Center for Mediation Support
Supporting peace processes through dialogue and trust.
About the Center for Mediation Support
This center is an independent Asia-based organization dedicated to peace mediation and mediation support.
Drawing on Japan’s unique historical experience, values distinct from those of Western countries, and the trust cultivated through decades of development assistance, we support mediation efforts in regions affected by conflict.
We work to build trust through sustained dialogue, respecting the perspectives and backgrounds of all parties and helping explore pathways toward resolving conflicts without reliance on force.
Through these efforts, the center seeks to contribute to peace and stability in a world where conflicts are becoming increasingly complex and severe.
Drawing on Japan’s unique historical experience, values distinct from those of Western countries, and the trust cultivated through decades of development assistance, we support mediation efforts in regions affected by conflict.
We work to build trust through sustained dialogue, respecting the perspectives and backgrounds of all parties and helping explore pathways toward resolving conflicts without reliance on force.
Through these efforts, the center seeks to contribute to peace and stability in a world where conflicts are becoming increasingly complex and severe.
Our Mission
Our mission is to stand alongside people affected by armed conflict and expand pathways toward sustainable peace that do not depend on violence.
We support dialogue among conflict parties and affected communities by providing trusted spaces where mutual understanding can emerge.
By sharing experience and knowledge, we also help communities recognize alternatives to violence and strengthen their own capacity to pursue peace and stability.
We support dialogue among conflict parties and affected communities by providing trusted spaces where mutual understanding can emerge.
By sharing experience and knowledge, we also help communities recognize alternatives to violence and strengthen their own capacity to pursue peace and stability.
Our Approach
Sustainable peace requires trust. For this reason, we place the highest priority on building long-term relationships through continuous dialogue with conflict parties and affected communities.
Our work begins with listening carefully to the perspectives of diverse stakeholders and valuing knowledge from the field.
We also draw on the expertise of Japanese scholars and specialists in area studies and international politics. Our work incorporates the historical, cultural, and social contexts of each region, while respecting the values, religions, and customs of the parties involved.
Leveraging the neutrality, flexibility, and networks available to us as a private organization, we seek practical and creative approaches to conflict resolution grounded in the realities on the ground.
Our work begins with listening carefully to the perspectives of diverse stakeholders and valuing knowledge from the field.
We also draw on the expertise of Japanese scholars and specialists in area studies and international politics. Our work incorporates the historical, cultural, and social contexts of each region, while respecting the values, religions, and customs of the parties involved.
Leveraging the neutrality, flexibility, and networks available to us as a private organization, we seek practical and creative approaches to conflict resolution grounded in the realities on the ground.
KNOWLEDGE
Building a Research Network
Building a Research Network
The center serves as a hub connecting the expertise of Japanese area-studies scholars to form a network of specialists researching conflict regions and surrounding areas. Through academic analysis, we seek to deepen understanding of the structures and background of conflicts and apply this knowledge to mediation support.
Key Initiatives
- Regular conflict analysis workshops involving researchers specializing in conflict regions and surrounding areas
- Multidimensional analysis of conflict drivers, key actors, and regional and international networks
- Deepening and diversifying understanding of conflicts through knowledge sharing among researchers
- Building an intellectual foundation to support peace mediation
NETWORK
Promoting International Collaboration
Promoting International Collaboration
The center works to strengthen cooperation with individuals and organizations engaged in peace mediation worldwide. By sharing Japan’s knowledge and experience and building international networks, we aim to contribute to global discussions on mediation.
Key Initiatives
- Participation in international forums and conferences on peace mediation
- Building mediation-support networks with international organizations, government institutions, and experts
- Organizing and sharing the experience and knowledge accumulated by the Japanese government and the Nippon Foundation Group
- Advancing a Japan-originated model of mediation support through research and publications
PRACTICE
Mediation Support in the Field
Mediation Support in the Field
The center provides practical support in regions affected by ongoing conflict, helping to foster dialogue and build trust. By responding to local conditions and the needs of stakeholders, we work to create environments conducive to peace.
Key Initiatives
- Facilitating dialogue and creating opportunities for discussion among conflict parties and stakeholders
- Providing capacity-building training for actors involved in peace processes
- Sharing experience and knowledge through exchanges and visits among stakeholders
- Implementing practical mediation support tailored to the circumstances of each region
Staff
| Akiko Horiba | Director |
|---|---|
| Kenta Aoki | Senior Research Fellow |
| Amane Kobayashi | Senior Research Fellow |
| Kyoka Oimatsu | Program Associate |
| Narumi Shibata | Program Officer |
| Yuji Mori | Advisor |
|---|
Fellows
| Name | Organization | Position | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asami, Yasuhito | Hosei University | Professor, Faculty of Law Department of Global Politics | Japanese/English/Thai |
| Endo, Mitsugi | The University of Tokyo | Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences | Japanese/English |
| Horinuki, Koji | JIME Center, The Institute of Energy Economics of Japan (IEEJ) | Senior Research Fellow | Japanese/English/Arabic |
| Kakizaki, Masaki | Temple University, Japan Campus | Professor, Department of Political Science | Japanese/English/Turkish |
| Kuroda, Kenji | National Museum of Ethnology | Associate Professor, Department of Globalization and Humanity | Japanese/English/Persian |
| Kusakabe, Naonori | Rikkyo University | Associate Professor, College of Intercultural Communication | Japanese/English/Bengali |
| Machida, Hodaka | Panasonic Research Institute | Senior Research Fellow | Japanese/English/Chinese |
| Matsuno, Akihisa | Osaka University | Professor Emeritus | Japanese/English/Indonesian |
| Mizobuchi, Masaki | Meijigakuin University | Professor, Faculty of Law | Japanese/English/Arabic |
| Murakami, Takuya | Institute for Middle East Strategic Studies | President/Senior Fellow | Japanese/English/Arabic |
| Nishikida, Aiko | Keio University | Professor, Faculty of Law Department of Political Science | Japanese/English/ Arabic/Hebrew/Germany |
| Ono, Hitomi | Kobe City University of Foreign Studies | Visiting Scholar | Japanese/English/ Arabic/French |
| Saito, Ayako | Tokyo University of Foreign Studies | Research Fellow | Japanese/English/Burmese |
| Toriya, Masato | Tokyo University of Foreign Studies | Associate Professor, Institute of Global Studies | Japanese/English/ Pashto/Urdu/Persian |
| Yamada, Hiroshi | Niigata University of International and Information Studies | Professor | Japanese/English/Khmer |
| Yoshida, Tomoaki | National Institute for Defense Studies | Research Fellow | Japanese/English/Arabic |
| Yoshida, Tomofumi | Ekklesia | Director | Japanese/English/Chinese |
(In alphabetical order by family name)
