Dear all:

The Economic Security Intelligence Lab (ESIL) at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), The University of Tokyo is pleased to host a public seminar titled:

• "Japan-Taiwan Economic Security Dialogue"

This event will feature visiting Taiwanese experts from the newly established economic security thinktank Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technologies (DSET), based in Taipei. Their visit coincides with the signing of a MOU between RCAST and DSET to advance research collaboration on economic security.

The seminar will consist of three expert panels addressing timely and critical issues for Taiwan, Japan, and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Speakers will include not only DSET representatives but also researchers from Japan, offering comparative insights and Japanese perspectives on the following topics:

1. Taiwanese and Japanese perceptions of the Trump 2.0 administration
2. Research security in Taiwan and Japan
3. Submarine cable infrastructure cooperation

The seminar will be conducted in English, and pre-registration is required to participate.
 
 【 Event Details】

• Date: May 21, 2025
• Time: 14:00-17:00 (Registration opens at 13:30)
• Language: English
• Venue: ENEOS Hall, Building #3-S, Komaba II Campus, RCAST, The University of Tokyo (4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904 JAPAN)
• *Please note: This venue is located on the Komaba II Campus, not the Komaba I Campus.

【Registration Link】

https://forms.gle/QvCuHDzyPsa6Z4gb8

【 Concise agenda】
Time              Agenda Item
14:00-14:10  Opening Remarks
14:10-15:00  Session 1 - Strategic Uncertainty & Trump 2.0
15:00-15:10  Coffee Break
15:10-16:00  Session 2 - Research Security in Taiwan & Japan
16:00-16:50  Session 3 - Submarine Cable Infrastructure and Economic Resilience
16:50-17:00  Closing Remarks

【 Full Agenda】
14:00-14:10
 Opening Remarks

• Dr. Wen-Ling Tu is the President of DSET and Distinguished Professor at National Chengchi University. She serves on Taiwan's National Committee for Societal Resilience and was appointed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs to lead the Project Office on Radioactive Waste Disposal. Her research and public engagement span science-policy interfaces, environmental governance, and democratic innovation.

14:10-15:00
 Session 1 - Navigating Strategic Uncertainty: Japan-Taiwan Coordination in the Era of Trump 2.0

This session will explore how the policies of the Trump 2.0 administration is perceived in Taiwan and Japan. Speakers will discuss how Taiwan and Japan can coordinate policies and expectations in an era of increased geopolitical unpredictability.

• Dr. Hsien-Ming Lien is the Vice President of DSET and President of the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research; Distinguished Professor at National Chengchi University. He specializes in health economics and has provided key analyses on the impact of Trump-era tariffs on Taiwan's economic security.
• Prof. Akira Igata is a Project Lecturer at RCAST, the University of Tokyo, where he leads the Economic Security Intelligence Lab (ESIL). He is also affiliated with several universities and think tanks globally, specializing in economic security issues.
• Dr. Wen-Ling Tu (Moderator)

15:00-15:10
 Coffee break

15:10-16:00
 Session 2 - Balancing Innovation and Security: Comparative Perspectives on Research Security
This panel examines how Taiwan and Japan are navigating the growing tension between academic openness and national security. Experts will compare institutional safeguards, emerging policy responses, and the challenges of maintaining international collaboration amid rising security concerns.

• Dr. Jeremy Chih-Cheng Chang is the CEO of DSET and Director of Economic Security Research, specializing in geopolitics and technology law. His work focuses on safeguarding critical technologies and strengthening semiconductor supply chain resilience across the U.S., Japan, and Taiwan. He previously held academic and policy roles in Japan and the U.S., including positions at Harvard, Kyoto University, and the Japan Science and Technology Agency.
• Dr. Toru Hisamitsu is a Visiting Researcher at ESIL, RCAST, the University of Tokyo, and serves as Head of the Research Team and Science Fellow in the Economic Security Division at FRONTEO, Inc. He has been developing foundational technologies and analytical methods for economic security solutions. He has received awards such as the 1999 IPSJ Yamashita Memorial Research Award, the R&D 100 Award, and the MM Research Institute Grand Prize 2018 Special Award for AI development in collaboration with U.S. hospitals.
• Prof. Akira Igata (Moderator)

16:00-16:50
 Session 3 - Invisible Infrastructure, Visible Risks: Submarine Cables and Economic Resilience
Focusing on submarine cables as critical yet vulnerable infrastructure, this session highlights efforts in Taiwan and Japan to secure these undersea lifelines. Discussions will cover threat perceptions, risk mitigation strategies, and the broader implications for economic security in the Indo-Pacific.

• Dr. Tsaiying Lu is the Research Fellow and Director of the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Program at DSET. Her work focuses on Taiwan's energy transition, new energy geopolitics, and the strategic vulnerabilities of the semiconductor industry.
• Athena Tong is a Visiting Researcher at ESIL, RCAST, University of Tokyo, a Nonresident Vasey Fellow at Pacific Forum, and Research Associate at the China Strategic Risks Institute. She also sits on the Advisory Board of NetMission.Asia and HKerPoll. Her work focuses on counter-influence operations, digital governance, and economic security in East Asia, with a particular emphasis on China global influence.
• Takashi Tada (Moderator) is a Managing Director at IISE & Chief Advisor, Global Public Policy Relations, at NEC Corporation. He has extensive expertise in U.S. Congress and domestic politics, economic security, tech and information regulation, and international business and technology management.

16:50-17:00
 Closing remarks

＊Note: For security reasons, participants who do not provide complete and accurate information regarding their identity, affiliation, and position may not be admitted.

As always, we will make sure to leave plenty of time for Q&A with the audience.
We look forward to seeing you all there.

Best Regards,
Akira

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Akira Igata

Project Lecturer, 

Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, 

The University of Tokyo

Tel: 080-7888-2435

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