Milestones

History of the Institute

When he was prime minister, Nakasone Yasuhiro, the founder and first chairman of the Institute, realized that there were few influential public interest organizations in Japan that conducted research in politics and economics, as well as policymaking, and decided to establish an institute that would be comparable to leading institutions in other countries.

On June 28, 1988, he founded the International Institute for Global Peace (IIGP) with the aim of developing a policy-oriented research and advisory organization that would bring together the good sense and wisdom of people in Japan and overseas on important issues facing the international community, deeply consider them from an independent standpoint, and widely disseminate creative and constructive proposals. The Institute was established with the approval of the Cabinet that the government would provide cooperation by the six ministries of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Defense Agency, the Economic Planning Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

The first Chairman emphasized comprehensive policy proposals not only on diplomatic and security issues, but also on domestic and international politics, economics, and other fields, and he himself wrote many proposals together with eminent experts. In particular, in 2005, the Institute published a “Proposal for Constitutional Reform,” which created a stir in the world debate. In addition, in order to promote international intellectual exchange, the Institute places great importance on exchange not only with Europe and the United States, but also with other Asian countries. The Japan-China Forum was established in Beijing in 1993, the Japan-Taiwan Forum in Taipei in 2002, and the Tokyo-Seoul Forum in Tokyo in 2010, and active exchange in these forums continues. Furthermore, the Nakasone Yasuhiro Award was established in 2004 to recognize young people who have made significant achievements internationally. The purpose of the Award is to contribute to achievement of a truly peaceful and prosperous international society by encouraging new activities while honoring the efforts of young people.

In 2011, the Institute became a public interest incorporated foundation, and, in January 2018, it was renamed Nakasone Peace Institute (NPI). In 2020, with the dissolution of the Seiunjuku Foundation, a donation of materials and facilities was received and the Nakasone Yasuhiro Library, also known as Seiunjuku Memorial Hall, was opened. The Library provides a place for research and education by the general public and researchers studying Japan’s postwar political and diplomatic history.

Although the world situation is constantly changing, we believe that the intent of the Founding Document written by Nakasone Yasuhiro, our first chairman, has not faded, and we will continue to develop our activities in accordance with the spirit of the Document with an eye on the coming era.

We look forward to your continuing encouragement and support.

Milestones

Chairman

President

Executive Director of Research

Letter of Intent from Nakasone Yasuhiro, Founder and First Chairman

May 17, 1988

The international community is currently in a period of great transition. The remarkable destabilization of the international monetary and trade system in recent years and the relative retreat of the leadership of the U.S. and Soviet superpowers are nothing but evidence that the basic framework of international relations since World War II is undergoing a transformation. The transition period, in which the traditional system is dysfunctional and no new framework has emerged, is a particularly dangerous and unstable transition period. From catastrophic all-out wars to civil unrest and terrorism, the world today faces a multitude of potential and actual threats. We cannot ignore the danger of a collapse of the free economic order due to intensifying economic friction and the worsening of the accumulated debt problem.

In order to overcome such a dangerous transitional period and build a more peaceful and prosperous world, we need to be able to accurately see the changes in the situation, where the problems lie, and how to solve them.

In particular, it is an urgent task for Japan to fulfill its leadership potential befitting its enhanced international status, not only in the economics field, but also in the intellectual and policy fields.

However, until now, Japan’s efforts to gather a wide range of good sense and wisdom from inside and outside the country, to deeply consider the important issues facing the international community from a free standpoint, and to make creative and constructive proposals to the world have been insufficient. In spite of Japan’s growing international status and responsibility, and the growing importance of the Asia-Pacific region, Japan’s voice and communication from Japan and the Asia-Pacific region is still too weak. It is no exaggeration to say that fostering an internationally renowned and influential research institute for international affairs in Japan is an indispensable project for Japan, which aims to become an international nation.

In view of these circumstances, we hereby establish the International Institute for Global Peace (IIGP) as a policy research and advisory organization with a global perspective and open to the international community with the aim of contributing to the realization of a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Cabinet Approval

June 28, 1988

About the Projects Conducted by International Institute for Global Peace (IIGP)

In view of the fact that the International Institute for Global Peace (IIGP) contributes to world peace and prosperity through efforts to strengthen security and the sound development of the international economy, and that the Institute provides research assistance, and that the Institute is intended to play a part in fulfilling Japan’s international responsibilities, the relevant government ministries and agencies shall provide necessary cooperation in the implementation of such projects.

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