Speaker
KUDO Yasushi
- Title
- President, The Genron NPO
Biography
KUDO Yasushi is the Founder and President of The Genron NPO, an independent, non-profit think tank based in Tokyo and established in 2001. While the organization was originally founded with the mission of strengthening Japanese democracy and promoting citizen-led solutions to public challenges, under Mr. KUDO’s strong leadership it has evolved into a prominent “DO-TANK” that actively works to safeguard a rules-based international order and multilateral cooperation at a time when power politics and unilateral actions by major power s are increasingly shaping global affairs.
Among its flagship initiatives is “the Tokyo Conference”, a global policy dialogue platform that collaborates with leading think tanks from twelve countries: Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Singapore, and Belgium. The Conference has become a distinguished forum that brings together prominent international policymakers and Asian leaders to discuss pressing global and regional issues. As Chair of “the Tokyo Conference”, Mr. KUDO leads and synthesizes these discussions and issues a Chair’s Statement, offering policy recommendations and strategic perspectives from Tokyo to the international community every year.
Mr. KUDO has also played a significant role in advancing Track II diplomacy in Northeast Asia. In 2005, he launched “the Tokyo–Beijing Forum”, a pioneering initiative designed to promote dialogue between Japan and China and to publish annual public opinion surveys in both countries. The Forum has maintained channels of communication even during periods of heightened political tension and bilateral disputes.
Building on these efforts, Mr. KUDO established “the Asia Peace Conference” in 2020, bringing together leading figures in diplomacy and security from Japan, the United States, China, and the Republic of Korea to promote regional stability and the development of common rules and norms in Asia.
Most recently, in March of this year, he launched “the Asia Roundtable” under the framework of “the Tokyo Conference”. Co-chaired by former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the initiative convenes leaders from seven Asian countries to engage in dialogues on the future regional order in Asia, global governance, and the strengthening of multilateral cooperation.
Among its flagship initiatives is “the Tokyo Conference”, a global policy dialogue platform that collaborates with leading think tanks from twelve countries: Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Singapore, and Belgium. The Conference has become a distinguished forum that brings together prominent international policymakers and Asian leaders to discuss pressing global and regional issues. As Chair of “the Tokyo Conference”, Mr. KUDO leads and synthesizes these discussions and issues a Chair’s Statement, offering policy recommendations and strategic perspectives from Tokyo to the international community every year.
Mr. KUDO has also played a significant role in advancing Track II diplomacy in Northeast Asia. In 2005, he launched “the Tokyo–Beijing Forum”, a pioneering initiative designed to promote dialogue between Japan and China and to publish annual public opinion surveys in both countries. The Forum has maintained channels of communication even during periods of heightened political tension and bilateral disputes.
Building on these efforts, Mr. KUDO established “the Asia Peace Conference” in 2020, bringing together leading figures in diplomacy and security from Japan, the United States, China, and the Republic of Korea to promote regional stability and the development of common rules and norms in Asia.
Most recently, in March of this year, he launched “the Asia Roundtable” under the framework of “the Tokyo Conference”. Co-chaired by former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the initiative convenes leaders from seven Asian countries to engage in dialogues on the future regional order in Asia, global governance, and the strengthening of multilateral cooperation.
