The 160th Anniversary of the France-Japan Diplomatic Relations: A New Strategic Partnership
Practical information
The year 2018 marks the 160th anniversary of Franco-Japanese diplomatic relations. This is the occasion to reflect upon the achievement of the partnership so far, but also to look ahead and discuss how the bilateral relationship can grow even closer in the future.
The conference will be organized around two roundtables, with two French and Japanese institutional speakers opening the debate, and two experts discussing the topic. The panels will address important issues considered by France and Japan as a priority to deepen their dialogue, in an unstable international context. In particular:
- Global governance: evolutions and challenges. In 2019, Japan will host the G20 Summit for the first time, and France will chair the G7 Summit. As the post-1945 world order is being challenged, how do Japan and France envision the future of global governance and multilateralism?
- Security cooperation stretching from Asia to Africa. Both France and Japan are seeing a convergence in their security interests, whether related to the geostrategic environment in the Indo-Pacific region, or to peacekeeping in Africa. How could both countries further their partnership in security-related areas?
On this occasion, Ifri publishes two parallel articles offering French and Japanese perspectives on the bilateral security partnership. Michito Tsuruoka’s analysis of Japanese point of view is available here.Celine Pajon’s analysis of French point of view is available here.
The conference will be held in English.
PROGRAMME
9:15-9:45 - Introductory remarks: The Vibrant Strategic Partnership between France and Japan
- Thierry de MONTBRIAL, Executive Chairman of Ifri
- Masato KITERA, Ambassador of Japan in France
- Louis SCHWEITZER, Special Representative of the Minister of European and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic for France-Japan Partnership
9:45-11:15 - Panel 1: Ahead of the 2019 G7 and G20 Summits: Joint Reflection on Global Governance
Chair: Jean-Raphaël PEYTREGNET, Asia Desk Officer, Centre for Analysis, Planning and Strategy, French Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs
- Shu KAWANO, Director, Policy Planning Division, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Kevin MAGRON, Head of the Task Force for France’s 2019 G7 Presidency, French Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs
Discussant: Bertrand BADIE, Professor, Sciences Po Paris
Discussant: Akiko FUKUSHIMA, Professor, Aoyama Gakuin University
11:15-11:30 – Coffee Break
11:30-13:00 - Panel 2: Facing Growing Risks: The Expansion of Security and Defense Cooperation, from Asia to Africa
Chair: Alexandre ESCORCIA, Vice-Director, Centre for Analysis, Planning and Strategy, French Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs
- Captain Keizo KITAGAWA, Director of National Security and Strategic Studies Office, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Command and Staff College
- Colonel Michel POLEDRI, Head of Asia-Oceania, South America Bureau, DGRIS, French Ministry for the Armed Forces
Discussant: Céline PAJON, Research Fellow, Center for Asian Studies, Ifri
Discussant: Michito TSURUOKA, Associate Professor, Keio University
13:00-13:15 - Concluding Remarks: Tomohiko TANIGUCHI, Special Adviser to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Related Subjects
Other events
The Future of Space Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities in the Trump II Era
The policy orientations of the Trump II administration profoundly challenge the foundations of international cooperation in space science and exploration. This shift reflects a broader trend of strategic disengagement and weakening of multilateral mechanisms in the space domain.
Strategic Autonomy and Asia amid Rising Geoeconomic Competition
Amid growing strategic and geopolitical uncertainty, Europe is grappling with the notion of its strategic autonomy. For Europe’s partners in Asia, the concept is also becoming increasingly salient as the world enters an era of structural transformation.
France-Germany, The Engine Under Pressure
Faced with a profoundly disrupted strategic and economic environment, Franco-German cooperation is more than ever the central pillar of Europe's future. The war in Ukraine, energy and technological dependence, and uncertainty about the strength of the transatlantic ties require urgent deepening of European sovereignty, both in terms of defence and economic and industrial competitiveness.