NEWS

On October 17, Professor Akira Mizutani gave a lecture entitled "Diplomacy – the Function of a Diplomat.” Professor Kaseda Yoshinori, head of APU’s International Relations cluster, planned this lecture for students in the College of Asia Pacific Studies’ IR Honors Program. After the lecture, there was a gathering with graduate students who study in the same field.

Professor Mizutani served at posts in Germany, Pakistan, and Mozambique as a diplomat and ambassador. He still belongs to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but has been teaching at APU since March 2017. In his lecture, Professor Mizutani talked about his experiences as a diplomat and the history of diplomacy. Regarding the most important skill for diplomats, he said, "Gaining the trust of diplomatic partners is the key to successfully moving negotiations forward. It is important to always be honest, and try to put yourself in the other's shoes." He continued saying, "since the world is changing constantly, having a sense of how to correspond to change is essential, and it is also important to keep learning constantly for that purpose." Professor Mizutani will teach at APU until the end of this academic year. His classes include International Organizations and International Cooperation.