In his opinion article contributed to the New York Times on 3 March, former British Prime Minister Blair finds the Trump revolution is partly economic, but mainly cultural, and suggests that the center needs to develop a new policy agenda that shows people they will get support to help them through the change happening around them.

　Thakur points out the risk of falling victim to the Thucydides Trap, while Hasegawa warns the continued defiance of Kantian imperative and freedom will lead to armed conflict.

　Thakur believes Guterres is ready to stand up to Trump.

　At a reunion dinner organized by Mr. Takayuki Uno, nine former students expressed their appreciation of Professor Kitamura`s inspirational approach in education.

　Former Senior Vice Rector of the UN Univerity and UN Assistant Secretary-General, Professor Ramesh Thakur of the Australian National University advises “Not just Japan, but others too will have to conduct a more self-reliant diplomacy to cope with the ‘America First` administration.”

　Professor Hasegawa shared with the participants of training course commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Immanuel Kant`s understanding of the nature of human beings and the prospect for building “perpetual peace” among nation states.

　UN Secretary-General António Guterres expresses his concern about the decisions that are undermining the integrity of the international refugee protection regime around the world.

　At its first meeting in 2017, the Global Peacebuilding Association members presented their views on the existential threat posed by the Trump Presidency to the United Nations and the UN peace operation in South Sudan.

　President of the Global Peacebuilding Association, Sukehiro Hasegawa, explained the importance attached by the United Nations Security Council to long-term institution-building, national ownership and accountability as critical to peacebuilding in Africa.

　In an interview conducted by UNIC Tokyo Director Kaoru Nemoto on 13 January, Hasegawa shared lessons he had learned from his engagement in UN peace operations and development assistance.

　The Economist calls on Donald Trump not to abandon Afghanistan.

　Antonio Guterres calls on all to join him in committing to peace, today and every day and strive for as a human family – dignity and hope, progress and prosperity.

　Hasegawa: “Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Barack Obama have achieved reconciliation by demonstrating their magnanimity and finding more value in recognizing truth than pursing justice. Hopefully the leaders of Japan and its neighboring countries will succeed in making similar achievements.”

　At a meeting with members of the Diet of Japan, former UN Special Representative Sukehiro Hasegawa suggested a shift in emphasis in the activities of Japan Self-Defense Forces from operational to capacity building training in UN peace operations. Please click here for a summary of Professor Hasegawa`s presentation in Japanese.

　Moves toward integration, increasing economic interdependence, expansion of social networks are countered by even stronger nationalistic sentiment, historical baggage, opportunistic and politically driven policies, contending territorial claims and changing geo-political conditions.

　President of JAUNS and Vice President of Kwansei Gakuin University, Former Ambassador of Japan to Germany and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Professor Takahiro SHINYO lead a twelve-person Japanese delegation to the trilateral seminar.

　The Japanese government decided on October 25 to extend the Ground Self-Defense Force’s participation in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan by five months from November 2016 to March 2017. Please click here for a full story.

　Chief Negotiator Gusmão insists the final delimitation of maritime boundaries is a matter of principle and sovereign right.

　Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed Mr. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, the Minister Mentor and Minister of Planning Strategic Investment, as the founding father of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Prime Minister Abe took note of progress made in the Dili ferry terminal reconstruction and an agreement reached on the visit of a Japanese naval vessel to Timor-Leste.

　In his introductory address, President Kaoru Kamata of Waseda University mentioned distinguished contributions former President and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão had made to peacebuilding of not only his country but around the world. Minister Gusmão, in a commemorative lecture delivered at the University, spoke of the enduring relationship between Japan and Timor-Leste recalling that Timor-Leste’s first Meeting with Development Partners, held in Tokyo in 1999, was “an indication of the important role that Japan would be playing in building our nation.” He spoke of Japan’s impressive post –war reconstruction as “an inspiration to the world” and highlighted Japan’s industrial and technological development, trade policies, investment in quality education and cultural features, as having enabled the country to become an important world power, after being “born out of the ashes and the trauma of war.” In a press release issued by the Government of Timor-Leste, Government Spokesperson and Minister of State Agio Pereira noted that “Japan has been a consistent friend of Timor-Leste and this recent visit further strengthens our strong relationship built over many years. The conferral of the Honorary Doctorate reflects the respect the Japanese people have for H.E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and the mutual respect that characterizes the relationship between our two countries.”