The Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (DSET) visited Japan earlier this month and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Institute of Geoeconomics (IOG) on July 8. The agreement aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation on technology-related geopolitical research. A closed-door workshop was held to exchange views on collaboration related to Taiwan-Japan cooperation in the drone sector and submarine cable security.
Established in 2022, the Institute of Geoeconomics is Japan’s largest private think tank. It provides policy recommendations on geoeconomics, economic security, and Japanese foreign policy by facilitating dialogue among industry, government, and academia.
Professor Kazuto Suzuki, the Director of IOG, is a professor of Science and Technology Policy at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo. He previously served on the UN Security Council’s Panel of Experts on Iran and was the President of the Japan Association for International Security and Trade. He recently published the Chinese-language edition of his book The World Atlas of Resources and Economies, which analyzes the growing trend of weaponization of economic policy and outlines strategic recommendations for Japan and its Indo-Pacific allies.
Since DSET’s founding, Professor Suzuki and IOG have been key supporters of DSET’s work on economic security and supply chain resilience. Over the past year, Professor Suzuki has visited Taiwan three times to participate in DSET’s international forums on supply chain collaboration, alongside experts from the United States, South Korea, Europe, and Taiwan.
The newly signed MoU outlines a formal framework for bilateral cooperation and expands the scope of joint initiatives. One of the ongoing projects includes a joint research paper examining Japan and Taiwan’s dependency on China’s critical minerals and the risks. On the same day, researchers also held in-depth, closed-door discussions on DSET’s ongoing studies on Taiwan’s drone industry and submarine cable resilience. Both institutions plan to continue knowledge exchange and promote strategic cooperation on these emerging issues.
