Tokyo Conference 2025 was held from March 3 to March 4, 2025. Thirty participants joined the discussions for this year's conference. They included representatives from think tanks in the nations of the G7 ? Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America ? alongside representatives from think tanks in Brazil, India, and Indonesia. They were joined by officials from the United Nations and other international organizations, as well as by other individuals in key positions around the world.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, and of the founding of the United Nations. This historic juncture saw the Tokyo Conference engaged in the most serious discussions undertaken since its establishment eight years ago.
During Tokyo Conference 2023, we described the failure of the international community to join forces to solve the problems the world faces a "critical moment in history," and called on the world to collaborate in resolving global problems without exacerbating conflicts already underway.
The Tokyo Conference continues to wave the flag of international cooperation because we believe the only sustainable way forward to a better future for our world is for us to work together.
At the Summit of the Future held last September, the member states of the United Nations signed the Pact for the Future. The UN plan to reform the Security Council and other institutions of global governance was proposed in anticipation of actions to be taken by the international community this year, the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.
However, what we are witnessing this year is the opposite of reform.
Some of the world's great powers do not recognize the value of multilateralism or of the United Nations and other international institutions, and are instead acting in narrow self-interest. Tensions have flared between the United States of America and Europe, which have led the world since the end of the Second World War, over which democratic values are the most important.
We recognize that the great powers must play a leading role in solving the challenges we face. However, if the resolution of such challenges is left solely in their hands, it could have dire consequences for the future. That is our concern.
After the Second World War, the international community aimed to construct a world upon a foundation of multilateralism and the rule of law, the latter being essential to the efficient and fair resolution of international disputes. This year, our goal was to discuss whether such a world remains possible.
Over this year's two-day conference, we discussed this from many different perspectives and identified two vital issues.
First, we must not let history repeat itself. The post-war global framework was built in response to the global economic dislocation of the 1930s, and upon the enormous sacrifices made during the Second World War. However, we now find that the United Nations seems incapable of resolving conflicts, and that the free and open economic system that served as the backbone of the post-war global economy is under severe strain.
The fact that over the last eight decades the international community has not been successful in implementing the reforms needed to keep pace with the rapidly evolving world is in itself unusual.
Second, at no other time in history has global unity been as necessary to the defense of the rule of law and multilateralism. During the conference, former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pointed out that multilateralism cannot be defended solely through the unity of the G7. That circle must be widened to include the emerging and developing economies, e.g. the countries of the Global South.
Competition between the G7 and BRICS is increasing. The ten think tanks that make up the Tokyo Conference come from both sides of that divide, yet they have taken the initiative to gather here and engage in dialogue aimed at protecting multilateralism. More than ever, it is essential for us to work together to tackle the global crisis we face and overcome any conflict we encounter.
With these issues in mind, we focused our attention on the following four points.
It is not only the geopolitical struggle between the great powers that has prevented the world from moving in line with the decisions of the United Nations. It is also due to the fact that the other major powers have not taken the lead in achieving sustainable global development and peace.
We expect the US to continue supporting the post-war free world, but recognize that a world that relies on the US alone is an unstable one. The international community must build a platform for the major powers to proactively work together for a better future ? whether within the UN or outside of it ? and at the very least, the ten democracies represented by the think tanks gathered for the Tokyo Conference should share the responsibility for achieving that.
In addition, we should respect the dedicated efforts of the many international institutions working on global issues, and shoulder the responsibility of ensuring they are able to achieve their goals.
Naturally, it should be understood that if the global economy is unable to grow, it will also be unable to meet the challenges it faces, and that this issue is exacerbated by the finite resources available. However, history has taught us just how dangerous the world becomes when national self-interest is placed over all else.
We must uphold the rule of law and respect for human dignity that form the basis of the global order, and the world must unite in addressing the many priority issues we face. Governance of international institutions should be redefined to enable them to focus their expertise on their objectives.
The enormous losses continue to mount in the Ukraine War. That war must be brought to an end, but the problem lies in how that is achieved. There is no hope for lasting peace in the region if negotiations focus only on perspective of the aggressor in that conflict and ignore the concerns of Ukraine and the rest of Europe.
The entire world should be involved in bringing this war of aggression to a close, and neither the United Nations as an organization nor the international community as a whole should be excluded from that effort.
These points also hold true when discussing the path to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the post-war treatment of that region. The international community should be involved in the peace process in Gaza, and regional voices should have a say in determining Gaza's future.
Finally, we should attempt to differentiate between "public sentiment" and "public opinion." With social media being flooded with "fake news" disguised as fact, discussions at the conference highlighted the need to recognize that a difference does exist.
Public sentiment can be defined as those ideas stemming from emotional factors, while public opinion can be defined as those ideas based on informed discussion and predicated on having the will to actually resolve issues. It is important to listen to both, but here, public opinion is significantly more important when facing a global crisis.
By informing ourselves about global trends, by recognizing our own responsibility in finding solutions, and by all of us having a seat at the table to discuss the issues, we will see a growing number of voices with the will to resolve the challenges we face. The role of the Tokyo Conference is to share the innate potential of that sort of public opinion, not only with those attending the conference, but with people around the world.
On this, the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the end of the most devastating war in human history, it is up to each and every one of us to work towards building a sustainable, peaceful world.
March 4th 2025
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