Turkish, Japanese scholars discuss global issues

By Meryem Goktas

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish and Japanese scholars discussed the changing global order at a joint seminar organized in the Turkish capital Ankara.

The seminar -- titled Change in the global order: Actors, regions and issues -- was organized by TOBB University of Economics and Technology in cooperation with the Japanese Embassy in Ankara.

In the first panel, Prof. Yuichi Hosoya of Tokyo’s Keio University, Kemal Kirisci of Brookings Institution in Washington and Nuri Yurdusev of Ankara’s Middle East Technical University discussed the regional actors and transition of the world order under the theme “Change in Neoliberal Global Order and Big Powers.”

Speaking about “Japan’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and Global Order in a Transition", Hosoya said that Japan and Turkey shared common political and economic problems and that the two countries have same stance on many issues.

Hosoya also spoke about the recent developments in the world such as the foreign policy of U.S. President Donald Trump, the increase of China's military power and the rise of nationalism in many countries, including Europe, which he said make the world order more complex.

Speaking on the topic “Is the U.S. Led Rule-based International Order Coming to an End?", Kirisci said the existing liberal world order benefits Japan and Turkey. He added the two countries need to support this system.

Yurdusev, for his part, spoke about “the World Order and Cultural and Identification Factors.”

In second panel with the theme "Change in Neoliberal Global Order and Regional Perspective,” Junya Nisino of Keio University spoke about Japan’s regional role and the current situation in the Korean Peninsula.

Nisino said that countries such as Turkey, South Korea and India are important partners of Japan.

Recalling the participation of Turkey in the Korean War, Nisino said: "Turkey provided a significant contribution to democracy on the Korean peninsula".

Gencer Ozcan -- professor at the Istanbul’s Bilgi University in Istanbul -- focused on the Middle East and the impact of the Arab uprisings that led to a new power configuration in the region.

Ozcan said that a closer attention needs to be made to the reasons behind the uprisings in the Middle East which led to great changes in the region.

The seminar is held for the fifth time since 2014, with the participation of prominent Japanese and Turkish scholars. The goal of the events is to enhance dialogue on global issues.