KIP to Co-host Cross-Sector Symposium on Human Intelligence in the AI Era and Japan’s Potential at Waseda University
On November 20, the Kyoto Institute of Philosophy (KIP), in collaboration with Waseda University’s research institutions specializing in Japanese studies and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Global Humanities Initiative (MIT GHI), will co-host a cross-sector symposium titled “Human Intelligence and Japan’s Potential in the AI Era: Culture, Leadership, and the Global Order” at the Ono Auditorium at Waseda University (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo). Admission is free, and the event is open to the public (advance registration required).
Keynote speeches will be delivered by Yasuo Deguchi, Professor of Kyoto University and Co-Chairperson of KIP, and Professor Wiebke Denecke, who leads MIT GHI. The subsequent panel discussions will feature speakers active at the forefront of various fields—including academia, industry, and diplomacy—to deepen the discussion from diverse perspectives.
Details
Event Overview
Event: Symposium “Human Intelligence and Japan’s Potential in the AI Era: Culture, Leadership, and the Global Order”
Date and Time: Friday, November 20, 2026, 1:00–6:10 p.m. (JST)
Venue: Ono Auditorium, Waseda University (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
Language: Japanese
Admission: Free (advance registration required; registration closes once capacity is reached)
Organized by
- Ryusaku Tsunoda Center of Japanese Culture, Research Institute for Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University
- Research Institute of Japanese Classical Books, Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University
- Global Japanese Studies Model Unit, Waseda University (Top Global University Project)
Co-organized by
- Kyoto Institute of Philosophy (KIP)
- MIT Global Humanities (GHI)
- JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), No. 25K00442: “Interdisciplinary and International Research on Humanistic Knowledge in the East Asian Sinitic Cultural Sphere: Reassessing Classical Studies and Envisioning the Future”
- JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), No. 25K03575: “A Fundamental Study on the Ethical Issues of Artificial Intelligence (AI) from the Perspective of Buddhist Doctrine”
Program and Speakers
1:00–1:15 p.m. — Opening Remarks
Keynote Lectures
1:15–2:15 p.m. — Yasuo Deguchi
Co-Chair, Kyoto Institute of Philosophy; Program-Specific Professor, Institute for the Future of Human Society, Kyoto University
2:30–3:30 p.m. — Wiebke Denecke
- C. Fang Professor of Chinese Language and Culture and Professor of Chinese, Japanese and Korean Literatures and Philosophies, MIT; Faculty Lead, MIT Global Humanities
3:40–4:40 p.m. — Panel Discussion I
“Human Intelligence and Future Leadership in the AI Era”
Mitsuyasu Kato
Executive Director and Provost, University of Tsukuba
Denji Sakurai
CEO, ALTERUS PARTNERS LLC; Trustee and Chair, Education Innovation Committee, Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives)
Shigeki Moro
Professor, Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University; Member, Science Council of Japan
5:00–6:00 p.m. — Panel Discussion II
“Building a Future Together Across Cultures and Values”
Seiichi Kondo
President, Professional Institute of International Fashion; Representative Director, TAKUMI-Art du Japon; Representative Director, Humanities Support Forum; Former Commissioner for Cultural Affairs
Hideki Yazawa
Principal Deputy Director, Accounting Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Kazufumi Watanabe
Director, Lotte Holdings Co., Ltd.; Specially Appointed Professor, Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability, Kyoto University; Trustee and Chair, Asia Committee, Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives)
6:00–6:10 p.m. — Closing Remarks
The program and speaker lineup are subject to change.
Registration
Attendance is free, but advance registration is required. Please register using the form below. Registration will close once capacity is reached.
Registration form: https://forms.gle/mugCKyzHgbhDJ1fQ6
For enquiries about attendance: toyama-rilas@list.waseda.jp
Others
