On December 5th, the Ryo Nakai Laboratory at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), The University of Tokyo, co-hosted an RCAST Security Seminar / Comparative Politics Talk with the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Japan, welcoming Mr. Viktors Makarovs, Special Envoy for Digital Issues of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. [Event Page]

 

Following the opening remarks by Professor Ryo Nakai of RCAST, Mr. Makarovs spoke about Latvia's experience in Hybrid Information Intervention Countermeasures, challenges in democratic societies, and recent changes in the information environment driven by AI. After the lecture, a lively exchange of views took place with the audience, covering issues such as AI regulation, the importance of setting clear objectives, and the critical role of resilience not only for nations/governments but also for media and civil society.

 The seminar was also featured on the Latvian MFA's official website.

Following the seminar, a small group, including Dr. Shu UCHIDA (ROLES Project Researcher at the University of Tokyo, former specialist researcher at the Japanese Embassy in Latvia), held further discussions to exchange additional information.