MFJ Lunch Seminar - Japanese Economy and Society : French "Soft Power” with a Focus on Asia and Japan

The concept of Soft Power has radically evolved, but its tools are still effective. This talk displays French soft power in Asia/Japan in particular. There are trends that it makes sense to look at before the pandemic. Where manageable, effects of COVID environment are presented.

Themes to be examined include:

1) Soft & Smart Powers (according to the definitions by Joseph Nye)

2) French Institutes aiming at more visibility

3) French Alliances initiating momentum for local audiences

4) French influence in Japan through translators, experts and advisers in a modernization process

5) Scientific Diplomacy

6) Museum Diplomacy

7) The policy of “francophonie”

8) Education: Foreign Students in France & French campus in Asia/Japan

9) French attractiveness through tourism and luxury

10) French Literature & Cinema

11) French residents in Asia-Oceania/Japan

12) Gastronomy: a new tool. In the social sciences, we put forth 2 examples: Th. Piketty today, A. de Tocqueville yesterday.

reservation(@)ccifj.or.jp