Minister Minoru Kiuchi: Bridging Innovation and Governance at the 4th Shinzo Abe Conference – An Official Spotlight

by Editor BGF | Mar 22, 2025 | News

Minoru Kiuchi serves as Japan’s Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy in the Ishiba Cabinet, a position he assumed on October 1, 2024, under Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. A veteran member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the House of Representatives, Kiuchi represents Shizuoka Prefecture’s 7th District, having been elected seven times since 2003. With a distinguished career spanning diplomacy and politics, he brings a wealth of experience to his current portfolio, which also includes responsibilities for Economic Security, the “Cool Japan” Strategy, Intellectual Property Strategy, and Space Policy.

Born on April 19, 1965, in Tokyo, Kiuchi’s early life was shaped by international exposure, living in Bonn, West Germany, from ages six to ten due to his father’s role as a police attaché. This experience ignited his fluency in German and a global perspective, later honed at the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, where he majored in International Relations. Joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1989, Kiuchi served as a diplomat in Germany and as the official German-Japanese interpreter for Emperor Akihito and prime ministers Ryutaro Hashimoto and Keizo Obuchi. His diplomatic tenure included key postings in Bonn and Augsburg, where he studied political science, deepening his expertise in international cooperation.

Transitioning to politics in 2002, Kiuchi won his first election as an independent before aligning with the LDP to support Shinzo Abe’s leadership. He held significant roles under Abe, including Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs (2012-2014) and State Minister for Foreign Affairs (2014-2015), showcasing his adeptness in foreign policy and economic strategy. Known for his close ties with Germany and his strategic foresight, Kiuchi has been a vocal advocate for innovation, economic security, and Japan’s role in global technology networks.

As Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy in 2025, Kiuchi is driving Japan’s ambition to enhance its research and development capabilities, notably through initiatives like the “Integrated Innovation Strategy 2025,” which he discussed at the 77th Comprehensive Science and Technology Innovation Conference. At the 4th Shinzo Abe Conference, he plays a pivotal role as a keynote speaker about AIWS Government 24/7—a vision of continuous, AI-driven governance. His leadership bridges science, technology, and economic security, honoring Shinzo Abe’s legacy while positioning Japan as a global leader in the Age of Global Enlightenment.

Writer: The Boston Global Forum Editorial Board

Distinguished Speaker at the 4th Shinzo Abe Conference: Nguyen Anh Tuan, Architect of AI Innovation and Global Enlightenment

by Editor BGF | Mar 22, 2025 | News

Nguyen Anh Tuan is a visionary leader and innovator who has used his deep understanding of global technology, media, and governance to look forward to a world governed by a social contract of promise and possibility. He serves as the Co-Chair and CEO of the Boston Global Forum (BGF), co-founded in 2012 with former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis.

BGF has emerged as a “think and do” tank dedicated to fostering peace, security, and innovation through international collaboration, particularly at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, political exchange, and cultural exchange. It is a mission Tuan personifies; in other capacities he is a Distinguished Member of the Wilson Center’s Institute for Strategic Competition Steering Committee, co-founder of the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation (MDI) and of the AI World Society (AIWS) Initiative, launched with Governor Dukakis in 2017, to advance ethical AI development. His AIWS Government 24/7 Initiative—envisioning AI-driven governance with governments serving citizens 24/7—earned him the title of Person of the Year 2018 from Vietnam National Television (VTV). In January 2025, Nguyen Anh Tuan was honored with the UNGSII Award at Davos, recognizing his outstanding leadership and contributions to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through AI innovation.

Tuan has also co-authored influential works, including the Social Contract for the AI Age (2020) and Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment (2021), shaping new political and social models for a better, safer, and more prosperous world through a humane pursuit and deployment of creative technological advance.

With deep ties to academia, Tuan served on the Harvard Business School Global Advisory Board (2008-2016) and chaired the International Advisory Committee of the UNESCO-UCLA Chair on Global Learning and Global Citizenship Education (2015-2017). As Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School in 2007, he researched trends in electronic media, further solidifying his expertise. His initiatives, such as Global Cybersecurity Day and the BGF-G7 Summit Initiative reflect his commitment to peace and security in the digital age.

This was the spirit which infused the launch of the Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security—founded on July 10, 2022— honoring the legacy of Japan’s late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in fostering global peace and innovation. It also animates the selection each year of a World Leader for Peace and Security, whose recipients reflect the ideal of what Tuan has described as “global enlightenment”, ranging from statesmen to civil servants, spiritual leaders to political figures.

Hailing from Nha Trang in Vietnam, he envisions his hometown as a global innovation city, drawing inspiration from Boston. Tuan’s remarkable career began with groundbreaking contributions to Vietnam’s digital landscape. He founded VietNet, the country’s first TCP/IP-based Internet service provider, and later established VietNamNet, Vietnam’s leading online newspaper, where he served as Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief from 1997 to 2011. Under his stewardship, VietNamNet became a platform for reform, introducing the innovative “VietNamNet Online Roundtable” to engage the public in live discussions with political, social, and cultural leaders. His pioneering efforts earned him recognition as one of Vietnam’s Top 10 Outstanding Young Talents by the government in 1996.

Tuan’s recent efforts include advocating for the AIWS Film Park, a hybrid cinema hub blending natural and AI-driven studios, and fostering Vietnam-U.S. film collaboration, as highlighted at the BGF Roundtable on March 11, 2025, at Harvard. Today, Nguyen Anh Tuan continues to bridge cultures, technologies, and ideas, driving a future where AI and humanity coexist for the greater good.

Tuan’s leadership has positioned BGF as a key player in addressing emerging global challenges. His humility and sense of inclusion have made all who know and have worked with him a part of his great adventure, an adventure which, in its truest sense, is eight billion people strong.

March 19, 2025

Writer: Ramu Damodaran, Founding Chief of the United Nations Academic Impact, former Editor-in-Chief of the United Nations Chronicle, and Permanent Observer of the University for Peace to the United Nations.