The 33rd Japanese-German Forum was held in Berlin in December 2025, with the main theme being “World Order in Upheaval.” This year, the Forum welcomed a new German co-chair, Dr. Daniela Schwarzer, member of the Executive Board at Berlelsmann Stiftung. She joins the Japanese co-chair, Eizo Kobayashi (honorary director of ITOCHU). 

The events began with an Open Session on December 3rd, held in conjunction with the celebration of the Japanese-German Center Berlin’s (JDZB) 40th anniversary (see video of the event in German and Japanese), attended by 200 people. That was followed by a reception for the Forum participants hosted by State Secretary Dr. Géza Andreas von Geyr. 

During the Forum, nearly 40 Japanese and German politicians, policy experts, business leaders, and journalists came together to discuss crucial topics in politics and economics in both countries. The meeting was held against a backdrop of profound shifts in the world order, with rising multipolarity, strategic competition between the US and China, