Abstract

The relatively benign post-Cold War international order has ensured relative peace, progress and prosperity for many states, including those in Asia. There have been no major wars between great powers. The rights of people around the world have been increasingly recognised regardless of skin, colour, gender, religion, political beliefs, or disabilities. Today, many governments exist as a means to protect the rights of people, deriving their legitimacy from the consent of free people.

For the first time in history, the global influence of a handful of advanced industrial nations who have led the world order since the industrial revolution is shrinking. The “Global South” is rising, with Asia projected to account for 60 percent of the world’s GDP within this century. Asian states have an interest in preserving this existing rules-based international order from being upended as they have benefitted greatly from it. Today, we are seeing the existing order being challenged by rising states and global events that threaten the foundations of the international order, including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

This shift prompts a critical question – can we sustain the liberal international order that was realised towards the end of the last century?

About the Speaker

Nobukatsu Kanehara served as Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from 2012 to 2019. In 2013, he became the inaugural Deputy Secretary-General of the National Security Secretariat, a role which he held until his retirement from government service in 2019. He also served as Deputy Director of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office.

Mr Kanehara’s role in the Cabinet built on a distinguished career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he served in a number of notable positions, including Director-General of the Bureau of International Law, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Policy Bureau, Ambassador in charge of the United Nations and Human Rights. He served abroad as Deputy Chief of Mission in Seoul, and Political Minister at the Embassy of Japan in Washington.

He was decorated by the President of Republic of France with Ordre de la Legion d’Honneur.