The Sasakawa Peace Foundation marked its 40th anniversary on September 1, reflecting on its role in addressing global challenges such as conflict, climate change, and disaster response. Established in 1986 amid Japan’s rise as a leading economic power, the foundation has evolved into a private-sector player focused on fostering peace through research, mediation, and strategic diplomacy.
Atsushi Sunami, president of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, highlighted the organization's adaptive approach in today’s complex international environment. This year, the foundation launched the Center for Mediation Support to assist peace processes through dialogue and mediation, targeting regions including Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The center engages directly with affected communities and conflict zones, often intervening while disputes are ongoing, emphasizing the foundation’s flexibility in areas where government involvement is limited or politically constrained.
Architect Shigeru Ban, known for his disaster relief work, described his efforts to provide emergency shelters and temporary housing using innovative materials such as paper tubes. Ban’s nonprofit, the Voluntary Architects’ Network, delivers aid rapidly to disaster zones worldwide, including Venezuela, Kumamoto in Japan, and Turkey following the 2023 earthquake. His designs prioritize recyclability and practicality, with the paper-based shelters offering a quick, comfortable alternative for evacuees. Ban stressed the importance of visiting affected areas firsthand to understand local needs and cultural contexts, noting that this approach fosters mutual trust and acceptance.
The collaboration between Sunami and Ban extends to the upcoming 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo, where the foundation is involved in the Blue Ocean Dome pavilion. The dome, designed by Ban, utilizes bamboo and recycled paper tubes to highlight sustainable marine resource use. The pavilion aims to raise awareness of ocean pollution and the broader ecological impact of human activity, encouraging visitors to contemplate the relationship between environmental health and human well-being. After dismantling, the pavilion’s materials are planned for reuse in educational facilities in Thailand and France, underscoring a commitment to sustainable design.
Sunami emphasized the foundation’s transition over four decades from grant-focused operations to integrating think-tank functions, enabling it to independently analyze global issues and offer policy recommendations on topics such as cyber security, nuclear nonproliferation, and sustainable development. Both leaders anticipate the need for a paradigm shift in peacebuilding and reconstruction as the world approaches the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline, urging innovative approaches that combine data analysis with experiential knowledge passed between individuals.
Looking ahead, Sunami and Ban agree that while technology, including artificial intelligence, can support efforts toward peace and efficient social systems, the human element remains essential. Ban, who continues to emphasize hand-drawn designs and personal engagement, argues that originality and genuine connection cannot be replicated digitally. They also express concern over declining international engagement among young people in Japan, advocating for increased cross-cultural interaction to build shared understanding.
Sunami underscored Japan’s potential role in partnering with countries from the Global South—such as India, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa—on equal footing to help shape a more peaceful and inclusive global society. As global power dynamics shift, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation aims to contribute practical solutions grounded in collaboration, flexible diplomacy, and sustainable development to address the uncertainties facing the international community.