THIRD THURSDAY LECTURE - SAINSBURY INSTITUTE

Paul Madden CMG (Former British Ambassador to Japan and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society)

About the Talk

Former British Ambassador to Japan and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Paul Madden CMG, will introduce Japan’s geography. He will discuss how Japan’s geography – its location, climate, topography and seismology – have influenced its development as a nation, its economy and its role in the world. He will also describe some of his experiences of visiting all 47 of the country’s prefectures, and talk about how Japan’s geography impacted on his work as a diplomat posted in Tokyo.

About the Speaker

Paul Madden CMG FRGS was British Ambassador to Japan 2017-21 and High Commissioner to Australia (2011-15) and Singapore (2007-11). He now advises Japanese, British and Australian companies and is a Visiting Professor of International Relations at Keio University, Tokyo. He was Managing Director at UK Trade & Investment (2005-7).  He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge, an MBA from Durham, studied Japanese at London University’s School of Oriental and African studies and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He is Special Adviser to the Centre for Japanese Studies at the University of East Anglia and a member of the board of the UK/Japan 21st Century Group. His latest book Sankyu Japan, published in 2022, describes many aspects of Japan that he experienced and enjoyed.

50 min lecture followed by Q&A and a festive reception with sake and mince pies.

Doors open from 17:30.
Free and open to all, booking essential.
To check your time zone conversion if you are joining from outside the UK, click here.