On October 22, 2025, Ehime University welcomed Mr. Toyohisa Kozuki, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Russia, to give a lecture.
About 50 people, including university students, faculty, staff, and the general public, came to the media hall on the Johoku Campus, which served as the venue for the event. Following opening remarks by President Nishina, Mr. Kozuki took the podium and gave a lecture on “The Situation in Russia and the War in Ukraine.
Mr. Kozuki joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1981 and served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation after serving as Director General of the European Bureau and Chief of the Minister’s Secretariat. For the next eight years as Ambassador, he served in key positions in Japan-Russia relations and made efforts to improve the international situation.
In his lecture, he talked about the current trends in international affairs and how he perceives the war in Ukraine, using episodes backed up by his rich experience as a diplomat in these areas. Based on his experience on the front lines of negotiations with Russia, he also introduced the other side of the negotiations and the personality of the Russian President, which strongly attracted the participants’ attention.
During the Q&A session, Mr. Kozuki first carefully answered questions that had been submitted in advance of the lecture, followed by a series of hands raised by university students. Mr. Kozuki responded sincerely to each question, and even after the lecture was over, he continued to talk directly with the participants until the line of questions had died down.
This lecture provided a valuable opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of the complexity of international affairs and the perspectives required in the field of diplomacy. Ehime University will continue its efforts to provide opportunities for participants to understand the dynamics of society and international society and to develop diverse perspectives.
＜Institute for International Relations＞