International Conference on Policy Simulation "Connections Japan 2022"

International Conference on Policy Simulation Connections Japan 2022
International Conference on Policy Simulation Connections Japan 2022

Preparation for unforeseen events has never been more important than now in dealing with security issues like a challenge to the existing international order, which is exemplified by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that many people did not anticipate, the continuation of gray-zone competition, and hybrid warfare.

The "Policy Simulation", also known as the Political/Military Wargame, has been gaining global attention as an instrument that can contribute to the formulation of flexible and appropriate responses to these situations.

Against this backdrop, a series of international conferences called "Connections," which originated in the United States and the United Kingdom, has been held in many developed countries as a platform to share and develop knowledge on policy simulation methods.

The NIDS, which has been utilizing policy simulation in supporting policy planning and education since 2015, will hold the International Conference on Policy Simulation "Connections Japan" for the first time on November 15, 2022. The conference is expected to provide an opportunity for the Japanese policy simulation community, including the MOD/SDF, to share their own practices and promote mutual exchange, as well as to learn insights on advanced strategic-level simulations and wargaming in the US/UK.

Date/Time: Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 9:00-16:05 (JST)
Event Format: Online webinar (Zoom)
Language: Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation provided
How to view: Please click here.別ウィンドウ
Registration will be open in mid-October, with first come-first-served basis.
Registration is free of charge.
Enquiry: seisaku2022@creativefactory-co.jp
Program (tentative):

9:00-9:55 Session 1: Keynote speech

Mr TOKUCHI Hideshi, President, Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS); former Vice-Minister of Defense for International Affairs, MOD Japan

10:05-11:45 Session 2: Frontiers of policy simulation from the perspective of the United States and the United Kingdom

"Developments of the policy gaming methods in the UK," presented by Mr Michael Bagwell, Principal Analyst, Defence Wargaming Centre, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), UK MOD; Mr Oliver Barton, Senior Principal Analyst, System, Analysis and Social Science Group, Dstl

"Frontiers of policy simulation studies in the US," presented by LTC Adam Christenson, Wargaming Division Director, Center for Applied Strategic Learning (CASL), US National Defense University

13:00-14:30 Session 3: Practices for the development and dissemination of policy simulation methods in defense organizations in Japan

TBD, presented by Col KISHIMOTO Satoru, Center for Air & Space Power Strategic Studies, Air Command and Staff College, ASDF
TBD, presented by Dr OGAWA Kenichi, Professor, Department of Leadership and Military History, School of Defense Sciences, National Defense Academy (NDA); Professor, Center for the Global Security, Institute for Advanced Studies, NDA

14:45-16:05 Session 4: Panel discussion: Developments of policy simulation in Japan and future challenges

Moderator:

Prof YOSHIZAKI Tomonori, Vice President for Academic Affairs, NIDS

Panelists:

Dr MICHISHITA Narushige, Vice President, National Graduate School for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
Dr HONDA Tomoaki, Associate Professor, Chukyo University; Senior Research Fellow at Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS)
Prof TAKAHASHI Sugio, Head, Defense Policy Division, NIDS

※The titles of the presentations and themes of sessions are tentative.
The program may be changed without notice. The latest program will be publicized on the NIDS website.