On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan (1973-2013), on the morning of March 19, 2013, the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam under the Japan International Exchange Fund in collaboration with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities organized an open presentation on the topic: "Japan's new international relations with a focus on the Japan-China-US relationship and the Southeast Asian region".Attending the presentation from Japan were Mr. Yukio Saita, Counselor of the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, Mr. Inami Kazumi, Director of the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, representatives of the diplomatic mission in Hanoi and two speakers from Japan, Professor Soeya Yoshihide, Director of the Institute of East Asian Studies, Keio University and Professor Watanabe Yasushi, Department of Environmental and Information Studies, Graduate School of Communication and Politics, Keio University. On the Vietnamese side, attending the presentation were experts, scientists, researchers from the Diplomatic Academy, Institutes of China, Americas, Northeast Asia, Middle East and Africa Studies, Hanoi National University of Education 1, lecturers from the school's Faculties such as Oriental Studies, International Studies, History, Political Science and nearly 400 PhD students, graduate students and undergraduates.
On behalf of the school's leadership, in his opening remarks, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Quang Minh - Vice Rector thanked the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam under the Japan Foundation for its initiative to co-organize a presentation on such an important topic and thanked the two scholars from Keio University and interested people who attended this event in large numbers. Associate Professor Dr. Pham Quang Minh emphasized: "Since the end of the Cold War and especially since the beginning of the 21st century, the major political and security environment in East Asia has undergone tremendous changes due to the impact of the increase in traditional security issues, sovereignty disputes in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, the US's pivot to Asia strategy and the rise of China... Facing these challenges, both Japan and Vietnam must adjust their policies by strengthening cooperation with each other."
Next, Professor Yoshihide Soeya gave a presentation on The Rise of China and Japan's Responses: Implications for Regional Security and Professor Yasishi Watanabe presented on Soft Power and Japan's International Cultural Engagements. In his presentation, Professor Yoshihide Soeya emphasized: Changes in the region, especially China's policy towards the Senkaku Islands (which China calls Diaoyu) are challenging the peace and security of Japan in particular and the region in general. The implication of this challenge, according to Professor Yoshihide Soeya, is that China wants to restore the "Great Han spirit" combined with nationalism fueled by the "humiliation" when China was treated unfairly by Western countries during the Opium Wars. Second, the challenge is China’s belief that sovereignty and territorial integrity constitute China’s “core interests.” Faced with these challenges, Japan has exercised restraint and hoped that Sino-Japanese relations would be managed. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests” with China. The door is always open for Chinese leaders.” However, the obstacle and dilemma for Japan-China relations is the US-Japan alliance. In fact, Professor Soyea concluded that the peoples of Asia are facing a historical challenge brought about by the rise of China and must together find a way to survive in that system. Vietnam and Japan have many similarities in tradition and culture, the two countries share the same stance on territorial and regional disputes according to international law… Therefore, Professor Yoshihide Soeya believes that Japan and Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, need to increase mutual understanding, share consensus and have a common voice and thinking.
In the new international context, Japan's focus is on strengthening public diplomacy with the US and other countries. This was shared by Professor Yasushi Watanabe in his presentation on "Japan's Soft Power and Cultural Commitment". Professor Watanabe particularly emphasized the effectiveness of Japan's use of "soft power" through the form of public diplomacy because "diplomatic efforts to win the hearts and minds of foreign audiences are a form of soft power. Then, Professor Watanabe reviewed the development of Japan's soft power since the Meiji Restoration when the government used 1% of the state budget to support Japan's participation in the Vienna Exposition in Austria in 1873. As early as 1934, Japan established the Association for the Promotion of International Culture - the predecessor of the Japan Foundation today. Since World War II, Japan's cultural diplomacy strategy has gone through four main stages: "Negative Exceptionalism" (1945-1954), "Historical Relativism" (1955-1963), "Positive Exceptionalism" (1964-1983) and “Universalism” (since 1984). Currently, the focus of Japan’s cultural diplomacy is to be proactive and share experiences. In this field, Japan and Vietnam have close cooperation, a vivid example of which is the program “Tuoi Teen Hong” (Pinky Teen) in collaboration between NHK World and HTV3 Television Program. After the presentations of the two professors, Vietnamese experts, Associate Professor Dr. Hoang Khac Nam (Faculty of International Studies), Professor Nguyen Thiet Son (Institute of American Studies), Associate Professor Dr. Pham Quy Long (Institute of Northeast Asian Studies) commented and discussed the issues that the two scholars had just presented. Many professors, scholars, researchers, lecturers and students also had the opportunity to comment, discuss and share opinions around the topics presented by Professor Dr. Yoshihide Soeya and Professor Dr. Yasushi Watanabe. Many opinions say that in the face of new changes in international relations, Japan needs to adjust its foreign policy, playing a more positive, proactive and constructive role for peace and stability in the region and the world.
At the end of the discussion, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Quang Minh once again thanked Professor Yoshihide Soeya and Professor Yasushi Watanabe and the Japan Foundation Center for International Cultural Exchange for the useful and interesting discussion. As a training and research institution, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities pledges to be more active in cooperating with Japanese universities and experts to develop “second channel diplomacy”, contributing to understanding between peoples, for peace and friendship.
