More than a month has passed since the United States and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran, with Iran responding by launching attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf. Despite Trump’s repeated claims of making progress in ceasefire talks with Iran, the conflict continues to escalate across the Middle East, sending shockwaves across the world and impacting energy security, supply chains and defence arrangements globally. As geopolitical tensions rise, the future of the global economy and relations between countries may be redefined.

In this webinar, Professor Tanaka Koichiro will analyse the impact of the conflict in Iran, related energy issues and Japan’s strategic position in relation to the United States and Iran, as well as the potential role of the G7 in addressing these challenges.

About the contributor

Professor Koichiro Tanaka

Professor Koichiro Tanaka has held various positions as an expert on Middle East affairs at governmental institutions, international organizations and private think tanks. Among them are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan (UNSMA) and the Institute of Energy Economics Japan (IEEJ). Since September 2017, Tanaka has joined the faculty of Keio University’s Graduate School of Media and Governance where he teaches modern Middle East politics along with energy security. He holds a MA degree on Persian linguistics and contributes regularly to Japanese and international news programs as a commentator. Tanaka concurrently serves as an extraordinary advisor at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI).