Author: Gerhard van Niekerk This article draws on research presented at a Research Forum on Japanese Industry and Development in Africa, organised by Stellenbosch University Japan Centre and made possible by support by the Toshiba International Foundation. The virtual forum, held on the 26th and 29th of January 2024, focused on the role of Japanese…
Tag: International Relations
Earth from Space – Japan in AutumnImage captured from the European Space Agency’s Copernicus-Sentinel 3 mission in November 2023(Source: Wikimedia Commons) The geopolitics of space This article follows on an earlier discussion of the key milestones in Japan’s development of its space programme[i] and considers the wider geopolitical context within which this programme is pursued…
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Interview: Dr. Shinichi KITAOKA
Author: Sue Segar Japan has achieved modernisation and industrialisation from the 19th to the 20th century and the challenges it faced were similar to those currently faced by developing countries. For this reason, Japan –the world’s first country to modernise from a non-Western background – has much to offer in terms of its experience and lessons to…
Author: Inge Odendaal In the past year, the debate over artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted from whether to regulate[1] it to how to regulate it effectively. Governments worldwide are grappling with the challenge of establishing regulations that can keep pace with the rapid developments in AI, respect state sovereignty, and establish international norms and practices.…
Author: Cüneyt Aksoy Japan and Türkiye, seemingly very distant countries geographically, share a deeply rooted history of cultural, economic, and diplomatic relations that have advanced over the years. Although Turkish-Japanese relations have been through many phases throughout different periods and both nations’ various political iterations, it carries a friendly sentimentality reinforced with historic rescues, solidarity,…
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Japan’s New Security Policy
Author: Cüneyt Aksoy In December 2022, Japan unveiled a new National Security Strategy (NSS) [1] together with three additional defence-related documents, namely the National Defence Strategy, Defence Buildup Programme, and the new Guidelines on Maritime Security, that lays out its security strategy and defence priorities for forthcoming years.[2] The new National Security Strategy is only…
In this interview, Scarlett Cornelissen, SUJC director, engages in a discussion with ‘Japan Up Close,’ the online magazine of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The discussion focuses on the longstanding diplomatic ties between Japan and African states, and Japan’s development cooperation with Africa. There is also discussion of the implications of these relations and the…
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The G7’s 49th Summit in Japan
Author: Gerhard van Niekerk The Group of 7 (G7) will commence their 49th annual summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on the 19th of May 2023. The G7 is a multilateral forum established in 1975 with member states including some of the world’s most influential powers, namely France, the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), Germany,…