[Event Report] Special Lecture by H.E. Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia "The EU’s Role in a Fragmented World"

On September 19, the Keio Center for Strategy (KCS) hosted a special lecture welcoming His Excellency Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia. 

Speakers
Andrej Plenković (Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia)
Kohei Itoh (President, Keio University) 
Yuichi Hosoya (Professor, Keio University; Director, KCS) 

Keynote Speech
In his keynote address, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković emphasized the importance of the values shared by Japan and the EU, namely democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, in an era of faltering international order. Touching upon Croatia's strong economic growth following its accession to the EU and NATO, the Prime Minister advocated for cooperation with Japan in sectors such as semiconductors and the environment, underscoring the significance of collaboration among nations that share the same foundational values.

Dialogue with Director Yuichi Hosoya
Croatia is widely known as a nation that has experienced conflict. Comparing the aggression Croatia faced from the Milošević regime approximately 35 years ago with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Prime Minister pointed out commonalities in the aggressors' narratives, specifically the denial of the target nation's identity under the pretext of protecting ethnic minorities. Furthermore, he stressed that "aggression must not be rewarded with territorial acquisition," and articulated the absolute necessity of a ceasefire and a peace agreement. He also presented Croatia's experience of peacefully reintegrating occupied territories through United Nations peacekeeping operations as a highly relevant model for conflict resolution.

On Japan's role in the international community, the Prime Minister highly praised Japan's contributions. He cited its post-war economic recovery, its cooperative diplomatic posture, demonstrated by its leadership in the CPTPP, and its established status as one of the world's leading international aid donors.

Q&A Session
Prime Minister Plenković responded to questions on a wide range of topics, including his views on the Russian threat, the resolve required of democratic nations, and the roles of Japan's academia, government, and private sector given that the country is situated in a geopolitically tense environment. He also expressed his view that Russia's actions pose a grave threat of undermining the security of all of Europe, referring to the drone intrusion incident in Poland's airspace and the subsequent triggering of NATO consultations. He emphasized the need to strengthen national defense capabilities to prepare for such threats, and outlined specific measures such as NATO's target to increase GDP share of defense spending and Croatia's policy to introduce a two-month basic military training program for its younger generation. Lastly, in regards to Japan's various sectors, he specifically noted the proactive initiatives conducted within academia and private enterprises on technological innovation, including artificial intelligence, and expressed his strong hope that their advanced expertise will continue to be fully utilized.