Lecture Abstract:

The regional security environment has become increasingly challenging due to a range of factors, including China’s maritime action. The Abe administration, inaugurated in December 2012 and re-elected in December 2014, has announced to contribute more actively to the peace and stability of the region and the international community based on the “Proactive Contributor to Peace” This seminar assesses the policy of the Abe administration in the context of the changing geopolitical environment in East Asia.

About the Speaker:

Kuni MIYAKE is President of the Foreign Policy Institute, a private think-tank in Tokyo, Research Director for foreign and National Security Affairs at Canon Institute for Global Studies and a Visiting Professor at Ritsumeikan University. In 2006-7, he was Executive Assistant to Mrs. Akie Abe in the Office of the Prime Minister of Japan. Professor Miyake passed the Foreign Service Officer’s (senior class) Exam in 1977 and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in 1978. From 1978-2005, he served in many capacities at MOFA. Most recently, his positions have included: Deputy Director-General of the Middle East Bureau, MOFA; Minister at the Embassy of Japan in Iraq and Japan’s Representative to the CPA; Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of Japan in Iraq, Minister at the Embassy of Japan in China; and Directors of Japan-US. Security Treaty Division, First Middle East Division and Second Middle East Division in MOFA. He graduated from the Law Faculty of the University of Tokyo. He is married with two children.