Professor

Satoshi Ikeuchi is Professor of the Division of Religion and Global Security at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) of the University of Tokyo. He is the founding head of the RCAST Open Laboratory for Emergence Strategies (ROLES).

For the year 2022-2023, he is Senior Visiting Scholar in Residence at the Moshe Dayan Center (MDC) for Middle Eastern and African Studies of Tel Aviv University.

He is a scholar on Islamic political thought and the Middle East politics. As a leading public intellectual in Japan, he has been vigorously publishing on the Middle East and Islamic affairs.

His first publication based on his doctoral studies, Gendai Arabu-no Shakai Shiso: Shumatsuron-to Isramu-shugi (Contemporary Arab Social Thought: Eschatology and Islamism), was published in 2002 and earned Osaragi Jiro Prize for Critical Works. He also earned Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities in 2009 for his book Islamu Sekai-no Ronjikata (Methods of Discussing Islam).

His book on the Islamic State Isulamu Koku no Shogeki (The Impact of the Islamic State) published in January 2015 was a nation-wide best seller in Japan and awarded Mainichi Publishing Cultural Prize. His recent publication includes Saikusu Piko Kyotei: Hyakunen no Jubaku (Sykes-Picot Agreement: One Hundred Years of Obsession) in 2016 and Shiiaha to Sunniha (Shite and Sunnite) in 2018 both published from Shinchosha. He is the recipient of the 12th Nakasone Yasuhiro Prize in 2016 for his academic works and social engagements.

His collection of literary essays and book reviews Shomotsu not Unmei (The Fate of Books) published in 2006 and earned Mainichi Book Review Award for the year.

He was a visiting professor at the Alexandria University 2007-2008, Japan Scholar chair visiting scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in 2009 and Visiting Fellow at the Clare Hall, University of Cambridge in 2010. 

He specializes in Middle East politics and Arab-Islamic Thought, particularly on global Jihadism and its implications for international security.

Associate Professor

Areas of Expertise:
Russian Military Thought
Russian National Security Policy
Politics and International Relations of the Former Soviet Republics
Defence Technologies

Previously, Yu has held various positions, including Assistant Analyst at Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Research Fellow at Institute for Future Engineering (IFENG), Research Fellow at the National Diet Library, and also a visiting researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO RAN).

His publication in Japanese includes (in English translation titles): Russian MIlitary Strategy Today, 2021; The War in Ukraine, 2022; Okhotsk Nuclear Bastion, 2024. 

His book "Teikoku" Roshia no Chiseigaku (Geopolitics of Russian "Empire") published in 2019 was awarded Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities in that year.

Yu has presented and published extensively on national security policies and strategies of Russia and the former Soviet republics, as well as defense technologies.

Yu holds a BA in Social Sciences and a MA in Political Science from Waseda University.

日本

Senior Advisor of ROLES
Advisor of Division of Religion and Global Security, RCAST of the University of Tokyo

略歴（日本語）

Akio Miyajima is a former diplomat who was Japanese Ambassador to Turkey and Ambassador to Poland. 

Born in Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture, he graduated from Waseda University's Faculty of Political Science and Economics. He entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in 1981 and served there until October 2024. He holds a M.A. degree in International Relations from Yale University. 

He has held a series of posts addressing successive challenges and opportunities of Japan's foreign affairs, including Director of Oceania Division (July 1999 – November 2001), Director of First North America Division (November 2001 - August 2003), Counsellor (August 2003 – January 2005) and Minister of the Embassy of Japan at the Republic of Korea (January 2005 – January 2007), Minister of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations (January 2007 - January 2011), Deputy Director-General of Foreign Policy Bureau and Ambassador in charge of UN Affairs (January 2011 - January 2013), Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Japan in Great Britain (February 2013 - July 2014). 

He was Special Advisor to the Governor on International Affairs at Tokyo Metropolitan Government (July 2014 – February 2016) while Tokyo was preparing to host the 2020 Olympic Games.

After taking up the post of Director-General of International Peace Cooperation Headquarters at the Cabinet Office (February 2016 - August 2017), he became Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Turkey (August 2017 - October 2020) and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Poland (November 2020 - October 2024) where he was faced with the Russian aggression on Ukraine in February 2022 and met the surprise visit of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Ukraine in March 2023. 

 He is Advisor of Division of Religion and Global Security of the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) of the University of Tokyo. He is concurrently Senior Advisor to RCAST Open Laboratory for Emergence Strategies (ROLES) since July 2025. 

Senior Program Coordinator