Kyoko Kuwahara

Research Fellow at The Japan Institute of International Affairs.

E-mail: kyoko.kuwahara[at]jiiaorjp

JIIA Projects

Public diplomacy, disinformation, disinformation countermeasures, strategic communications, soft power

Research Interests

Public diplomacy, political warfare, soft power, sharp power, strategic communications, media, public opinions, disinformation campaigns

Education

2017 M.A., Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University
2017 Completed, Graduate Minor Programs & Graduate Program for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Osaka University

Professional Experience

2024-present Fellow, Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI)
2023-present Strategic Advisor, Japan Nexus Intelligence
2023 ISF Fellow, Schmidt Futures
2022-2023 Senior Researcher, Keio Research Institute at SFC, Keio University
2022-2023 Visiting Fellow, Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI)
2020-present Visiting Research Analyst, Institute for Future Engineering (IFENG)
2019-present Research Fellow, Japan Institution of International Affairs (JIIA)
2019-2023 Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, Resilience Practice Unit, Kyoto University
2019-2020 Research Analyst, Institute for Future Engineering (IFENG)
2018-2019 Official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Office for Strategic Communication Hub, Minister’s Secretariat
2017-2018 Research Fellow, International Peace and Security Department, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation 

Publications

Books

• Disinformation Warfare: The War in Your Heads (in Japanese). co-author, Wedge, 2023.
• Why is Japan's "Righteousness" Difficult to Convey to the World?: Fierce Image Competition between Japan, China, and South Korea (in Japanese). Wedge, 2020.
• After Sharp Power: The Dawn of the New Cold War between the U.S. and China (in Japanese). co-author, Wedge, 2019.

Papers

• “Disinformation countermeasures in the cognitive domain in Canada: An agenda setting analysis” (in Japanese). Strategic Studies, The Japan Society of Strategic Studies, no. 34, 2024, pp. 41-66.
• “G7 convene in Japan to stare down China’s provocations”. Inside Policy, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, May 19, 2023, https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/g7-convene-in-japan-to-stare-down-chinas-provocations-jonathan-berkshire-miller-and-kyoko-kuwahara-for-inside-policy/
• “Foreign influence operations in Japan since the second Abe government”. MLI Commentary, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, April 2023, https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/220230424ForeigninterferenceKuwaharaCOMMENTARY_FWeb.pdf
• "Strengthening international cooperation: The case of a Taiwan strait contingency". MLI Commentary, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, March 2023, https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/20230301DisinfoTaiwanKuwaharaCOMMENTARY_FWeb.pdf
• “Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy and its implications for Japan”. Inside Policy, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, January 4, 2023, https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/canadas-indo-pacific-strategy-and-its-implications-for-japan-kyoko-kuwahara-for-inside-policy/ 
• "Disinformation threats during a Taiwan contingency and countermeasures". Research Report, The Japan Institute of International Affairs, March 22, 2022, https://www.jiia.or.jp/en/column/2022/03/security-fy2021-01.html
• "Fighting disinformation: Japan’s unique situation and the future of Canada-Japan cooperation". MLI Commentary, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, November 2021, https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/mli-files/pdf/202110FightingdisinformationKyokoCOMMENTARY_FWeb.pdf
• "The disinformation threat and international cooperation". JIIA Strategic Comments, The Japan Institute of International Affairs, June 2, 2021, https://www.jiia.or.jp/en/strategic_comment/2021/06/2021-02.html
• "China's 'wolf warrior diplomacy': The limitations and challenges exposed by the corona crisis". JIIA Strategic Comments, The Japan Institute of International Affairs, May 16, 2020, https://www.jiia.or.jp/en/strategic_comment/2020/05/jiia-strategic-comments-2020-11.html
• "The Coronavirus blame game intensifies the US-China information war for international public opinion". JIIA Strategic Comments, The Japan Institute of International Affairs, April 23, 2020, https://www.jiia.or.jp/en/strategic_comment/2020/04/jiia-strategic-comments-2020-4.html
• "Public diplomacy toward the U.S. under the second Abe administration: Policies and their effects" (in Japanese). International Public Policy Studies, The Association of International Public Policy Studies, Osaka University, vol.22, no.2, March 2017, pp.35-57.

And many others.

Presentations at International Conferences and Other Events

• CANIS (Canadian Network on Information and Security) 2024 International Conference, hosted by School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, in Banff, Canada, March 20-22, 2024.
• “Indo-Pacific policy dialogue: The problem of disinformation”, co-hosted by the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies and the Japan International Christian University Foundation, online, February 7, 2024.
• “EU-Pacific Talk”, hosted by Europeum, online, October 24, 2023.
• “Montreal International Security Summit”, hosted by The Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS), in Montreal, Canada, October 11-12, 2024.
• “Deepening Canada-Japan relations in the Indo-Pacific: Commemorating the 95th anniversary of diplomatic relations”, co-hosted by Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and the David Lam Centre at Simon Fraser University, in Vancouver, Canada, September 27, 2023.
• “Hybrid wars: From disinformation to cybersecurity. A perspective from Japan”, hosted by Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB), in Barcelona, Spain, September 21, 2023.
• European Values Summit 2023, hosted by European Values Centre, in Prague, Czech Republic, June 14, 2023.
• CANIS (Canadian Network on Information and Security) 2023 International Conference, hosted by School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, in Banff, Canada, March 22-24, 2023.
• "Australia-Japan-India Trilateral Dialogue", hosted by Griffith University, in Brisbane, Australia, February 10, 2023.
• "Defending democracies from disinformation: A new imperative for Canada-Japan strategic cooperation", hosted by Macdonald-Laurier Institute, online, February 2, 2023.
• "Towards peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific", hosted by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, in Ottawa, Canada, January 27, 2023.
• "Special IRENE seminar: Strategies of influence and soft Power: A comparative approach”, hosted by ESSEC Business School, online, November 21, 2022.
• "2022 Summer Briefing on information manipulation in the Indo-Pacific region", co-hosted by IORG and Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation, online, June 29, 2022.
• "Taiwan-US-Japan Trilateral Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue", co-hosted by CNAS, the Prospect Foundation, and the Japan Institute of International Affairs, online, December 14, 2021.
• "#StratComTalks", hosted by NATO StratCom COE, online, February 2021.

And many others.