The Rector of the UN University, David Malone, addressed the issues surrounding the United Nations and East Asia before the former practitioners and scholars from Japan, China and South Korea who gathered in Kyoto on December 12 for their annual seminar on the UN system.
On 6 December 2014, Professor Yuji Suzuki of Hosei University delivered a lecture at the Global Peacebuilding Academy on the relationship between Southeast Asia and China. The lecture presented a highly instructive, macro perspective of the political, social and economic changes taking place in the Asian region. (Emmi Okada)
At its annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Peacebuilding Research Association of Japan (PRAJ) on 6th December 2014, Professor Katsumi Ishizuka of Kyoei University was appointed as the Secretary-General of PRAJ. He had earlier been appointed as acting Secretary-General after the departure of Mr. Yasuki Uchiyama for his study in England. Professor Ishizuka teaches in the Department of International Business Management at Kyoei University, Japan. He obtained a PhD at Keele University, England, in 2000. His research interests include UN peacekeeping operations and peace-building. He wrote several books including “The History of Peace-building in East Timor” (New Delhi: Cambridge University Press India, 2010). The General Assembly of PRAJ re-elected Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa as its President, and it also approved that Professors Satoru Kurosawa and Takaaki Mizuno continue in office as members on the Board of Directors. Then, the Assembly elected Professors Daisaku Higashi, Eiji Oyamada and Masako Yonekawa to the new directors.
On 29 November 2014, an annual OB/OG reunion dinner was held at cafe carat. This year, it was organized by Ms. Minako Ishikawa and Ms. Yui Narikawa who are the seventh year students of the Hasegawa seminar. 34 former students kindly came and enjoyed this party. As usual, they introduced themselves and talked to each other about their recent activities. After that, Professor Hasegawa gave a presentation about his activities in 2014 as well as some messages to seminar students. He kindly mentioned the way how to survive such a globalized competitive society and how to get happiness. We also decided that the next reunion party will be held by the second year students of the seminar. All of us seemed to enjoy the dinner and miss the days of seminar activities with Professor Hasegawa. (Minako Ishikawa)
On 29th November 2014, a class union of the Hasegawa seminar class held its annual reunion in the café carat of Nakameguro, Tokyo. This party was organized mainly by Ms. Narikawa and Ms. Ishikawa who are the seventh year students of the Hasegawa seminar class. More than thirty graduates and Professor Hasegawa participated in the event. They talked about not only their good old days but also their present situation. After a pleasant chat, Professor Hasegawa made a speech entitled “How to overcome the global competitive society and how to be happy: Looking back on my activities in 2014”. He suggested that we know ourselves, especially termini ad quem of our self-actualization, with the phrases by Lao Tzu, Son Tzu and Confucius as well as Immanuel Kant. Finally, he gave us a lot of his favorite ties. As for the next class union, the second year students of the seminar will play a central role in planning and organizing. We are looking forward to your next participation and a happy reunion. (Shogo Yoshida)
On 20 November 2014, JICA held an international symposium which looked at Japan`s ODA from historical, political-economic and comparative perspectives. Professor Hasegawa called for conceptualizing Japanese aid in a global governance perspective.
At the Seoul PKO Conference held on 13 November 2014, Korean dancers performed with their fans in a superb manner.
The 2014 PKO International Conference was held at Sookmyung Women`s University Centennial Memorial Hall on 13 November 2014. At the conference organize by the Korea Peacekeeping Operations Center, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and Korea AcaSedemic Council on the United Nations System, Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa spoke about the implications of financial, troop and civilian contributions made by Japan to UN peacekeeping operations since Japan became the member of the United Nations in 1956.
