URL: https://apc-tokyo.localinfo.jp/posts/3544982

APC Symposium Tokyo 2017 Tasks & Prospects of Asia Pacific Center Proposal

Discussion Extract ＜PDF:92KB＞

Date: From 13:30 through 16:00 December 10, 2017

At Room 508, No.1 Bldg. Musashino University/Ariake Campus

13：30　Opening of Symposium
M.C. & Coordinators:
Akiko Moriyama (Communication & Diversity Trainer, President, Halenowa Inc.)
Sachiko Inda (Adjunct Lecturer, Language Center, Rikkyo University)

13:32 Opening Remarks
Yoichi Shimemura (Professor & Dean of Global Department, Musashino University)
Kiyoshi Nakachi (Secretary General of APC Proposal Team, Professor Emeritus of Meio University)

13：40 ～14：00 Report of the Current Proposal of APC
Choko Takayama (APC Co-Leader, Former Chief of Staff to the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture)
Teruyuki Kume (APC Co-Leader, Former Professor of Graduate School of Intercultural Communication, Rikkyo University)

14：00~14：50　Discussion
Discussants:
Keiko Yamazato (Professor Emeritus, Okinawa Christian University)
Junichiro Tsutsumi (Professor, Faculty of Engineering Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Ryukyu University)
Masamichi Mitsuma (Visiting Professor of Reitaku University)
Michiko Yamashita (Secretary General, Society of Researchers for International Development)
Kenryo Yamaya (Former Moscow Correspondent for the Hokkaido Shimbun Press)
Hisako Kakai (Professor, Department of International Communication, School of International Politics, Economics and Communication, Aoyama Gakuin University)

Summary Statement of Each Discussant

Yamazato： It is a great pleasure for me to imagine that APC will be established in Okinawa mainly for making peace for the people of Japan and the Asia Pacific Region. Most of the Asian countries are located within 4 hours of flight from Okinawa, therefore, Okinawa is located just in the center of the gigantic market of a population of 2 billion. I think Okinawa can function really well as the central point of Asia and the Pacific.

Tsutsumi: While there is an increasing need nowadays for continued intercultural dialogue among various actors, there is no such place available in Asia. In this connection, the center（APC）is necessary here in Asia. If materialized, participants from each country of Asia and the Pacific Region will get together and engage in conversations in the spirit of equal partnership, without looking up to or looking down at the other party.

Mitsuma: Taking Japan-China relationship for example, a misunderstanding of each other’s culture is creating a sort of twisted relationship. Image surveys of the Japanese peoples’ view of China have been significantly worse over the past several years. At the same time, however, more and more tourists from China are coming to Japan. After all, the key for good binational relationships seems to depend on mutual understanding of each other’ s culture. In that respect, the establishment of APC is really significant. Moreover, another concept of Ryukyu’s Cultural Sphere encircling Kyushu, the Republic of Korea, the Sichuan Province of China, Taiwan and Okinawa might add even further value to APC. It is extremely important for all of us to create the concept of peace and interact with each other by respecting the unique history and culture of each nation and region.

Yamashita：While this is a proposal on a gigantic scale, it actually lacks in concrete plans and I cannot see a path toward the materialization of APC. In order to procure the funding from the national government, you need to depend to a great measure upon what extent the Okinawa prefecture can advocate for it with enthusiasm. For gaining the funding and financial support from other sources than the government, you will need to develop and carry out specific programs for the international students currently studying in Okinawa. Then, I am sure they will recognize, understand and even endorse your endeavor.

Yamaya: In our country, there is no major think tank independent of the government, and people of Japan are likely to be sensitive to the bottom-line control of the central government. I personally wish that the proposal will materialize in such a way that is at least half free from the control of the central government. There was a horizontally conceptualized chart of the major activities of APC in the proposal. Here, let us change the horizontal chart into three-dimensional circular cone. I would suggest you place the conflict resolution mediation on the top of the cone. I believe this function should be considered as the most important function of APC.
Under the San Francisco Peace Treaty between the U.S. and Japan, Takeshima (Dokdo) Island and Senkaku Island remained somewhat ambiguous. The same is true of the northern islands. On these territorial issues you could establish a satellite station of APC somewhere in Hokkaido, perhaps Sapporo, Nemuro, or even Kunashiri or Shikotan in the northern islands, and continue significant dialogue. In such a situation you could invite scholars as well as professionals and business people not only from Russia but also from the U.S. State Department. It is critical for them to get live, raw and uncooked information from those who are familiar with the actual situation of the islands.

Kakai: When I studied abroad at the Graduate School of the University of Hawaii during the 90s, I encountered a large number of Asian students for the first time in my life. I got acquainted with them, and made good friends, and am still keeping friendships with them. I think that when we meet foreigners, we have a tendency to gradually communicate with them from our own individual identity rather than our national identity. Whenever I take my students into some intercultural situations, they engage themselves in dialogue with international students based on their individual identity. I expect that APC will turn out to be such a place for intercultural or multicultural dialogue. I even hope that the establishment of APC will create a place for everyone to cooperatively formulate the “Asian Society Identity” with interaction based upon the perspectives of individuals.

