Welcoming NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg: Establishing the "Center for Strategy"

2023/05/10

On February 1, 2023, a keynote speech was held at the Mita Campus welcoming Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The title of Mr. Stoltenberg's speech was "NATO and Japan: Strong Partners for a New Security Reality." From his leadership position, he pointed out the vital role of NATO amidst the destabilization of European security following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as the importance of strengthening the relationship between NATO and Japan. Subsequently, a panel discussion was held among four people, moderated by Associate Professor Michito Tsuruoka of the Faculty of Policy Management, an expert in European security studies, and joined by Professor Satoru Mori of the Faculty of Law, an expert in American foreign and security policy, and myself, an expert in Western diplomatic history. This was followed by a Q&A session with students, where we heard frank and lively questions and opinions.

Actually, this is not the first time we have welcomed a NATO Secretary General to Keio. On December 13, 2007, Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer gave a lecture at the Mita Campus during his visit to Japan. However, the level of attention this time was significantly different compared to then. Domestic and international media covered the visit extensively, and there was great interest from students and the public. This is likely because NATO's policies are drawing significant attention as the war situation in Ukraine remains deadlocked.

This time, the Japanese government also responded at the head-of-state level rather than the foreign-minister level in terms of diplomatic protocol. The day before the lecture, Secretary General Stoltenberg visited the Prime Minister's Official Residence for a summit meeting with Prime Minister Kishida. It was reported that both parties "confirmed that they would elevate Japan-NATO cooperation to new heights." Furthermore, Prime Minister Kishida conveyed that he "welcomes NATO's deepening interest and involvement in the Indo-Pacific region and, in light of this closer relationship, intends to establish an independent NATO representative office." This is a major step forward.

Since the outbreak of the war in February last year, Secretary General Stoltenberg has frequently spoken in the media, calling for the international community to unite in criticizing Russia's aggression and emphasizing the importance of supporting Ukraine. After the Cold War ended, we hoped for a united and peaceful Europe. NATO has played an important role in post-Cold War Europe for the sake of European peace and stability. Therefore, the outbreak of a major war on the European continent in this manner is a major setback for NATO—even if Ukraine is not a member—and a great tragedy for the people of Europe. Consequently, an end to the war as soon as possible is required. Such a sense of tension and a strong sense of mission were felt in Secretary General Stoltenberg's keynote speech. Additionally, Associate Professor Tsuruoka is a leading expert on NATO research in Japan; he also served as a specialist at the Embassy of Belgium and maintained close interactions with NATO Secretariat staff during his previous tenure at the National Institute for Defense Studies of the Ministry of Defense. This lecture was realized through the efforts of Mr. Tsuruoka.

By the way, this special lecture by the NATO Secretary General was held as a pre-opening event for the "Center for Strategy", which was launched on March 1 this year under the Keio University Global Research Institute (KGRI). At this Center for Strategy, I assumed the position of Director, while Professor Satoru Mori and Associate Professor Michito Tsuruoka were appointed as Deputy Directors.

In order to return the knowledge held by universities to society, the importance of university-based think tanks communicating on international issues is higher than ever. At Harvard University, the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs was established in 1973, and at the University of Cambridge, where I studied abroad for a year until last summer, the Centre for Geopolitics was established in 2015.

For a long time in Japan, there was a culture where people hesitated to discuss themes such as security and strategy at universities. On the other hand, Keio University possesses many leading experts in Japan in fields such as foreign policy, security policy, and regional studies. In fact, since the outbreak of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year, many experts belonging to Keio University or who obtained their degrees at Keio—such as the aforementioned Associate Professor Tsuruoka and Professor Yoko Hirose, also of the Faculty of Policy Management—have been active in media such as newspapers and television. Since its founding, Keio University has had a tradition of the "spirit of jitsugaku," possessing a culture that maintains a connection with real-world society while respecting an academic stance based on objective evidence. I believe the establishment of the Center for Strategy is also part of the lineage of that "spirit of jitsugaku."

Originally, this Center for Strategy was supposed to be established centered around the late Professor Toshihiro Nakayama of the Faculty of Policy Management (and Deputy Director of KGRI), who passed away suddenly on May 1 last year. Mr. Nakayama, who had experience working at think tanks and was a leading figure in policy research in Japan, was a close personal friend of Mr. Tsuruoka, Mr. Mori, and myself, and the magnitude of that loss is immeasurable. In order to honor the preparation efforts and the vision of the late Professor Nakayama, I hope to expand and develop this Center for Strategy.

Subsequently, on March 17, a lecture titled "Korea-Japan Future Generation Lecture" was held at the Mita Campus as an event of the Center for Strategy, welcoming President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea. This event was moderated by Professor Junya Nishino of the Faculty of Law, a leading expert on South Korean political research in Japan. Professor Nishino obtained his PhD from Yonsei University after graduating from the Keio University Faculty of Law. On the other hand, the South Korean Ambassador to Japan, Yun Duk-min, who is close to President Yoon, obtained his PhD from Keio University after graduating from a university in South Korea. It could be said that this lecture was born from Keio's tradition of "international exchange."

In an era where the world is becoming increasingly chaotic, there is great significance in advancing international exchange and policy research in this manner to meet the demands of society. I want to steadily nurture the Center for Strategy as a new organization that inherits the spirit of Keio University.