At the IPRA Biennial Meeting in Sydney in 2010, John Synott resigned as APPRA Secretary-General, having served two terms, and Professor Akihiko Kimijima of Ritsumeikan University, Japan was elected as Secretary-General of APPRA and Professor Vidya Jain of the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India, was elected to the role of Deputy Secretary General. Akihiko hosted the next conference from October 14-16, 2011 at Ritsumeikan University, Kinugasa Campus, Kyoto, Japan

The conference theme was: New Agenda for Peace Research in the Asia-Pacific

Over 78 papers and presentations were made over the three days of this stimulating and well-attended conference, with over 100 participants. The conference took place in the aftermath of Japan’s tsunami disaster and Fukushima nuclear reactor crisis, and initially there were concerns raised about holding the conference at all, given the crisis in Japan. Prof. Kimijima and his excellent team decided to host the conference in spite of the circumstances and it was a resounding success with many Japanese and international participants. A focus for the conference was provided by long-term anti-nuclear activist and scholar Dr Ikuro Anzai of Ritsumeikan University in his key-note presentation Agenda for Peace Research after 3/11. In addition there were special sessions on the Japan crisis including disaster responses and the future of nuclear power.

The various sessions focussed on a wide range of regional concerns in peace research including: Human Security; Gandhi; Nonviolent Methods; Art and Peace; Peace Education; Peace Museums; East Asia; Peace Movements Dealing with Disasters; Human Rights; Nepal; and Japan’s post 3/11 Future.

The conference hosts also provided a range of receptions and cultural activities. On the last evening a book-launch was held to celebrate the publication of the book Peace Non-violence and Gandhian Concerns, edited by Vidya Jain and containing chapters by several participants in the APPRA Conference.

Professor Jain is also working with Prof Kimijima to produce a book of selected papers from the 2011 APPRA Conference, to be published by the same publisher, Rawat Publications, in 2012.