Sport as a tool of soft power in modern international relations

Webconference organised by IRIS.

Opening speech by Marianne Peron-Doise, Director of the Indo-Pacific Geopolitical Observatory at IRIS.

Guest Speakers: Pascal Boniface, Director of IRIS ; Joseph Nye, Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor ; Chiaki Okada, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University.

Moderated by Barthélémy Courmont, Senior Research Fellow at IRIS

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In the past two decades, most Asian powers have engaged towards active soft power strategies aimed at promoting the economy, the society, and the culture. In parallel with the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects, as well as the introduction of new competitions (based on attractiveness, visibility and competence as well as the adaptation to modernity and the preservation of traditions), these strategies have been remodeled in order to promote the best national assets.

Among Asian powers, Japan is the best example of a soft power, as the global success of some of its assets, such as the martial arts, mangas, anime, Japanese cuisine, sport have proven in the past decades.
Japan has had a long history of sports and has made it a soft power asset, notably through the organization of international events (Rugby World Cup in 2019, Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964 and 2020), but also through the development of international relations based on sport activities.

The aim of this Webinar is to address the importance of sport in the field of international contemporary politics, but also to identify the benefits of sport activities for young generations, the harmony it generates and the stability it promotes. Through the organization of this webinar, it will emphasize on the various impacts of both the organization of sport events and the promotion of sport values in order to enhance human security. The examples of Japan and France, notably through the organization of contemporary sport events, will be explored.