Section 4 Efforts to Promote Understanding and Trust in Japan

1 Strategic Communications

(1) Initiatives in Strategic Communications

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is implementing strategic communications based on the three-pillar approach of (1) making further efforts to disseminate Japan's policies, initiatives and views, (2) sharing Japan's rich and varied attractiveness, and (3) expanding the circle of people with a great affinity toward or knowledge of Japan, while enhancing the capabilities of its overseas missions, which are on the frontlines of public diplomacy. Regarding pillar (1), MOFA focuses mainly on promoting public understanding of Japan's contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in the international community, and the maintenance and strengthening of the international order based on the rule of law, as well as on enhancing public awareness of issues concerning the recognition of history and territory/sovereignty. In particular, MOFA is actively communicating Japan's positions and viewpoints through opportunities such as daily press conferences, interviews, contributions of articles, and speeches at official visits to foreign countries and international conferences by the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, and other government officials. Japan's diplomatic missions overseas are also actively communicating to the governments of assigned countries, their citizens and the media on Japan's positions and viewpoints on a range of subjects including the recognition of history and territory/sovereignty. When foreign media outlets publish reports that include factual errors, MOFA promptly sends rebuttal pieces or provides explanations under the name of ambassadors, consuls-generals or the Press Secretary of MOFA to ensure that media reports are made based on objective facts. In addition, MOFA actively communicates with the public via social media and websites, while creating publicity materials such as videos on Japan's foreign policy and utilizing them in a variety of forms. Furthermore, in order to make Japan's basic positions and viewpoints on policy issues understood, it is also important to enhance coordination with experts and think tanks. From this perspective, MOFA invites influential experts and media personnel to Japan from abroad, and provides them with opportunities to exchange views with various people including Japanese government officials, as well as to visit various places around Japan for study tours and to conduct interviews. MOFA dispatches Japanese experts abroad, while extending its support for Japan-related seminars conducted by overseas research institutions.

“Contribution to International Peace (Mindanao, Philippines),” promotional video on Japanese policy (released on November 11, 2020, on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' YouTube channel and broadcast by CNN International)

In 2020, amidst the continued spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) without any prospect of the pandemic coming to an end, MOFA actively communicated the situation in Japan as well as its initiatives, so as to ensure that the international community gains an accurate understanding. It has also put effort into online initiatives with a view to overcoming restrictions under the COVID-19 situation. For collaborative projects with overseas research institutions and invitational/dispatch projects in particular, it has actively implemented feasible initiatives that do not involve physical interpersonal exchanges, such as online seminars (webinars) and exchange programs.

By taking advantage of various opportunities and utilizing various tools, Japan is also engaged in efforts to strategically communicate information about matters on the recognition of history, including the issue of the so-called “comfort women” and various issues on Japan's territory and sovereignty. In addition, for baseless criticism of the Rising Sun Flag, accurate information about the flag is provided in a variety of forms, including making multi-language explanatory materials available on MOFA's website to gain understanding from the international community.¹

Concerning pillar (2), “sharing Japan's rich and varied attractiveness,” a variety of efforts involving public relations and cultural projects are being made mainly through diplomatic missions to promote understanding and support for Japan, which will also lead to promote inbound tourism in the post-COVID-19 world. Cultural projects have been conducted by diplomatic missions around the world and the Japan Foundation (JF), and the 14th Japan International MANGA Award was organized in cooperation with MOFA. Also, the attractiveness of all regions of Japan was communicated through various means including social media. While many projects have been postponed alongside the suspension of mass gatherings and the cross-border movement of people around the world in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, special programs have been conducted through online media with the aim of maintaining and further developing Japan's ties with the world through culture.

Concerning pillar (3), “expanding the circle of people with a great affinity toward or knowledge of Japan,” MOFA has been making various efforts to promote people-to-people and intellectual exchanges, and Japanese language education. The efforts include youth exchange programs, utilizing online communication tools etc., with the Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean under Japan's Friendship Ties Programs. MOFA also provides support for Japanese studies at universities and research institutions in major countries around the world. To ensure the success of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games (the TOKYO 2020 Games) that have been postponed to 2021, the “Sport for Tomorrow (SFT)” program has been launched to contribute to the international community through sports. Moreover, Japan has worked on initiatives in cooperation with people in the country and abroad to preserve tangible and intangible cultural heritage throughout the world and to promote the inscription of Japan's cultural heritage on the World Heritage List and the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

MOFA will continue to make strategic and effective use of initiatives in accordance with the abovementioned three pillars, in order to enhance Japan's communication and contribute to the realization of its foreign policy and national interests, through opportunities such as the TOKYO 2020 Games.

• 1 Explanatory materials concerning the Rising Sun Flag are available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here: https://www.mofa.go.jp/a_o/rp/page22e_000892.html
  

(2) JAPAN HOUSE

MOFA has established JAPAN HOUSE overseas communication hubs in three cities, namely São Paulo (Brazil), London (UK) and Los Angeles (U.S.). The purpose is to attract a wide range of people, including those who were not necessarily interested in Japan previously, and to enlarge the base of the people who are interested and well-versed in Japan by communicating Japan's rich and varied attractiveness as well as its policies, initiatives and views.

