PRESS CONFERENCE
Nishihara Haruo, Chairman, Organization to Promote Peace in East Asia and former President of Waseda University
Akashi Yasushi, Former UN Under-Secretary-General
Taniguchi Makoto, Former Ambassador to UN and former Deputy Secretary-General of OECD
14:00-15:00 Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.
"Avoiding War in East Asia"
As 2021 turned into 2022, many political commentators predicted that tensions between the United States and China, particularly over Taiwan, would be the key risk for East Asia. Beijing has made clear its unhappiness with U.S. President Joe Biden's new defense bill, which includes stronger congressional support to defend Taiwan. Beijing's territorial claims over almost all of the South China Sea have triggered sharp political rows and a buildup of military forces in the region. Japan, wary of conflict in its backyard, is shoring up its defenses on its southwestern islands. Countries in Asia, such as Myanmar and the Philippines, are feeling the pressure to take sides.
Amid rising fears of conflict, 18 elderly Japanese intellectuals, all of whom aged above 85, founded the Organization to Promote Peace in East Asia in 2020. They have direct memories of the ruinous impact of World War II, and are worried that the world was heading in the same direction.
The group includes Nishihara Haruo, former Waseda University president; Fukuda Yasuo, former prime minister; Ebisawa Katsuji, former NHK president; and Ishihara Nobuo, former deputy chief cabinet secretary. Their proposal is straightforward: that a declaration be issued to renounce war, while "overcoming all rivalries to ensure the solidarity of mankind and to avoid the crisis of humanity's extinction."
How to attend:
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, the name of your media outlet, and FCCJ membership number. Due to space restrictions attendance will be limited to 20 people. Doors open 15 minutes before the event. Please sign in, giving your name and contact details at the reception, and have your temperature taken before proceeding.
How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live
Livestreaming of the press events will be available and video of this event will be uploaded to our FCCJ YouTube channel.
How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/rhs8nxZMX2u8KjWU7
Members watching the event online can submit questions for the speakers in advance using this submission form (English only).
TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. There will be five positions available for livestreaming.
Professional Activities Committee