Message from the Chairman
Toshiba International Foundation has the singular mission of promoting international understanding of Japan, a commission we have viewed broadly since our founding in 1989. Through support for a wide range of initiatives and projects, and our own programs, we have encouraged exploration of Japan in its many facets: its history, culture and arts, its economy and technology, and combinations thereof.
As the international community continues to recover from the global pandemic, the post-Cold War era is nearing its end, and we are at a historical turning point. Multi-polarization will continue, and we can expect it to trigger frictions and conflicts. At a time like this, I am sure that the private sector’s promotion of international exchanges that foster mutual trust and understanding between countries, regions and cultures will become even more important.
The pandemic has given us a major opportunity to reconsider conventional values, work styles, lifestyles, and social systems. This in part reflects the much greater flexibility in long-distance communications that is a major by-product of the pandemic, made possible by progress in IT.
Having said that, recent advances in AI promise both positive and negative impacts on our creativity and intellectual activities. We must never forget that a prosperous society can only be realized by human creativity that is fostered and inspired by open-hearted, dynamic interactions and collaborations among people from diverse cultural and social backgrounds.
We closely watch the changes in the tide of the times and current global trends. Keenly aware of the flow of world history, civilization and culture over the ages, we constantly ask ourselves what the Foundation can offer the world, now and in the future. This repeatedly brings us back to the role of identifying and reconsidering the core values that Japan needs to preserve, and to share with the world.
I sincerely ask for your continued support for our endeavors.
Satoshi Tsunakawa
Chairman
Toshiba International Foundation