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

Gallery Tour: Lines, Gazes, Landscapes

Join us for a free lunchtime tour of Hikaru Fujii’s first solo exhibition in the UK, Lines, Gazes, Landscapes, led by Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation staff.

Fifteen years after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 11 March 2011, this exhibition brings together several works by Fujii and offers a space to reflect on the ongoing questions the catastrophe continues to raise about memory, landscape, and how we look at history today.

The Iran War and Implications for Japan

More than a month has passed since the United States and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran, with Iran responding by launching attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf. As geopolitical tensions rise, the future of the global economy and relations between countries may be redefined. In this webinar, Professor Koichiro Tanaka will analyse the impact of the conflict in Iran, related energy issues and Japan’s strategic position in relation to the United States and Iran, as well as the potential role of the G7 in addressing these challenges.

AI in Education

In this webinar, Associate Professor Lui Yoshida of the University of Tokyo will discuss the current state of generative AI adoption in Japan’s educational landscape. He will explore how teachers are navigating the challenges that have emerged alongside tools such as ChatGPT, and share his perspective on the future direction of AI integration in education. Carla Aerts, former Director of Futures at UCL’s Institute of Education and Global Digital Director at Cambridge University Press, will discuss the current state of AI in education in the UK. She will explore its possibilities and challenges, as well as how AI can contribute to personalised and immersive learning, support neurodiversity, and shape the future of education.

The Takaichi Administration and Japan's Peace Constitution

Amid the Iran conflict, the United States, under the Trump administration, has pressured Japan and other allies to provide support, particularly regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution – enacted after World War II – has played an important role in shaping Japan’s response. In this webinar, Professor Koichi Nakano will explain the shifting and contested boundaries of what Japan can and cannot do under Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.

Private View: SECOND LAW

The Second Law of Thermodynamics holds that the universe is always tending towards disorder. Ultimately all structures disintegrate and no system can withstand the flow of time. This is the fundamental direction of nature. How then is it possible that life, as we know it, can give rise to things that are beautiful, sublime and have profound meaning for us?

How far does the glinting light of life reach in a chaotic cosmos?

Japanese Politics under the Takaichi Administration

Prime Minister Takaichi has marked six months in office after becoming Japan’s first female Prime Minister last October. While her approval rating among the population remains high, it is uncertain whether she can sustain this level of support in months to come. Factors such as inflation and economic and energy security may play a key role in determining this. In this webinar, moderated by Professor John Nilsson-Wright, Professor Izuru Makihara will analyse the first six months of her administration, including her leadership and policy initiatives, as well as the major challenges she faces.

The Japanese Fiction Boom: From the publisher’s desk

Over the last few years we have seen Japanese titles take up half of the slots on translated literature bestseller lists. What caused this sudden wave of Western interest in Japanese fiction across all genres? This talk will go behind the perfect storm of reasons that made Japanese literature the biggest publishing trend of recent years. We will also try to answer the question of what aspect of reading experience was the Western public missing and why Japanese writers are uniquely positioned to fill that gap. What are the remaining Japanese titles that are still being overlooked? We’ll try to share our future predictions as well!

Isn't London a catalyst for storytelling?

In this talk, moderated by Jonathan Watkins, Taihei Soejima will present artworks that explore histories in which multiple truths coexist, employing the contrasting media of generative AI and analogue film, alongside portraiture capturing individuals in multicultural communities undergoing gentrification. He will reflect on how his “unresolved experiences” have been transformed into his current artistic practice, with London acting as a catalyst.