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Hugo Dobson

Professor of Japan's International Relations, University of Sheffield
Hugo Dobson was awarded his PhD from the School of East Asian Studies at the University of Sheffield in 1998. His thesis explored Japan’s participation in United Nations-sponsored peacekeeping operations.

He has worked as a research fellow in the International Centre for Comparative Law and Politics at the University of Tokyo (1997-1999) and lecturer in the international relations of East Asia in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent (1999-2000).

He returned to Sheffield in 2001 as a lecturer in Japan’s international relations, becoming a senior lecturer in 2005 and a professor in 2009. Hugo was Head of the School of East Asian Studies from 2013 to 2019.

His research interests are broadly divided into two strands. The first strand focuses upon Japan's role in international relations, multilateral organisations and global governance, especially the G7 and G20. He has participated in G7 and G20 engagement groups known as the Think 7 and Think 20 that act as an 'ideas bank'.

The second strand of his research explores the role of images in shaping our understanding of international relations and Japan’s role in the world, from postage stamps and logos to TV programmes such as The Simpsons.

He has been the recipient of a number of research grants and has been invited to teach and research at various institutions around the world including the University of Tokyo, Hosei University in Tokyo, Zurich University and Charles University in Prague.

G7 overcomes internal wrangling and ‘irrelevance’ barbs to strike US$50 deal to support Ukraine

Jun 20, 2024 05:36 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

In the 26 months since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the west has been riven with disagreement about how much and what support it will provide for Volodymyr Zelenskys government. There are two main reasons for...

Shinzo Abe's killing: the history of political violence in Japan

Jul 11, 2022 05:41 am UTC| Politics

Our reaction upon hearing the news of the shooting of former prime minister Shinzo Abe was one of shock and incredulity in equal measure. What followed was a frenzy of trying to piece news reports and gossip together to...

Economy

Dollar Near Multi-Year Lows Amid Tariff Uncertainty and Investor Caution

The U.S. dollar held steady on Tuesday but remained close to a three-year low against the euro and a six-month low against the yen as investors navigated ongoing volatility in U.S. trade policy. The greenback was last up...

South Korea Boosts Semiconductor Support to $23B Amid U.S. Tariff Concerns

South Korea has expanded its support package for the semiconductor industry to 33 trillion won ($23.25 billion), marking a 27% increase from the 26 trillion won initiative announced in 2023. The move comes as global chip...

Wall Street Futures Dip Amid Tariff Uncertainty and Trump’s Shifting Trade Policy

U.S. stock index futures fell Monday evening as investor uncertainty grew over President Donald Trumps unpredictable trade policy. The dip followed two days of gains on Wall Street, driven by Trumps temporary tariff...

South Korea and Vietnam Strengthen Trade Alliance to Counter U.S. Tariff Risks

South Korea and Vietnam agreed to expand economic cooperation on Monday in a bid to counter looming U.S. tariffs that could significantly impact both nations. South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun, during a visit to...

Gold Slips From Record High as Risk Appetite Rises, But Recession Fears Keep Prices Elevated

Gold prices dipped slightly on Monday, pulling back from record highs as global risk sentiment improved following partial tariff exemptions from the U.S. However, safe haven demand remained strong amid ongoing U.S.-China...

Politics

China Slams U.S. Over Latin America Debt Accusations

The Chinese embassy in Argentina has strongly condemned recent remarks by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, accusing him of maliciously slandering and smearing Chinas international partnerships. The embassy labeled...

Iran-Russia Meeting Precedes Second Round of U.S. Nuclear Talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is set to visit Russia this week ahead of a second round of nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington. The talks, aimed at resolving Irans long-standing nuclear standoff,...

Trump, Bukele Defy Court Over MS-13 Deportee Amid Legal Clash

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele stated during a White House meeting on Monday that he has no plans to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident mistakenly deported by the U.S., claiming doing so would be akin to...

New Zealand Strengthens Indo-Pacific Ties with U.S. Amid Regional Security Shifts

New Zealands Foreign Minister Winston Peters emphasized the countrys enduring partnership with the United States, calling it vital to both nations shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. Following his recent...

Trump Administration Seeks to Scrap $8 Credit Card Late Fee Cap

The Trump administration has moved to overturn a rule that capped credit card late fees at $8, aligning with business and banking groups that argued the regulation was unlawful. In a filing submitted Monday to a federal...

Science

Kennedy Sets September Deadline to Uncover Autism Causes Amid Controversy

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a bold plan to identify the cause of autism by September 2025. Speaking at a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, Kennedy declared a global...

AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi Gets US Approval for Bladder Cancer Treatment

AstraZenecas drug Imfinzi (NASDAQ: AZN) has received U.S. approval to treat adult patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, a significant advancement in cancer therapy. The approval allows Imfinzi to be used in...

Sanofi’s New Hemophilia Drug Qfitlia Gains FDA Approval with Breakthrough Bimonthly Dosing

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Qfitlia, a groundbreaking hemophilia treatment by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY). Designed for patients aged 12 and older with hemophilia A or B,...

FDA Vaccine Chief Peter Marks Resigns Amid Controversy Over Transparency

Peter Marks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) top vaccine official, has resigned after reportedly being forced out by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to The Wall Street Journal....

Museums have tons of data, and AI could make it more accessible − but standardizing and organizing it across fields won’t be easy

Ice cores in freezers, dinosaurs on display, fish in jars, birds in boxes, human remains and ancient artifacts from long gone civilizations that few people ever see museum collections are filled with all this and more....

Technology

TSMC Nears Breakthrough in Advanced Chip Packaging to Power AI Growth

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the worlds leading contract chipmaker, is nearing completion of a cutting-edge chip packaging technology to meet surging demand for high-performance AI chips, according to...

Blue Origin Boosts Space Tourism with Katy Perry on Historic All-Female Flight

Pop star Katy Perry and five other trailblazing women successfully completed a historic suborbital spaceflight aboard Blue Origins New Shepard rocket on April 14, marking the first all-female space mission in over 60...

AMD Ready to Begin Chip Production in Arizona Amid AI Server Expansion

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) CEO Lisa Su confirmed on Tuesday that the company is prepared to begin chip production at its Arizona facility. Speaking at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Su emphasized AMDs...

Nvidia to Manufacture AI Supercomputers in the U.S. with TSMC and Foxconn

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) announced plans to manufacture AI supercomputers entirely in the U.S. for the first time, marking a major shift in its production strategy. The company has secured over one million square feet of...

Trump to Reveal Semiconductor Tariff Strategy on Monday

U.S. President Donald Trump announced he will unveil his administrations stance on semiconductor tariffs this coming Monday. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump said, Ill give you that answer on...