Abstract

Japan has consistently recognised the need for the creation of a regional cooperation framework in Southeast Asia. Historically, Japan had actively supported the establishment of ASEAN, as well as its expansion to ten member states in the post-Cold War era. In fact, the strengthening of Japan-ASEAN relations has become one of the cornerstones of Japanese foreign policy. Over the years, Japan has deepened its diplomatic and economic partnerships with ASEAN member states and supported the inclusion of other regional countries in various ASEAN-led cooperation frameworks. However, ASEAN solidarity and regional cooperation have been challenged in recent years by the ensuing U.S.-China strategic competition and the emergence of regional flashpoints, such as the South China Sea. These issues affect both regional and global interests and will have to be addressed by all countries in the region, including Japan. This seminar will examine the role of Japan in initiating and promoting cooperation frameworks in Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific, as well as opportunities for Japan and ASEAN to work together to foster regional cohesion and stability.

About the Speaker

Makio Miyagawa has held successive positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Legal Desk Chief, Deputy Director of the US-Japan Trade Division and of the Russian Division, Director within the Economic Affairs Bureau and Asia Oceania Bureau, Deputy DG (Director-General) of Climate Change Negotiations, DG of Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, and DG of Middle East and North Africa.

He served in the Japanese embassies in the UK and Malaysia, and in the Japanese Mission in Geneva. Currently, he holds the position of Special Advisor on National Security, National Security Secretariat, within the Cabinet Bureau of Japan. He received a D.Phil. in International Relations from Oxford University, and a BSc in Aeronautical and Spacecraft Engineering from the University of Tokyo.

He has lectured at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and at the University of Tokyo and has served as Director of the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA). He has published numerous books and articles, including “Do Economic Sanctions Work?” He received the distinction of Commandeur de L’Ordre National du Mérite (Commandeur) from the Republic of France.