Australia, Japan and Regional Security in the Age of Global Terror (2004)
Friday 13 August 2004
Sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Monash Asia Institute
- Monash Institute for the Study of Global Movements
- Asialink
- Melbourne Institute of Asian Languages and Societies
Overview of project
Despite residual strong anti-Japanese sentiments following on the negative experiences of the Pacific War, since the 1970s, Australia has developed and maintained a very high level of interest in Japan. This is reflected not only in the growth of trade, tourism, investment and grassroots exchange of people, but also in the growth of the teaching of Japanese language and Japanese studies in Australian educational institutions. Recent bilateral dialogue has reaffirmed the strength of the relationship, and a number of initiatives for creative partnership. Against the background of 9/11 and the ensuing US -led 'War on Terror ', a call for both countries to strengthen bilateral relations in the area of [regional] security - a relatively underexplored aspect of Australia-Japan relations - has assumed a new importance among these initiatives. This security dialogue addresses region-wide issues (eg the US role in the region); sub-regional issues (eg East Timor, Korean Peninsula) and transnational issues (eg international crime and the threat to benign global movements, food security). The aim of the symposium is to examine cooperative activity between Japan and Australia in the context of Asia-Pacific security, and to identify further potential areas of collaboration.
The project involves two major events:
(1) Thursday 26 February 2004
Sidney
Myer Asia Centre Public Lecture
6.30 pm,
Sidney Myer Asia Centre
Special Guest Speaker: Mr Yasushi
Akashi, former Undersecretary-General of the United Nations
About Mr Yasushi Akashi
After graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1954, Mr.
Akashi studied as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Virginia,
and later at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He became
the first Japanese citizen to join the United Nations Secretariat
in 1957. He served as Ambassador at the Permanent Mission of Japan
to the United Nations, Under-Secretary-General for Public Information,
Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, Special Representative
of the Secretary-General for Cambodia and later for the Former Yugoslavia.
He was Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs until the
end of 1997. He served as President of the Hiroshima Peace Institute
from 1998 to 1999. Since 1999 he has served as Chairman of the Japan
Center for Conflict Prevention. He is President of the Council on
Population and the Japan Association for the Study of the United
Nations. In addition, he is Visiting Professor at Ritsumeikan University
and some other universities.
More biographical notes about Mr Yashushi Akashi by Ms Oino Toshiko, International Peace Research Institute, Meiji Gakuin University (PRIME).
(2) Friday 27 February 2004
One-day symposium at Monash University
The symposium will feature a keynote address and 6 invited papers.
Abstracts
The organising committee now invites proposals for papers addressing the above issues. Expressions of interest in contributing a paper should be accompanied by a 1000 word abstract, on the basis of which full papers will be requested. This invitation is not limited to the invited panel speakers.
Abstracts should be submitted to the Secretariat via email (japanese.studies.centre@arts.monash.edu.au ) by Friday 20 February 2004 for inclusion in the symposium program.
Outcomes
A volume of papers is planned for submission to a commercial publisher after the symposium.