EASG Annual Early Career Spolight Lecture with Dr Sachiho Funabashi "Reclaiming the Concept of Peace: The Case of Japan's Peace-ism"
About the Lecture
Peace is often assumed to be an 鈥榓-political鈥�, inherently 鈥榰niversal鈥�, and 鈥榞ood鈥� concept that can unite all peoples and requires no discussion. In Japan, where it has been flying the banner of 鈥榩别补肠别-颈蝉尘鈥�, which is not identical to the Western notion of 鈥榩acifism鈥�, peace is often perceived as uniquely Japanese. Given the government鈥檚 current shift towards a more militarised discourse, it becomes crucial to unpack Japan鈥檚 long-standing yet ambivalent relationship with the concept of peace and its influence on foreign policies.
Aiming to provide a contextual, nuanced, and culturally specific understanding of the character of foreign interventionist policies, it examines the meanings of peace in Japan鈥檚 foreign policy discourse regarding its intervention in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2010. It demonstrates how the concept of peace gains meaning through state identity formation, which itself was moulded by how a state understands its historical experience with war and peace, and through positive and negative associations with external actors such as the US or the UN. It explores the ways in which Japan鈥檚 self-image as an experienced, knowledgeable actor who 鈥榮ucceeded鈥� in post-war reconstruction and regaining independent statehood, and who contributes to the world as a responsible member of international society, shaped its conception of peace as development and harmony. By understanding Japan鈥檚 peace as development and harmony, this explains Japan鈥檚 economy-focused, internationalist, yet US-centric stance in foreign intervention and exposes the coloniality Japan accounts for.
Event Details
29th of April 2026
15.15-16.30 (UK Time)
FAB 5.03 and Microsoft Teams
About the Speaker
Dr Sachiho Funabashi's (SOAS, University of London) doctoral thesis explores the meanings of peace in the context of the UK and Japan鈥檚 interventions in Afghanistan, highlighting its entanglement with state identity formation and coloniality embedded in their political discourse. Their research interests include peace, security, identity formation, concept analysis, and critical approaches to IR. Funabashi earned a BA in International Relations (University of Tsukuba, Japan) and an MA in International Conflict Studies (King鈥檚 College London, UK). They worked as a researcher at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan, specialising in international peace cooperation.