Asia Society Japan

09/10/2026

🎨 How can art bring people and communities together?

The Tokyo Biennale 2027 explores this question through its theme, “From Me to Us,” emphasizing community engagement, cultural exchange, and international collaboration.

In this Asia Society Japan discussion, Shinobu Nakanishi, Tokyo Biennale Project Producer, and Daniel Baburek, International Liaison for Tokyo Biennale, share insights into the festival’s vision, evolution, and unique approach to connecting art with everyday life.

Discover how the Tokyo Biennale is reimagining the role of art in shaping communities and fostering meaningful connections.

▶️ Watch the full discussion: https://youtu.be/Oc2u3hZ7meU

TOKYO, September 2, 2026 — What happens when Tokyo itself becomes t...

06/10/2026

How can art preserve memories of disaster while opening pathways to hope?

Join Asia Society Japan for a conversation with renowned contemporary artist Tatsuo Miyajima, initiator of the Sea of Time - TOHOKU Project.

Launched in the years following the Great East Japan Earthquake, the long-term collaborative project brings together art and community to carry forward memories of 3.11 and hopes for the future. Miyajima will discuss his journey as an artist, the vision behind the project, and plans for the Sea of Time TOHOKU Museum in Tomioka, Fukushima.

Learn how collaborative artistic practice can create lasting spaces for remembrance, dialogue, and connection.

Learn more & register:
https://asiasociety.org/japan/events/art-and-community-sea-time-tohoku-project-tatsuo-miyajima

29/09/2026

🇨🇦 🇯🇵 Canada and Japan are entering a new phase in their relationship.

As the global landscape becomes more uncertain and competitive, cooperation between the two countries is deepening across economic security, energy, advanced technologies, defence, and cybersecurity.

Join Asia Society Japan for a timely Ambassadors’ Circle conversation with H.E. Ian G. McKay, Ambassador of Canada to Japan and Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific, as we explore the evolving Canada-Japan strategic partnership and its role in advancing security, prosperity, and stability across the Indo-Pacific.

Learn more & register:
https://asiasociety.org/japan/events/ambassadors-circle-ambassador-canada-japan-ian-g-mckay

01/09/2026

Now on YouTube: How can countries and businesses navigate an increasingly uncertain global order?

Bill Emmott, former Editor-in-Chief of The Economist and Chairman of the Global Disinformation Index, joins Asia Society Japan to examine intensifying U.S.-China competition, accelerating technological change, and the choices facing “middle powers” such as Japan, the UK, Germany, Italy, and Canada.

What geopolitical and geo-economic trends should leaders be watching—and what might they mean for global stability?

Watch the full conversation: https://youtu.be/BAH4xODHwmU

TOKYO, July 14, 2026 — Can middle powers turn global turbulence int...

27/08/2026

Now on YouTube: From medieval warriors to global cultural icons—how has the image of the samurai evolved over the centuries?

Dr. Rosina Buckland, Asahi Shimbun Curator: Japanese Collections at the British Museum, explores the history and myths of the samurai and how their image has been continually reimagined through art, film, manga, anime, gaming, and more.

Discover the fascinating journey behind one of Japan’s most enduring cultural icons.

Watch the full conversation: https://youtu.be/EQvhtvOzSoc

TOKYO, July 13, 2026 — How did the samurai become one of the world’...

25/08/2026

Now on YouTube: How are Japanese artists shaping the global contemporary art landscape?

Melissa Chiu, Director of the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, explores the growing influence of Japanese artists in international museums and reflects on key exhibitions and initiatives from the past decade.

She also discusses the Hirshhorn’s major Sculpture Garden redesign with Hiroshi Sugimoto—a project bringing together art, architecture, landscape, and traditional Japanese stonework.

Watch the full conversation: https://youtu.be/3yiHENKr3fQ

TOKYO, June 16, 2026 — How are Japanese artists helping redefine on...

21/08/2026

How can art help transform a city—and turn “me” into “us”?

Join Asia Society Japan for an inside look at the Tokyo Biennale 2027, centered on the theme “From Me to Us.”

Tokyo Biennale Project Producer Shinobu Nakanishi and international liaison Daniel Baburek will explore the Biennale’s evolving vision, its community-based approach to art, and its growing emphasis on international collaboration. Artist and Tokyo Biennale founder Masato Nakamura will also join us in the audience.

Discover how artists, communities, and international partners are coming together to rethink the relationship between art and the city.

📅 Learn more & register:
https://asiasociety.org/japan/events/inside-tokyo-biennale-2027-me-us

18/08/2026

🇲🇽 🇯🇵 What can Japan and Mexico teach us about building trusted partnerships in an increasingly complex world?

Join Asia Society Japan for our next Ambassadors’ Circle featuring H.E. Melba Pría, Ambassador of Mexico to Japan.

Japan and Mexico have built a multidimensional partnership that offers a compelling model for successful “middle power” relations. As both countries navigate intensifying U.S.-China competition and growing protectionism, Ambassador Pría will share her perspectives on the future of Japan-Mexico relations—and the lessons their partnership may hold for global leaders seeking to build trustworthy alliances.

Drawing on more than 40 years of public- and private-sector experience, including diplomatic postings across Asia, Ambassador Pría brings a unique perspective on diplomacy, international cooperation, diversity, and public policy.

We look forward to an insightful and engaging conversation.

Learn more and register: https://asiasociety.org/japan/events/ambassadors-circle-ambassador-mexico-he-melba-pria

Japan Center welcomes Mexican Ambassador to Japan, H.E. Melba Pría to the Ambassadors’ Circle.

22/07/2026

What makes Japanese gastronomy so distinctive—and what can it teach us about the future of dining?

Gastronomy expert Takefumi Hamada draws on his experiences across 128 countries and regions to explore Japan’s seasonal ingredients, culinary craftsmanship, and deeply rooted food culture. He also shares why truly exceptional dining is about more than taste: it encompasses the stories, philosophies, and systems behind every meal.

Watch the talk: https://youtu.be/-skWnwMwQJ8

TOKYO, June 2, 2026 — What truly makes a great dining culture? Acco...

21/07/2026

How have Japan’s capital markets evolved since the 1996 “Financial Big Bang”—and where are they headed next?

In this timely conversation, Oki Matsumoto, Andrew McDermott and Asumi Ota join moderator Jesper Koll to examine Japan’s shift from “insider capitalism” to “open access capitalism.”

The panel explores shareholder activism, minority shareholder rights, financialization, innovation and the policies needed to support Japan’s aging society and changing geoeconomic environment.

Watch the full discussion on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9eDGV9_KjR0

TOKYO, May 21, 2026 — Japan’s capital markets have undergone a prof...