Soichiro Tezuka (1st-year Master's student, Graduate School of Media and Governance), a member of Professor Michito Tsuruoka's laboratory in the Faculty of Policy Management, has won the "International Bureau Officer Award" at the Liberal Democratic Party International Bureau 22nd International Politics and Diplomacy Essay Contest.
The International Politics and Diplomacy Essay Contest, hosted by the Liberal Democratic Party International Bureau, is an open essay competition held with the aim of fostering young talent and discovering policy insights in the fields of international politics and diplomacy. This 22nd contest was held under the common theme of "What Diplomatic Power is Required of Japan Now?" and received many applications. Soichiro Tezuka's essay, "Japan as a Strategic Hub: Diplomatic Power Connecting NATO and the Indo-Pacific," was awarded the "International Bureau Officer Award" in recognition of its positioning of Japan as a strategic hub connecting NATO and the Indo-Pacific region, its specific discussion of institutional significance and multilateral coordination challenges, its cutting-edge theme setting, and its high level of interest and analytical ability regarding diplomatic practice.
Award-winning Essay
"Japan as a Strategic Hub: Diplomatic Power Connecting NATO and the Indo-Pacific"
Soichiro Tezuka
Comment from Soichiro Tezuka
I am Soichiro Tezuka, a first-year Master's student, and I am honored to receive the International Bureau Officer Award. I am interested in European diplomacy and security and am researching NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). In this essay, based on NATO's increasing interest in the Indo-Pacific region in recent years, I discussed the diplomatic role that Japan can play toward NATO. Even as we enter 2026, Japan-NATO cooperation is steadily progressing, particularly in the defense and cybersecurity sectors, and its importance is thought to be increasing further. I will continue to devote myself to my research while receiving guidance from my professors.