The Indo-Pacific Initiative: Opportunities for European and UK Engagement

Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Initiative views the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean as a single maritime theatre, and seeks to promote stability and prosperity in the region through enhancing connectivity between Africa and Asia. The security challenges present in the region, such as promoting non-proliferation, stemming climate change and combatting terrorism, transcend national boundaries and require a global response. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono has suggested that Europe could have a collaborative role in the Indo-Pacific, particularly highlighting the UK and France. As the world’s largest trading bloc and one of Asia’s top trading partners, the European Union has an interest in the economic growth and stability of the Indo-Pacific and the rules that govern it. However, it is less clear how the EU and European countries view the initiative and their potential role in it.

Conference speakers include:

• H.E. Ambassador Koji Tsuruoka, Embassy of Japan in the United Kingdom 
• Darshana Baruah, Associate Director, Carnegie India
• Dr. Yuka Kobayashi, Assistant Professor in China and International Politics, SOAS
• Cleo Paskal, Associate Fellow, Asia-Pacific Programme
• Prof. Satoru Mori, Department of Global Politics, Hosei University
• Celine Pajon, Head of Japan Research, Center for Asian Studies, IFRI  
• Garima Mohan, Research Fellow, Global Public Policy Institute
• Eva Pejsova, Senior Analyst, European Union Institute for Security Studies
• Veerle Nouwens, Research Fellow, RUSI  
• Prof. Tsuneo Watanabe, Senior Fellow, Sasakawa Peace Foundation     
• Dr. Alessio Patalano, Senior Lecturer, King’s College London

To register for this event please click the 'Register Now' button above