At the 2025 Council Meeting of the Kyoto International Peacebuilding Center, newly appointed Councilor Yoriko Kawaguchi, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and Honorary Advisor of the Institute for Global Studies at Musashino University, delivered an insightful address reflecting on her international career, current world challenges, and Japan’s role in addressing them.
Kawaguchi began by introducing her background and experience, explaining how the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly altered her life. Having often represented Japan at international conferences, she observed that many Japanese politicians avoid such venues due to language barriers. “After retiring from politics, I frequently spoke on behalf of Japan in English at international meetings. Because many politicians are too busy—or hesitant to join English-language forums—I often ended up taking those roles myself,” she explained. After the pandemic, she decided to retire, continuing only modest involvement in ASEAN and China-related affairs. “When Mr. Akashi invited me to join the Council, I immediately said yes without even asking for details,” she added.
Turning to global affairs, Kawaguchi discussed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent address at the United Nations. “The sense of justice, the rule of law, and the democratic spirit that once defined America are no longer visible,” she remarked. “Even after Trump, the United States has fundamentally changed.” She warned that growing division and inequality threaten democracy itself, and pointed out that similar contradictions exist in China, where the communist system restrains economic freedom.
Kawaguchi then turned to the role of the United Nations, stating, “It is not true that the UN is doing nothing. While its security functions are limited, it remains highly effective in areas such as climate change and the SDGs.” Drawing from her experience as Minister of the Environment, she emphasized the UN’s influential frameworks in non-traditional security fields and its power to bring world leaders together for dialogue.
Addressing domestic challenges, she observed rising nationalism within Japan: “Some parties now campaign on ‘Japan First,’ and criticism is growing about public spending on foreign students. It is essential to logically clarify why global citizenship matters—otherwise, Japan’s international engagement will decline.” She urged Japan to take intellectual leadership in selected global issues and to expand cross-border learning beyond academia. Concluding, she asked a key question: “How can we cultivate adults resilient enough not to be swayed by social media?”
Her remarks offered profound reflections on Japan’s place in the world and on the intellectual foundations required for peacebuilding.
For the full transcript of her remarks and further details of the Council meeting, please see here.
(Reported by Koki IMON)
【Full Transcript (English Translation)】
Speech 1
I have already exchanged business cards with some of you, but as introduced, I currently serve as the Honorary Advisor to the Institute for Global Studies at Musashino University. Allow me to briefly introduce myself. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed my life. After retiring from parliament, I often represented Japan in international settings—listening and speaking in English at global meetings and committees. However, many Japanese politicians are too busy to attend, and even retired ones tend to avoid such meetings simply because they are conducted in English. As a result, I often found myself stepping in.
During the pandemic, I decided to retire completely and withdrew from most of my previous engagements. Currently, I continue to be involved only in two areas—ASEAN and China—but have otherwise fully retired. When Mr. Akashi invited me to become a member of this Council, I immediately accepted without hesitation. During my time as Foreign Minister, I often asked Mr. Akashi for assistance, and he always accepted my requests graciously. Remembering that kindness, I decided to say “yes” even before hearing the details.
As for the actual responsibilities, I hope to learn from all of you. Since I joined without a clear picture, I may cause some inconvenience, but I look forward to working with you all.
Speech 2
As Mr. Akashi mentioned earlier, the world is in chaos, and its future direction is uncertain. Recently, former President Donald Trump delivered a speech at the United Nations. Although I expected much of what he said, I was struck by how little remained of the America I once knew—an America that balanced national interest with justice, the rule of law, and democratic leadership. None of that spirit was visible.
Yet even after Trump’s departure, experts agree that the United States itself has changed fundamentally. You may have seen the news about the assassination of a right-wing activist—such events, and the grief they caused among his followers, reveal the depth of division within American society.
I have lived in the United States for a total of eight years. My first stay was at age sixteen, in a wonderful American household that made me fall in love with the country. The very ideals that once defined the U.S.—competition, freedom, opportunity—now seem to have turned against it. The drive for efficiency has made America powerful but also unequal: the strong grow richer while the weak are left behind. The same kind of contradiction can also be seen in China, where communist ideology unites the nation but simultaneously constrains economic freedom. Both of the world’s great powers face contradictions built into their systems.
Another issue is UN reform. I am concerned about the frequent claim that “the UN does nothing.” It is true that the UN has limitations in ensuring security and peace, but that does not mean it fails entirely. The UN plays a vital role in shaping norms and frameworks for non-traditional security—such as climate change and the SDGs. When I served as Minister of the Environment, I witnessed firsthand the UN’s powerful influence in addressing climate change. Moreover, its capacity to bring together world leaders for dialogue—prime ministers and presidents alike—is one of its greatest strengths. We must make this influence more widely understood.
Speech 3
The trends we now see in the United States and elsewhere—including Malaysia—show that national and international issues are no longer “someone else’s problem.” In Japan too, parties promoting “Japan First” policies are gaining support, and I hear that rallies for politicians like Mr. Kamiya are increasingly fervent. There is also a growing sentiment asking, “Why should our taxes be spent on foreign students?”
In this context, we must logically explain why global citizenship is necessary—and whether it truly conflicts with national citizenship. Without such clarity, Japan’s society will turn increasingly inward, and international engagement will become ever more difficult. The concept of “transnational knowledge” must spread beyond universities into society as a whole. Digital tools such as online discussions are one way to achieve this, but Japan risks falling into a gap between global time zones. For example, international debates like those on The Economist are often broadcast live in the middle of the night in Japan, leading to little participation. Because Japan and the U.S. East Coast are in opposite time zones, it is difficult for Japan to take visible leadership. I believe Japan must therefore take the lead on selected issues where it can play a central role.
Finally, I would like to pose a question: How can we cultivate adults with the intellectual resilience not to be swayed by social media trends? This is a crucial issue in modern society, and I would like to hear what kinds of discourse and approaches exist to address it.
