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“Dialogue with Students” seminar on international affairs and work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Each year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) holds a seminar entitled “Dialogue with Students” for students interested in international issues. The event provides an opportunity for students to exchange views with MOFA officials active on the front lines of diplomacy, and to deepen their understanding of the officials’ work and international affairs.
This year’s event, which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 9, 2023, included heated discussions on topics related to the G7 Summit. The two-part seminar, which was held in person for the first time in three years, was divided into a plenary session and small-group sessions, was partly streamed online, and included more than 240 students participating from all over Japan.
The Plenary Session
The plenary session began with opening remarks by Yoshikawa Yuumi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, followed by comments by Uchiyama Takuro, Principal Deputy Director of the Secretariat for the G7 Hiroshima Summit, who expressed strong enthusiasm for “making the G7 Summit a historic event.” Numerous students posed questions about the forthcoming Summit and the significance of working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Small-Group Session: Discussion and Q&A on Disarmament and Non-proliferation
The second half of the seminar featured small-group sessions on three themes. The group discussing Disarmament and Non-proliferation, one of the themes related to the G7, included a discussion between a MOFA official and participating students. Norioka Tsubasa, Deputy Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Division of the Disarmament, Non-proliferation, and Science Department, offered an overview of the status of arms control and disarmament as well as the efforts promoted by Japan before providing students with discussion topics.
Group Discussions
Students were divided into six groups for student-led discussions on “How Japan can lead the way toward a world without nuclear weapons.”
Heated debate followed and included a variety of factors such as Japan’s responsibilities as the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during war, the harsh national security environment, and division within the international community. Many students also voiced their opinion on peace education, suggesting that there should be further opportunities to discuss nuclear weapons.
Group Presentations
Presentations made by individual groups included suggestions for promoting education about nuclear weapons through dialogue. Students also expressed free and open-minded opinions, commenting on their wish for G7 leaders to have an opportunity during the G7 Hiroshima Summit to pay visits to the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum as well as to hear testimony of atomic bomb survivors, Hibakusha. They also wondered whether leaders from each participating nation of the G7 could observe Japan’s peace education.
Participants’ Observations
Mr. Yokoyama, a university student participating from Hiroshima commented that, “I was surprised by the sophisticated level of discussion with students from across Japan who are studying international relations. It was an extremely stimulating day—observing what the students had learned and sensing the depth of their knowledge.”
Ms. Yamada, a graduate student who served as a small-group leader, shared that, “I visited the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and the Nagasaki City Peace Hall when I was in elementary school and today, I am pleased to have this opportunity to discuss disarmament with my own contemporaries just as the G7 is about to be held in Hiroshima.”
Mr. Tsuchiura, also serving as a small-group leader, commented that, “I hope that explaining about the threat and impact of nuclear weapons at the G7 Hiroshima Summit will allow Japan, as the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during war, to help us move forward toward a peaceful future.”