Jul 6
34m 56s
Robert Ward hosts Ikeuchi Satoshi, Professor of the Division of Religion and Global Security at the Research Centre for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) of the University of Tokyo, and Sakanashi Sachi, the Board Member and Director of the Japanese Institute of Middle Eastern Economies (JIME) Centre at the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) for an in-depth discussion on the current state and future direction of Japan-Gulf relations.
Together, they explore:
· A unique historical and diplomatic relationship between Japan and Iran
· The impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Japan’s energy security
· Japan’s future strategy to secure its energy supply amid geopolitical turbulence
· Japan’s role in the Middle East and Gulf region
Recommended readings from our guests:
· Mohammed Soliman, West Asia: A new American grand strategy in the Middle East. (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2026)
· Mimaki Seiko, (Ed), American war and global crisis: The consequences of the invasion of Iran (Tokyo; Iwanami-Shinsho, 2026) [三牧聖子 編『「アメリカの戦争」と世界危機 イラン侵攻は何をもたらすのか』(東京：岩波新書、2026)]
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Date recorded: 22 June 2026
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