Graduated from Department of Comparative Culture, Sophia University. Received Ph.D. from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (University of Leuven, Belgium). Yasutomi’s earlier positions include: Researcher at Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria, field and station officer in international NGOs, Senior Researcher at Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS), associate professor at Miyazaki International College.

Security studies, peace studies

Introduction to International Cooperation and Security

Peace Studies

We are witnessing wars, conflicts and other forms of violence depriving people’s wealth, health, and education in various parts of the world today. Why do wars and conflicts occur, and how do we prevent them from recurring? How do we end wars? How can we make peace in our world? — Scholars, religious leaders, politicians, practitioners, students, and the like, have asked these simple but very difficult questions for centuries. At Eikei University of Hiroshima, we will seek answers for these important questions collaboratively. I am very much looking forward to finding some keys to solve these questions together.

One of my major research topics is peacebuilding in post-conflict states, focusing on specific issues such as community policing, and communication between community residents and irregular forces. Another research topic goes to a study on public support towards military operations abroad and how that shapes defence and security policies in the new democratic states in Southeast Asia and beyond.

• Peacebuilding in post-conflict states and newly democratised states
• Security Sector Reform and Governance (SSRG)
• Civil-military relations, civil-military cooperation
• Community policing and community security in post-conflict states / new democracies
• Behaviours of irregular forces, militias, gang groups, and vigilantes in local communities in post-conflict states
• Treatment of deaths of soldiers and war casualties

My approach to research in post-conflict peacebuilding is multi-disciplinary. Currently, my specific research targets are armed forces, police forces and irregular forces (e.g. militias, gangs, and vigilantes). In many post-conflict states, irregular forces are often treated as spoilers to peace processes since they tend to be extra-legal, violence-based organisations that interrupt ongoing peace talks. However, a careful examination also demonstrates that irregular forces often collaborate with community members and jointly function as security guarantors in the absence of legitimate functioning police forces in the region. I focus on such collaborative behaviours of irregular forces in various states in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

• “When Soldiers Speak Out against Their Own Military: A Study of Non-Academic Books Published by Retired Japanese Officers”, Res Militaris, Vol. 10, No. 1, 2020.
• 「研究ノート：軍隊の海外派遣時における殉職者の扱い ― ドイツ連邦軍の事例から」『防衛学研究』第61号、2019年、9−27頁。
• 「コミュニティ・ポリシングの脱西欧化：ドナーは武装集団をどのように扱うべきか」（共著）『国際協力論集』第26巻第1号、2018年、75-99頁。
• “Civil-Military Cooperation Strategy for Disaster Relief in Japan - Missing in Disaster Preparedness” (Co-authored), Liaison, Vol. 7, Center for Excellency, US Pacific Command, Spring 2017.

• 「技術革新と軍の文化の変容」In:道下徳成（編著）『「技術」が変える戦争と平和』芙蓉書房出版、2018年9月（ISBN978-4-8295-0743-8）
• 「自然災害における自衛隊の邦人輸送」In:片山裕（編著）『防災をめぐる国際協力のありかた』ミネルヴァ書房、2017年7月（ISBN978-4-623-08063-2）
• 「なぜ連携するのか」In:上杉勇司・藤重博美・吉崎知典・本多倫彬（編著）『世界に向けたオールジャパン』内外出版、2016年4月（ISBN978-4-905285-57-1）

International Security, Peacebuilding, International Cooperation, Security Sector Reform, Military, Police, Community Security, Criminal Groups, Non-governmental Organisations