Past Events

Meiro Koizumi in Conversation with Professor Anselm Franke

To mark the opening of Meiro Koizumi’s solo exhibition, we were delighted to host an artist talk by Meiro Koizumi. He discussed with Tom Denman (standing in for Prof Franke) the ideas and inspiration behind his work.

Koizumi is internationally acclaimed for video installations that explore socio-political issues through re-enactment. Touching on themes of collective memory, war and psychological impact, he is concerned ‘to capture the forms of the violent rituals that support rational modern civilisation at a deep level’.

Private View: Spirit of Automatism

Join us for a private view of Meiro Koizumi’s solo exhibition at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, Spirit of Automatism.

One of Japan’s most prominent contemporary artists, Koizumi is internationally acclaimed for video installations that explore socio-political issues through re-enactment. Touching on themes of collective memory, war and psychological impact, he is concerned “to capture the forms of the violent rituals that support rational modern civilisation at a deep level”. This exhibition combines video, sculpture and drawing to convey Koizumi’s idea of the automated human – a person who acts unconsciously, as if deprived of their own free will.

Why Now? Putin Visits a Disputed Island

In August 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the disputed island called Etorofu in Japanese (Iturup in Russian) for the first time. Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi criticised Putin’s visit as ‘absolutely unacceptable’. The two countries have been locked in a territorial dispute over the islands since the end of the Second World War. Why has Putin chosen to visit now? In this webinar, the speakers explained the current status of the Northern Territories dispute, explored the potential reasons behind President Putin’s visit and discussed its implications for Russia–Japan diplomacy and security in Northeast Asia.

Gallery Tour: 'SECOND LAW' led by Reijiro Wada

Join us for a gallery tour of Reijiro Wada’s first solo exhibition in the UK, SECOND LAW.

Reijiro Wada will be in the gallery to lead the tour, offering a special opportunity to hear directly from the artist about his work and the exhibition.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics holds that the universe is always tending towards disorder. Ultimately all structures disintegrate and no system can withstand the flow of time. This is the fundamental direction of nature. How then is it possible that life, as we know it, can give rise to things that are beautiful, sublime and have profound meaning for us?

How far does the glinting light of life reach in a chaotic cosmos?

The International Legal Order: The ICC’s Current Challenges and Future

Amid ongoing international conflicts and growing geopolitical tensions, the international legal order is facing increasing pressure. Most recently, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national, and a senior ICC lawyer, further raising concerns about the independence of international judicial institutions. This webinar explored the challenges facing the international legal order, their implications for the ICC and judicial independence, and Japan’s government response. The speakers also discussed what this situation means for the international rule of law and how international institutions can respond to growing geopolitical pressure.

Rare Earths: China’s Dominance and Japan’s Response

China holds a virtual monopoly over the global rare earths market, accounting for nearly 70% of global rare earths output in 2025 and processing almost 90% of them. In this seminar, Takahiro Kamisuna explored the history of China’s weaponisation of their dominance vis-à-vis Japan, Japan’s efforts to secure rare earths, including the recent extraction of rare-earth-rich mud from Minami-Torishima Island, and how it is working with other countries to create alternative rare earths supply chains. He also discussed potential future developments in the area.

Archaeology of the Future II

In this talk, Paris-based Tsuyoshi Tane, one of Japan’s most prominent architects, shared insights into his major architectural works, including the Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Estonian National Museum, as well as ongoing projects such as 388 FARM and the new main building of the Imperial Hotel, scheduled for completion in 2036. He also shared his perspective on what architecture can be, drawing on his architectural philosophy and approach to design.

US–Japan Relations and the Asia-Pacific

For more than seven decades since 1952, the relationship between the United States and Japan has been one of the world’s strongest alliances. In recent years, the alliance has entered a dynamic new phase. In October 2025, the two countries agreed to take further steps toward realising a new ‘Golden Age’ for the US-Japan alliance, reaffirming their shared commitment to addressing evolving regional and global security challenges. In this seminar, moderated by Dr Bill Hayton, Professor Ken Jimbo examined the future trajectory of the US-Japan relationship and its implications for security in the Asia-Pacific region. The discussion also explored how the alliance is likely to evolve and how it will deal with future conflicts.

Gallery Tour: SECOND LAW

Join us for a free lunchtime tour of Reijiro Wada’s first solo exhibition in the UK, SECOND LAW, led by Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation staff.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics holds that the universe is always tending towards disorder. Ultimately all structures disintegrate and no system can withstand the flow of time. This is the fundamental direction of nature. How then is it possible that life, as we know it, can give rise to things that are beautiful, sublime and have profound meaning for us?

How far does the glinting light of life reach in a chaotic cosmos?

Isn't London a catalyst for storytelling?

In this talk, moderated by Jonathan Watkins, Taihei Soejima presented artworks that explore histories in which multiple truths coexist, employing the contrasting media of generative AI and analogue film, alongside portraiture capturing individuals in multicultural communities undergoing gentrification. He reflected on how his ‘unresolved experiences’ have been transformed into his current artistic practice, with London acting as a catalyst.

The Japanese Fiction Boom: From the publisher’s desk

Over the last few years Japanese titles have taken up half of the slots on translated literature bestseller lists. What caused this sudden wave of Western interest in Japanese fiction across all genres? This talk went behind the perfect storm of reasons that has made Japanese literature the biggest publishing trend of recent years. It also tried to answer the question of what aspect of reading experience the Western public was missing and why Japanese writers are uniquely positioned to fill that gap. What are the remaining Japanese titles that are still being overlooked? It tried to share future predictions as well.

Gallery Tour: SECOND LAW

Join us for a free lunchtime tour of Reijiro Wada’s first solo exhibition in the UK, SECOND LAW, led by Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation staff.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics holds that the universe is always tending towards disorder. Ultimately all structures disintegrate and no system can withstand the flow of time. This is the fundamental direction of nature. How then is it possible that life, as we know it, can give rise to things that are beautiful, sublime and have profound meaning for us?

How far does the glinting light of life reach in a chaotic cosmos?