Thank you for helping to hold a seminar with former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Ibrahim Gambari at the International House of Japan with the assistance of International Christian University and Waseda University students under Mr. TANIMOTO Masakuni`s supervision.

President Jose Ramos-Horta of the Republic of Timor-Leste spoke online to more than 1000 participants of the SDGs Global Governance Summit 2023 Tokyo held on 6 November 2023 in Shibuya City, Tokyo. Please click here for the video message.

The Hasegawa Juku luncheon was held on October 15th, and Hiroyasu Bessho spoke about the life-work balance based on his own experience. In addition to Hasegawa and Bessho, the participants were Ayaka Mae, Masashi Kano, Naho Kano, Aya Deguchi, and her daughter Aya Ide.

Professor HASEGAWA Sukehiro spoke to the employees of the Sunny Health Corporation about the prospect for the United Nations to play like the Government of World Federation in global governance.

Father Toshiaki Koso, Pastor of St. Ignatius Church, made opening remarks at the memorial ceremony and symposium for the International Day of Peace adopted by the UN General Assembly, which were held on 21 September 2023 at the St. Ignatius Church and Sophia University, Tokyo.

The International Day of Peace was commemorated at the St. Ignatius Church of Mary Cathedral, Sophia University in Tokyo. (21/9/2023)

The scholars and practitioners debated the efficacy of the New Agenda for Peace. Please click here for the audio recordings of their remarks.

After three years of recess, the JCK Youth Forum was held in Beijing, China, from August 23 to 26, 2023. Nineteen Japanese students joined Chinese and Korean students in a series of discussions on such global issues as the need for marine environmental protection, digital technology, population aging, the role of youth in global governance, and sustainable development.

Rector Tschilizi Marwara of the United Nations held a conversation with
Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa about the state of peacebuilding
in the wake of Ukraine and Sudan.

In his opening speech to the online meeting of former UN Special Representatives and Ambassadors to the United Nations, Professor Tshilidzi MARWALA, Rector of the UN University, warned about “the weaponization of new and emerging technologies.” MARWALA also pointed out that the rapid “developments in artificial intelligence and quantum technology-related weapons systems are exposing the insufficiency of existing global governance frameworks.” In concluding his opening remarks, MARWALA echoed the call made by Secretary-General António Guterres “to explore, formulate, and present to the UN and its member states to take concrete actions to prevent the weaponization of emerging technologies and promote their responsible application.” Please click here for the full text of his opening remarks.

There will be an online discussion on Saturday, 19 August 2023, from 21:00 Tokyo time. If you are interested in participating in this event, please register by sending an email to Dr. Arbenita Sopaj`s email address: arbenitasopaj@gmail.com. Please click here for the draft details.

At the kind invitation of Ms. Noriko Nagayoshi, Executive Committee Member of AFICS-Japan, I had an opportunity to dine and chat with 10 former United Nations officials visiting Japan at a restaurant in Asakusa. They have visited countries around the world, and this year, the group came to Japan and traveled to various places such as Tohoku. While meeting them, I felt that they had a strong sense of Kizuna, or bonds with each other.

JCK orientation course was held at the Yoyogi Olympics Memorial Center on August 5, 2023. Mr. AKASHI Yasushi, GPAJ Special Advisor, and GPAJ President HASEGAWA Sukehiro delivered lectures to the participating students.

Mr. Toshiya Hoshino, a former Ambassador to the United Nations and now serving as a United Nations Inspector, and Mr. Daisaku Inoue, a director of the Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan, met with Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa on 10 July 2023 at a Thai restaurant in Geneva for lunch.

The following is a summary of statements made at the ACUNS Annual Meeting by the heads of the three academic associations of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, namely Ms. HU Wenli, Vice-President and Director-General of UNA-China, Professor YAMADA Tetsuya of Nanzan University and President of the Japanese Association of the United Nations Studies (JAUNS); and Professor Dong Ju CHOI, President of the Korea Academic Council on the UN System (KACUNS). It also reflects the comment made by ACUNS Vice President and President-elect, Professor Franz Baumann, and the concluding remarks made by Professor HASEGAWA Sukehiro, Director of ACUNS Tokyo Liaison Office and Distinguished Professor of Kyoto University of the Arts.

Professor Misako Takizawa invited Mr. Ken Inoue and me to visit the residence of the late Jiro Shirasu, who assisted Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida in dealing with General Douglas MacArthur. He is remembered in Japan for an incident in Christmas 1945 when he delivered a present from Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, to General Douglas MacArthur. When MacArthur told him to place it on the floor, Shirasu demanded a table to show respect.

The representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Komeito, Japan Restoration Party, Communist Party, and Democratic Party for the People expressed their views on the proposals for realistic and long-term reform made by Mr. Sukehiro Hasegawa, President of the GPAJ and Chairman of the Advisory Commission on Global Governance. This meeting was convened and chaired by Mr. Seishiro ETO, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of the National Diet of Japan for World Federalism. Mr. Mitsuo Ohashi, President of the World Federation Movement Association, a civil society organization, also attended the meeting. Please click here for an unofficial record of the meeting written in Japanese.

Chair of the Global Governance Forum based in Geneva and Madrid visited the National Diet of Japan on 16 May 2023 and met with Mr. ETO Seishiro and other members of the Parliamentary Committee of the National Diet of Japan for World Federalism. Please click here for a summary report of the discussion.

At the United Nations University in Tokyo, Dr. Augusto Lopez-Claros, Executive Director and Chair of the Global Governance Forum based in Madrid and Geneva met with form or ambassadors and scholars and discussed the emerging role of global institutions in the 21st century. Following Dr. Lopez-Claros` presentation on the major global crises and challenges, the participants first, discussed the concentration of material wealth and financial instability, which resulted in growing income inequality and poverty. Second, they examined the implication of rapid expansion of economic and manufacturing activities that are causing negative impacts on the ecosystem of the Earth and climate change. Thirdly, they identified intra-state and regional inter-state conflicts and wars, particularly the war in Ukraine that is polarizing the international community. To address these global challenges, the participants reviewed the need for reforming the United Nations system, particularly the Security Council. Please click here for the summary record of discussions that took place in this symposium.