On December 6, 2023, Keio Center for Strategy (KCS) hosted a special open forum titled “Where is the Non-Polarizing World Heading? – The Ukrainian War and the Israel-Hamas War.” The forum featured discussions on the interconnectedness of the Ukraine War and the Israel-Hamas war, as well as the impact of these conflicts on the current and future international order. The event included perspectives from Professor Yuichi Hosoya, the Director of KCS, Professor Satoru Mori, the Deputy Director of KCS, and Professor Koichirou Tanaka, a member of KCS. Additionally, Professor Satoshi Ikeuchi, Director of ROLES, and Associate Professor Yu Koizumi, Deputy Director of ROLES, provided further insights.

At the beginning of the forum, each speaker presented their opinions from their respective area of expertise. Thereafter, Yuichi Hosoya raised questions about the conclusion of the two wars, prompting an exchange of views among the speakers about factors that needed to be closely monitored in the future. While differing analyses were offered by the speakers, there was a shared view that these conflicts indicate a shift from the post-Cold War period of American dominance to a new phase characterized by stronger regional dynamics.

During the Q&A session, questions were raised regarding the impact of the two wars on China’s foreign policy, nuclear weapon development in countries like Iran and North Korea, and the expanding roles of individuals and corporations amid the rise of social media and satellite technology.

The forum was a continuation of a public symposium held on June 10, titled “The Challenge of University-Based Diplomatic Security Think Tanks: The Competitiveness and Cooperations between Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (ROLES, Tokyo University) and Keio University Global Research Institute (KGRI, Keio University)”. We plan to continue fostering exchanges between UTokyo ROLES and Keio KCS through similar events in the future.