Professor Daisaku Higashi, Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the Research Center of Sustainable Peace at the Institute of Advanced Global Studies, University of Tokyo, shared his experiences and thoughts on the importance of ensuring inclusivity in rebuilding states and also gave an overview of the activities of the Peace Building Commission. (Emmi Okada)
Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa delivered a lecture to international students from Afghanistan, Indonesia, Mongolia and other Asian countries on heritage of peace doctrines at Doshisha University in Kyoto. Students belonged to a seminar class administered by Professor Eiji Oyamada.
HaLuz, a student NGO in Japan (former LoRoSHIP) visited Timor-Leste for three weeks from 25 August to 13 September 2014 and enjoyed homestays in Timorese houses. (Shotaro Fujita, Hosei University)
Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa chaired a panel discussion on the senior mission leadership held on 22 October in Cairo, Egypt. Funded by the Government of Japan, the 9th AU Senior Mission Leadership (SML) course was organized by the African Union and hosted by the Cairo Regional Centre for Training on Conflict Resolution & Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA). As a mentor, Professor Hasegawa also delivered lectures on peace mission leadership, perspective of a SRCC, integrated mission planning and peacebuilding mission during his stay in Cairo for five days.
The Fourth Library Talk was opened by UNU’s Library Chief Mayako Matsui and chaired by Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa. Dr. Vesselin Popovski then outlined some key shifts that have taken place in the legislative, executive and judiciary roles of the UN Security Council since the end of the Cold War which are taken up in the new volume “The Security Council as Global Legislator”, edited by himself and Trudy Fraser (Routledge, 2014). (Emmi Okada, UNU Junior Fellow)
Mr. Charles Murigande, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda spoke at a seminar organized by the Japan Academic Association for International Peace Building held at Hosei University on September 27, 2014. In presenting his speech entitled “Rwanda 20 Years after the genocide”, Ambassador Murigande emphasized that Rwanda had been able to build one of the most stable and safest countries in Sub-Sahara Africa. (Mina Honda)
The United Nations University will hold a library talk on 10 October to discuss a newly published book, “Security Council as Global Legislator”, edited by Vesselin Popovski and Trudy Fraser (Routledge, 2014). The book will be introduced by Dr. Vesselin Popovski and commented by UNU Rector, Dr. David Malone. The meeting will be chaired by Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa.
Mr. Yoshitaka Hanada (花田 吉隆) has just returned to Japan having completed his assignment as Japanese Ambassador to Timor-Leste for nearly three years from October 2011 to August 2014. He held a conversation with Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Timor-Leste (May 2004~September 2006). Ambassador Hanada discussed economic progress and other improvements made in Timor-Leste as well as challenges faced by the country.
Twenty best and brightest Japanese students joined their counterparts from China and Republic of Korea in Xian, China, from 15 to 19 September and held a symposium and model United Nations meetings. It is sponsored jointly by the UN Associations of Japan, China and Republic of Korea and follows the fourth forum held in Sapporo last year. The students recognized the importance of universal values and principles and demonstrated their originality and commitment to promoting harmony and partnership in East Asia.
On 16 September 2014, the Presidents of the United Nations Association of Japan, China and Republic of Korea met in Xian, Shaanxi Province in China, along with the representatives of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA). They held candid exchanges of their views on the topics of “the Thoughts of Lao Tzu and the Harmony & Prosperity of East Asia”, “Buddhism Exchanges in East Asia during the Tang Dynasty” and “Prospects of Peace Building Operations and Humanitarian Challenges Ahead”.
2014 Human Development Report was launched on 24 July 2014 at the UN University in Tokyo following opening remarks by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and JICA President Akihiko Tanaka. Mr. Khalid Malik, Director of the Human Development Report Office introduced 2014 Human Development Report and pointed out the need to reduce vulnerabilities and to build resilience throghout the world.
An authors’ workshop was held in Sapporo, Hokkaido on 22 and 23 July in preparation for publication of a book, “Japan and the Developing World: Sixty Years of Japan’s Foreign Aid and the Post 2015 Agenda.” At this workshop organized by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa presented his draft chapter on “Japan and the United Nations: Its Past, Present and Future.”