JAPAN HOUSE promotes effective communication by (1) communicating through “All-Japan” efforts by the central and local governments, private sectors and other actors, (2) promoting outreach that reflects the needs of local communities, and (3) providing a “one-stop-service” where various information related to Japan can be obtained from one location.

Exhibitions at each JAPAN HOUSE aim to communicate the very best of Japan. In addition to locally designed exhibitions which are independently organized by each hub, JAPAN HOUSE conducts touring exhibitions that are selected by experts from public proposals in Japan, and exhibited at all three hubs. In this way, JAPAN HOUSE works to provide highly-qualified exhibitions by leveraging the knowhow of experts both in those hub cities and in Japan. In addition to exhibitions, Japan's diverse attractions, including traditional culture and arts, advanced technology, nature, architecture, food and design, as well as its policies, initiatives and views, are also widely disseminated through other formats such as lectures, seminars, workshops, webinars, merchandise, food and beverages, books, websites and cafés. In 2020, the JAPAN HOUSE hubs were temporarily closed from March under COVID-19 measures. However, even while they were physically closed, they strengthened online communication and continued to implement projects.

(3) Reports by Foreign Media on Japan and Communications through Foreign Media

Regarding the reports on Japan by foreign media in 2020, their focus was centered on topics such as the conclusion of economic agreements including the Japan-UK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Japan-UK EPA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, the first Japan-Australia-India-U.S. Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Japan, Japan-U.S. relations, Japan-China relations, response to North Korea, domestic politics and economy including the inauguration of the new Cabinet, as well as Japan's COVID-19 response and border control measures.

MOFA actively provides foreign media with timely information and offers assistance with press coverage in order to gain understanding and support from the international community on Japan's policies, initiatives and views. Communication through foreign media includes interviews with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, regular press conferences by the Foreign Minister (also livestreamed online in Japanese and English), and the provision of information to correspondents in Japan via briefings, press releases, press tours and other means. MOFA makes efforts to achieve strategic and effective communications by providing information in a timely manner based on the diplomatic schedule.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there were fewer opportunities for the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to make overseas visits. Nevertheless, ahead of his visits to Viet Nam and Indonesia in October, Prime Minister Suga argued for the restart of travel in a way that strikes a balance with COVID-19 measures and for cooperation toward the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, among other matters, in his contribution to Viet Nam's “Thanh Niên” newspaper and interview with Indonesia's “KOMPAS” newspaper. Ahead of the G20 Riyadh Summit hosted by the Government of Saudi Arabia in November, Foreign Minister Motegi agreed to an interview with the Pan-Arab newspaper “al-Sharq al-Awsat,” in which he called upon G20 to take the lead in establishing the international order in the post-COVID-19 world.

In 2020, Prime Minister Suga contributed articles and held interviews twice, while Foreign Minister Motegi contributed articles and held interviews for a total of six times. Additionally, Prime Minister Suga held one press conference for domestic and foreign press during his overseas visit.

MOFA also provided information to foreign media through the Press Secretary and other means, and held press briefings for local media during Prime Minister Suga's visits to Viet Nam and Indonesia in October. With regard to COVID-19 response, a total of 22 press conferences and briefings for foreign media were conducted in order to provide accurate information on Japan's situation and measures within and outside Japan in a timely and appropriate manner.

In regard to invitations for foreign media to visit Japan, MOFA invited foreign journalists to Japan individually and in groups to enhance their understanding on East Asia's security environment and to publicize the TOKYO 2020 Games, and others. As for invitations to foreign television crews, a television crew from Poland was invited to Japan to produce a special program commemorating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Poland. By creating an opportunity to cover the story of how Polish orphans were rescued a century ago in Tsuruga City of Fukui Prefecture as well as in Tokyo, and through other efforts, MOFA conveyed the message of friendly relations between Japan and Poland, a strategic partner of Japan that holds great importance in the context of V4² + Japan cooperation as well. As a follow-up to the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, a television crew from Senegal was invited to Japan to cover and publicize the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) process and Japan's initiatives toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Even under the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities were created for foreign media to carry out online press coverage on bilateral relations and other themes.

• 2 Visegrád Four (V4) (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland)

(4) Information Provision through the Internet

MOFA has been actively engaged in providing information through the Internet, such as the MOFA websites and social media, in order to gain better understanding and draw further support of people inside and outside Japan on Japan's foreign policy. As face-to-face diplomatic activities were significantly constrained in 2020, efforts were made to provide information in new ways through the Internet, such as online live streaming of the regular press conferences by the Foreign Minister.

Considering MOFA's English website to be an important tool for public diplomacy, MOFA has been enhancing its efforts to provide information in English on Japan's foreign policy concerning such subjects as territory and sovereignty, recognition of history, and security, as well as Japan's position on international affairs and Japan's various appeals together with attractive features of Japan's diversity. MOFA has also been working to provide information in local languages through the websites of Japanese embassies, permanent missions and consulates-general overseas.