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

Why Now? Putin Visits a Disputed Island

In August 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the disputed island called Etorofu in Japanese (Iturup in Russian) for the first time. Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi criticised Putin’s visit as ‘absolutely unacceptable’. The two countries have been locked in a territorial dispute over the islands since the end of the Second World War. Why has Putin chosen to visit now? In this webinar, the speakers will explain the current status of the Northern Territories dispute, explore the potential reasons behind President Putin’s visit and discuss its implications for Russia–Japan diplomacy and security in Northeast Asia.

Private View: Spirit of Automatism

Join us for a private view of Meiro Koizumi’s solo exhibition at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, Spirit of Automatism.

One of Japan’s most prominent contemporary artists, Koizumi is internationally acclaimed for video installations that explore socio-political issues through re-enactment. Touching on themes of collective memory, war and psychological impact, he is concerned “to capture the forms of the violent rituals that support rational modern civilisation at a deep level”. This exhibition combines video, sculpture and drawing to convey Koizumi’s idea of the automated human – a person who acts unconsciously, as if deprived of their own free will.

Meiro Koizumi in Conversation with Professor Anselm Franke

To mark the opening of Meiro Koizumi’s solo exhibition, we are delighted to host an artist talk by Meiro Koizumi. He will discuss with Franke Anselm the ideas and inspiration behind his work.

Koizumi is internationally acclaimed for video installations that explore socio-political issues through re-enactment. Touching on themes of collective memory, war and psychological impact, he is concerned “to capture the forms of the violent rituals that support rational modern civilisation at a deep level”.

Shinya Tsukamoto in Conversation with Professor Alastair Phillips

In this webinar, moderated by Professor Alastair Phillips, acclaimed filmmaker Shinya Tsukamoto will discuss his latest film, Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?, which recently received the Leoncino d’Oro Award at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. He will share insights into his work, the concepts and background behind the film’s creation, as well as the inspiration behind the work.

Can Cherry Trees Bring Hope to Ukraine?

Masatoshi Asari, a 95-year-old Japanese cherry-tree creator who has spent more than 50 years sending sakura overseas, will make his final ‘gift of peace’ next spring when his ornamental cherries go to Ukraine in 2027, five years after the war started. Throughout his life, Asari has regarded cherry blossoms as symbols of peace, friendship and reconciliation.
How can Japanese cherry trees support humanitarian activities in Ukraine, a country devastated by war? Can cherry trees be a testament of hope there? Tracing the human stories behind the trees, this talk will explore these questions.

Japan's Intelligence Reforms

Japan, long known as a ‘spy paradise’, is reconstructing its intelligence capabilities. In a narrow sense, this can be understood as the continuation of a gradual trend of Japan ridding itself of restrictions that limited the state’s role in national security over the post-war era. In a deeper sense, its implications have to do with the measure of the nation’s political health and the expression of its collective subconscious. In this seminar, Dr Philip Shetler-Jones will explain proposed legal and institutional changes, and what this says about the direction of Japanese society, its threat perceptions and the demands the current international environment makes on Japan.