Press Releases
Foreign Minister Kono Attends Dinner Reception to Mark the Launch of IISS Japan Chair
1. On June 5, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, attended a dinner reception held in Tokyo to mark the official launch of Japan Chair at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
2. Minister Kono gave a speech on behalf of the guests in attendance. He expressed his congratulations on the launch of a Japan Chair at IISS, a globally influential think-tank, as well as his hope that an excellent person will be selected to serve as the Japan Chair, and communicate to the global policy community as a major hub of Japan studies.
(Reference) IISS Japan Chair
(1) IISS is a private sector think-tank headquartered in London and established in 1958. IISS mainly tackles international issues, particularly those related to security. It also organizes the Shangri-La Dialogue and Manama Dialogue, and publishes The Military Balance. The current IISS Director-General is Dr. John Chipman.
(2) In March this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan contributed 896 million yen (8 million US dollars) to IISS for the establishment of a Japan Chair for research related to Japanese foreign and security policy. IISS is currently in the process of selecting the Chair.