The Middle East and the Islamic world are facing turbulence due to the spread of extremism, notably led by the Islamic State; territorial domination by tribes, regions, and ethnic groups; attempts to reorganize the regional order led by regional powers Iran and Turkey; and the formation of an  Israel-Saudi Arabia axis.This working group will examine these themes and how they are contributing to the formation of a new order in the Middle East and Islamic world.

In recent years, the internal dynamics of liberal democratic states have been in turmoil. This working group will delve into the political and social disruptions of liberal democracies who support the so-called "liberal international order" with particular attention to U.S. politics and the American presidential election given its  significant implications for global politics. Analysis will extend to how the disruptions within liberal democracies affect alliance relations.

In cooperation with research institutions and researchers in conflict zones and relevant countries in the Middle East and Africa, this study group will discuss new approaches to resolving civil wars and regional conflicts and present recommendations to the Japanese and relevant governments.

To understand and think about the current state and future of liberal democracies, it is essential to analyze the circumstances in each country, as well as  its institutions and principles. The purpose of this working group is to empirically analyze democratic institutions from various perspectives. Through quantitative and comparative political analysis, this working group seeks to understand these states’ by examining the condition of their democratic systems.

ROLES actively proposes interdisciplinary and cross-cutting joint research, utilizing the intellectual resources of researchers from a wide range of fields at the University of Tokyo and the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology.“Advanced Science and Technology and Security” focuses on the impact of the development of advanced science and technology on diplomacy, security and research in these fields.This laboratory-interfacuty research group is comprised of natural scientists, advanced technology engineers, scholars on social/human sciences, focusing on the impact of emerging science and technology on diplomacy and security. It is also promoting security research using new technologies and tools, and is attempting to actively share the results of the research with society.ROLES is participating in joint research projects that are constantly being conducted both within and outside the University of Tokyo, and is experimenting with interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research on diplomacy and security.Four focus areas are highlighted. (1) Data Visualization of International Conflicts(2) War and Peace as Changed by Robotics, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality(3) Fake News and International Public Opinion(4) Is AI a Game Changer?(1) Data Visualization of International Conflicts ROLES collaborates with the laboratory of Professor Hidenori Watanave of the Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies and Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies (III/GSII) to devise and present a new style of research on diplomacy and security that comprehensively grasps and utilizes geospatial information.We will propose methods and examples of “visualization” of the damage caused by the Russo-Ukrainian War and the Gaza conflict, the impact of natural disasters such as the Turkey-Syria earthquake in February 2023, and historical events in diplomacy, security, and international relations, using satellite images, old maps, and historical photographs, as well as big data and machine learning. (2)  Robotics, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality Changing War and Peace  ROLES will work with Professor Masahiko Inami (body informatics, body augmentation engineering, flexible technology, gamification, entertainment engineering) and Associate Professor Yasuaki Monnai (body informatics, high-frequency engineering) of the University of Tokyo's Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology  (RCAST) to develop a cross-disciplinary approach to understanding the impact of robotics, virtual reality and augmented reality on diplomacy and security. ロボティクスと安全保障 (3) Fake News and International Public OpinionROLES members are actively engagning with public debates in SNS and interactively making research on the impact of fake news on international security and diplomacy. New tools and technologies of systematically analyzing the information sphere are tested and introduced in cooperation with researchers and engineers in the field of computational social science.  (4) Is AI a game changer?ROLES has co-organized with TRENDS Research & Advisory of Abu Dhabi, UAE a two-day conference "Sustainable Security in 2024 and Beyond − The Role of AI" in September 2024 at the RCAST Campus of the University of Tokyo. 

At ROLES, we actively utilize the resources of the University of Tokyo and RCAST to explore the impact of emerging technologies on security through an interdisciplinary approach that bridges the sciences and the humanities.

UTokyo ROLES Survey SAFER (Security, Alliance, and Foreign Engagement Research) project aims to investigate Japanese perceptions regarding international affairs and Japan's foreign and security policies. By conducting regular, long-term surveys, we seek to gain a more accurate and detailed understanding of the Japanese public's views.