Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mahathir, who visited Japan to attend the Japan-Asian Summit, gave an interview to NHK on December 15 and stated that while Southeast Asia has become a site of intense conflict between the United States and China, Japan has set itself apart from both countries.

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.

At the invitation of Professor UEKI Yasuhiro of the Sophia University, following the introductory statement made by Ms. NEMOTO Kaoru, Director of the UN Information Office in Tokyo, Professor HASEGAWA spoke about the successful peacebuilding carried out by the national leaders with the assistance of the United Nations.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa, Executive Director for the Academic Exchange of the United Nations Association of Japan, Distinguished Professor of the Kyoto University of the Arts, and Former Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations (Timor-Leste) made a presentation of his views to senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on March 28, 2023. Please click here for more information.

Golden Week greetings from my daughter Erika with her cat. May 1, 2023, in Switzerland.

In anticipation of the 30th Anniversary Commemoration of the Late UNV Nakata Atsuhiro, UNV interviewed Professor Sukehiro HASEGAWA, Former Deputy Executive Coordinator of the UN Volunteers Programme. For more details of the interview, please click here.

As part of the final task of my life, I have made my tombstone. As a kokorozashi, I carved “the aspiration of peacebuilding is the spirit of harmony.” Mr. Stephen Kinloch and Mr. Ken Inoue, who have been engaged in peacebuilding activities worldwide as staff members of the United Nations, visited the site.