The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Supporting closer links between the UK and Japan

Private View: Lines, Gazes, Landscapes by Hikaru Fujii

Join us for a private view of Hikaru Fujii’s solo exhibition at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, Lines, Gazes, Landscapes. Fujii is one of Japan’s most prominent contemporary artists, primarily working with film to explore the role of artistic practice within today’s social and political conditions. His practice is grounded in extensive historical research and frequently draws on archival materials related to Japanese imperialism and colonial occupation. This exhibition brings together several works by Fujii, shown in the UK for the first time, to examine moments in which empire and disaster appear side by side, occupying the same space.

The doors will open at 5:00 pm. Guests who have booked in advance are welcome to visit the gallery any time between 5:00 pm and 7:45 pm.　

Hikaru Fujii in Conversation with May Adadol Ingawanij

To mark the opening of Hikaru Fujii’s solo exhibition, we are delighted to host an artist talk by Hikaru Fujii, one of Japan’s most prominent contemporary artists, primarily working with film to explore the role of artistic practice within today’s social and political conditions. Hikaru will discuss with Professor May Adadol Ingawanij the ideas and inspiration behind his work.

Japan’s Lost Decades: A Call for Fundamental Statecraft Reform

The world is gripped by geopolitical crisis, with wars intensifying and tensions in East Asia running high. For Japan, still constrained by its ‘Lost 30 Years’, the central question is how to secure national interests and achieve true renewal. The Committee to Examine Japan’s Lost 30 Years has formulated comprehensive proposals for the fundamental reform of national governance, which will be presented at this lecture. The Committee contends that ‘the lost 30 years were in fact ‘the 30 years we lost’, the result of political and bureaucratic inertia. At the heart of the problem lies the absence of statecraft — the strategic, long-term management of the state. The proposals demand a decisive break from the status quo. They call for deep electoral reform, including a reduction in Diet members, and advocate the construction of a new framework of statecraft that unites political leadership with effective executive governance.

The Donroe Doctrine and Japan’s Position in a New World Order

The post-war international order, anchored in international law, the UN charter and multilateralism, is undergoing a profound transformation with the emergence of  so called ‘great power politics’ and the adoption of the ‘Donroe doctrine’ as the US’s new foreign policy under the Trump administration. Traditional security alliances and economic relations between countries are being tested, accelerating the transition away from a US-centred order. So what is Japan’s response? In this webinar, Japan’s former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hitoshi Tanaka, will explore what is driving change in the global order, as well as the impact of the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ on Japan and East Asia. He will discuss how Japan will reposition itself after the February Lower House elections, and what its diplomatic approach is likely to be.

Storytelling in the Age of AI

In this talk moderated by Mattias Frey, the filmmaker and researcher Hikaru Kinouchi will explore the theme “Storytelling in the Age of AI: What Changes, What Doesn’t.”

Drawing on his multidisciplinary experience as a film producer and his academic background in neuroscience and the social sciences, Hikaru will discuss the current state of AI in the film industry, how it is reshaping the filmmaking process, and how it is redefining the role of the creator.

He will also examine the relationship between storytelling and investment, why stories matter and how their value is assessed, and how AI may reshape the way stories are created and evaluated in the future.

Tojo: The Rise and Fall of Japan's Most Controversial World War II General

In this talk, based on his new book ‘Tojo’, Peter Mauch gives us a nuanced look at the life and leadership of General Tojo and his role in the rise and fall of Japanese militarism. This is the first English-language biography of the controversial leader since 1961, and Peter draws on the new archival sources that have since become available, including Tojo’s own writings and the diaries of his secretaries and numerous military sources. We follow Tojo’s career as he successfully launched himself into the highest echelons of political power and negotiated fractious military rivalries. Not only a tactical genius, but also a savvy administrator, a fierce imperialist, and a deeply loyal advisor to the emperor, Tojo reached political heights that were perhaps matched only by his precipitous fall following repeated battlefield losses in World War II. This is a riveting military history of Showa-era Japan, and a complex portrait of the relentless personality at its centre.