation. In this seminar chaired by Ghislaine Boddington, we explored the symbiotic relationship between digital technologies, art and science, and look at the implications for society.

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11 June 2019

The 5G Global Race: Where do Japan and the UK stand?

The global race towards the next generation of computer and phone networks, known as 5G, has already begun. 5G is expected to support a future of robots, autonomous vehicles, AI and many other technologies; however there are also concerns of espionage and data vulnerability and governments are currently deciding the best strategy for deploying the technology. This seminar looked at 5G, discussing the potential applications of the technology and the implications for society, the current 5G global competition and the UK government’s attitude towards it.

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30 April 2019

Populism in Japan

Japan seems to be a relatively stable democracy at a time of rising populism around the world. Japan has successfully advanced free trade initiatives in the Asia Pacific region and with Europe and Shinzo Abe is soon to be the longest-serving prime minister in the country’s history. Yet, it by no means follows that Japan is immune to populistic impulsions. This event explored how populism plays out in public discourses across society, politics and foreign relations in Japan today and how the case of Japan can be situated in a global context.

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28 March 2019

What Brexit Means for Japan

As Brexit day on March 29th approaches, Japanese companies based in the UK have started preparing for a no-deal scenario. The trend of shifting some operations out of the UK seems to be gaining momentum among Japanese companies, which may have a long-term effect on UK-Japan commercial relations. In this seminar, Professor Ken Endo of Hokkaido University analysed the impact of Brexit on UK-Japan relations and EU-Japan relations. Grant Lewis, of Daiwa Capital Markets Europe Ltd, then explained the economic impact of Brexit from a UK perspective.

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