15:00 ~ 16:00 Round Table Open Discussion
Summary of Discussion
　　During the period of this discussion, opinions and views were freely exchanged in the manner of round table open discussion where discussants, symposium participants and members of the proposal team were seated randomly and mixed together. First of all, a symposium participant said that while the conflict resolution mediation APC is planning to introduce is necessary and important, conflict can be resolved only between or among the nations concerned. What is possible in such public or private sector as APC is that the next generation leaders or subleaders of conflicting groups will be invited to APC and then, they can debate with each other and continue this kind of dialogue almost endlessly. Through this process of continual dialogue, chances are that both of them could see or detect a very different cultural fermentation in each other. This is not like diplomatic negotiations. This kind of dialogue can be called cultural diplomacy. However, even the word diplomacy has a slightly different meaning or connotation in each country. Out of cultural diplomacy, we can learn about different approaches and ways of vertically and horizontally or merely side-by-side thinking through different angles. Only through a series of efforts in constant cultural diplomacy, conflict will be eventually resolved between two nations.

　　Then, discussion was directed to the possible networking and affiliation between APC and various research institutes, universities, think tanks, NPOs in the Asia Pacific Region. A participant said that since we will use Okinawa as a base, we could arrange a variety of networks with many areas surrounding Okinawa, such as South Korea, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Guam and Hawaii.

　　A participant from Hawaii said that there are good chances of affiliating with such institutions as the Okinawa Hawaii Association, East-West Center and University of Hawaii. For example, University of Hawaii is full of Asian students and their research is often directed on Asia. Moreover, as both Okinawa and Hawaii have many tourists from Asia, they can establish good networks for the further development of Asian tourism and for an infrastructure of the peace in the world. A participant from Europe said that as Europe is now in great disorder and confusion resulting from all kinds of problems including refugee problems, they are now paying much attention to what is going on in Asia. Where is Asia going along with Japan? There has been a shifting interest from European Studies to Asian Studies, and therefore there are possibilities for APC to affiliate with various institutions in Europe.

　　Then, there was a question directed to the content of training programs APC is planning to conduct. Professional training programs are tailored for the young,　next generation leaders who are working in such fields as business, education, government, media and NPO’s. A proposal team member said APC is planning to conduct a professional training program called transcultural leadership. Another proposal team member said another two or three kinds of professional training program are under consideration. The facilitators for this kind of training will work in teams consisting of members with diverse cultural backgrounds and languages.

　　Next, questions were raised as to what kinds of people are members of the proposal team and also what kinds of reactions the overseas participants who attended the session of APC at the International Conference of EWCA (East-West Center Association) had shown. As for the members of the proposal team, about a half of the team are alumni of EWC who studied at the University of Hawaii during the period from 1960s through 1990s, and the remaining half of them are those who have experiences in long-term study abroad. So far, the proposal team members have participated and made presentations as a team in the international conference of EWCA, one in Naha, Okinawa in 2014, and the other in Manila in 2016. At those EWCA International Conferences, a sizable number of participants from many countries showed much interest in our presentation of APC as potentially the only intercultural research, education and exchange center in Asia.

　　Here, a participant said that the future APC should be somewhat different from EWC because the two institutions are established with different reasons and also time difference (EWC established in 1960). In this connection, a proposal team member said that we would like to continue to explore what is unique about APC, while studying the detailed account of the establishment of JICA International Center (built in 1985) and OIST (Okinawa Graduate School of Science and Technology, established in 2011.) in Okinawa.

　　Then, a participant commented on the purpose, scope and significance of APC scholarship that will be provided to as many as 40 students and graduate students every year from various parts of the Asia Pacific Region. Then, the coordinator proposed all of the participants to join small group discussion session to last about 20 minutes.

＜Small Group Discussions＞
　　At the suggestion of the coordinator, the participants were divided into several small groups consisting of 3 to 5 in each. Thus, each group had discussions focusing on a different theme (such as the characteristics of APC, tasks, organization, prospects for the future, etc.). All of the groups did not keep records. (We apologize for not requesting record-keeping in advance.)

Once again, the session returned to free open discussion among all.

＜Open Round Table Discussion＞

　　A proposal team member emphasized that the primary characteristic of the APC is the promotion of intercultural interaction among participants from various parts of the Asia Pacific Region. He explained that we are planning to modify the current proposal and will submit it to the government and see how they react. After all, he continued, APC present a different concept from that of JICA. He further reiterated that participants at APC are expected to have conversation on an egalitarian basis. We really prefer, he said, to talk with people from Asia on an equal basis. APC should become the base for private cultural exchange. He added that our proposal is definitely in the interest of Japan but at the same time in the interest of Asia.

　　Then, there was a question about whether we are making APC a national institute, from the viewpoint of capital procurement. To this question, a proposal team member answered that as we definitely need big money, our future institute cannot sustain itself for a long time without the support of the national government. In this connection another proposal member said that OIST, which had been supported financially by the national government, is now turning into a private university. This is an ideal model for APC, he said.

　　A young participant who was concerned about manpower and money for the promotion of this big project (APC) wondered if we needed to involve people of the younger generation and start working to procure necessary funding for our endeavor by making use of crowd funding. Another participant agreed and said consistent funding is very important. This is what we should think about very seriously, he mentioned.

15.55 Closing Remarks

　　 A proposal team member Momoyo Shibuya (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Humanities & Social Science, Saitama University) made the following remarks: Thank you so much for your active exchange of ideas and discussion during this symposium. We, the proposal team, will try our best in 2018 to improve our proposal based on the discussion of this symposium. With her remarks, the meeting came to a close.

16：00 Conclusion

(Teruyuki Kume)

2018.02

“Discussion Extract” was added to the Brief Report on APC Symposium Tokyo, 2017