Politics / international politics will not disappear

Politics will not disappear from this world. Why?

Not many people have a good image of politicians. Only a few people will feel pleased when hearing that one is political. So then why is this unpopular thing called politics a necessity?

This is because (1) there are always others who are different (in belief, interest, and identity) from you as long as they exist, (2) they are not gods but humans and therefore sometimes intend to do evil, and (3) the resources (time, space, energy, honour, etc.) in this world are finite. If left as they are, humans with a different order of priorities will fight over finite resources. In order to attenuate and limit their fighting within some acceptable rules (not necessarily laws), there will be a move to grope for public order. This is politics.

International politics is the inter-state version of the situation. Since there will always be other countries and because each country has its own priority and resources which are finite, politics is unavoidable.

 

How to assure the security of Japan?

International politics is like a merry-go-round. Yesterday we had the 9/11 terrorist attacks and today we have the issue regarding the Senkaku Islands. What will come tomorrow, Syria or Ukraine? How to grasp the structure behind the changing phenomena is crucial.

Now I am reconsidering the path for Japan based on the structure of politics / international politics every day. Major projects that I am pursuing simultaneously are as follows.

One project is about Japan’s Security. The project was developed in partnership with publisher Iwanami Shoten in response to wandering diplomatic and security policies after the regime change by the Democratic Party of Japan. The project has always been in my mind for these three years also personally for me as the representative editor. The book, with ninety one articles in eight volumes, has been published since the end of 2014.

 

Experience of Europe / EU and the Future of regional order in East Asia

A question deeply related to this is how to build a regional order in East Asia. As is well known, Japan is in conflict with China and Korea over territory, history, supremacy and other issues and not able to reproduce peace in the region.
So I have been thinking what is the problem in East Asia and what kind of orders can be built in light of the experience of Europe with focus on Germany and France that fought each other in the war three times from the end of the nineteenth century to the first half of the twentieth century and then established peace. Of course, there are complicated circumstances in each region and comparison is not easy, but I could derive many findings including the relationship of America and security with regional economic integration.
Above is the representative work of the effort. The photo to the right is a scene from the award ceremony for the Yomiuri Yoshino Sakuz? Prize which was given for the book (2014).

 

Radio appearances

I am expanding my activities into “glocalization” little by little by writing and talking about internationalization of care work (nursing and caring) in an era of falling birthrate and aging population, TPP (Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership) and other globalization-related topics and recently about agriculture, caring and depopulation in Hokkaido. As an extension of this direction, I wish to come back again to the basic discussion on, for example, “What is a nation?” and “What is sovereignty?”

I am expanding my activities into “glocalization” little by little by writing and talking about internationalization of care work (nursing and caring) in an era of falling birthrate and aging population, TPP (Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership) and other globalization-related topics and recently about agriculture, caring and depopulation in Hokkaido. As an extension of this direction, I wish to come back again to the basic discussion on, for example, “What is a nation?” and “What is sovereignty?”
I have a strong aspiration for these theoretical examinations but at the same time am concerned about the prospects of peace in the region. This is why I have been making efforts to create routes and messages different from those of the governments and rebuild a local order from the bottom up for these several years by organizing the Hokkaido Dialogue which gathers leaders of civil societies in Japan, China, Taiwan, and Korea for discussion of common issues. (This is the cause of my falling into disgrace with Chinese authorities in Beijing and why my blog is made inaccessible from China despite my love for the Chinese people.)

Above is the introduction of my research and other activities. At the same time, I am also making outreach efforts through my radio program: “Friday Speakers with Ken Endo” (Sankakuyama FM.) Here, I have a public talk with people who are rooted in local communities in Hokkaido and have their own messages for the country and the world. We think together about various issues through talks.
Universities are place where you can wander. Read, know, think, and cast doubt on the spectacles you wear. We as professionals will help you to be able to construct your own arguments by the time of your graduation.