Event Schedule

Saturday, November 22, 2025

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, J Building, Room 201 Classroom and Zoom (Simultaneous interpretation in Japanese and English available)

Since the inauguration of the second Trump administration in the United States, the pattern of global markets and political and business circles reacting to President Trump's every move has become a daily scene. The College of Asia Pacific Studies invites experts from various fields to discuss how to understand and respond to the new Trump phenomenon, focusing on the keyword of economic security.

1. Keynote Address (14:00-14:30)

Speaker: Junichi Sugawara (Senior Fellow, Owls Consulting Group Co., Ltd.)

After serving as a Senior Researcher at the Japanese Mission to the OECD (covering trade, investment, and non-member cooperation) and Principal Researcher at Mizuho Research & Technologies, Inc., he assumed his current position.
Long-time engagement in policy analysis concerning trade policy and economic security. Numerous contributions, lectures, TV/radio appearances, and membership in research institute study groups and economic organization committees regarding the WTO, EPAs (FTAs, TPP, RCEP, etc.), APEC, Japan-US/US-China trade relations, and major countries' economic security strategies. Visiting Researcher at the Institute for International Trade and Investment (ITI).
Co-authored works include: "The New Trade Order in Asia Pacific: TPP and East Asian Economic Integration" (Keiso Shobo, October 2013), "The Changing Face of Globalization and the Future of the World Economic Order" (Bunshindo, July 2023), and "Business, Geopolitics, and Economic Security" (Nikkei BP, March 2025).

Speech Summary
Trump 2.0 Amplifies Global Order Fluctuations and Economic Security

• The post-Cold War world order and globalization, which prevailed for approximately 30 years after the end of the Cold War are now facing a major turning point., The rules-based liberal international order and the post-Cold War globalization that unfolded under it are currently transitioning toward "peace through power" and "fragmented globalization."
• During the post-Cold War era, economic interdependence was regarded as the foundation for global peace and prosperity. However, today there is a growing recognition that excessive dependence on other countries undermines national autonomy and can be used as a weapon of economic coercion. For this reason, ensuring economic security has become essential for countries to maintain their sovereignty and independence and continue to make autonomous decisions on domestic and foreign policy, and it has become an urgent policy issue in many countries.
• These changes have been spurred by the policies of the second Donald Trump administration (Trump 2.0), which took office in January 2025. Trump 2.0's narrow-minded "America First" and "peace through strength" policies have clearly signaled the end of the liberal world order based on rules under US hegemony.
• In Japan, it is difficult to say that there is sufficient shared awareness of these changes compared to other G7 countries. There is also strong concern about the "multipolar" world that the end of US hegemony will bring. With the world order undergoing major upheaval, cooperation and collaboration between Japan and the Indo-Pacific countries is essential to maintain it. Even amid domestic political instability, it is important for Japan to remain a trusted partner to these countries.

2. Panel Discussion (14:30-15:30)

Panelists (Titles Omitted):

Junichi Sugawara
Yoichiro Sato (Professor, College of Asia Pacific Studies)
Utpal Vyas (Associate Professor, College of Asia Pacific Studies)
Tsukasa Watanabe (Assistant Professor, College of Asia Pacific Studies)
Moderator: Takuro Kikkawa (Dean, College of Asia Pacific Studies)

Open to all. However, due to venue capacity, on-site participation will close once 50 attendees are reached. Those who wish to participate please register using the form below.

Registration Form: https://forms.office.com/r/sRmE0bHrBN
Inquiry Form: https://forms.office.com/r/i2Gj0aJDx3