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Russia is at present home to a large number of people of the Islamic faith. Moreover, the country has a long history of direct and deep connections with the Islamic world and has conducted a vast amount of research on Islam, though this fact is little known in Japan. Contemporary research on the Middle East puts a strong focus on fieldwork in the region, and much research is currently being conducted, from a number of different angles.
The invited speakers at this lecture, who are travelling from Russia specifically for this event, have to date produced a wealth of research on the contemporary Middle East, and possess considerable influence in Russia's diplomatic affairs with the Middle East. Russia's diplomatic approach, and its political policy, clearly contrasts with that of Europe and the US, and the speakers discuss, from the perspective of Russia's characteristic form of diplomacy, the larger implications of the Middle East situation. Not only was this the first visit to Japan for the speakers, it was also the first time they had addressed the unique theme of the Middle East situation from a Russian diplomatic perspective.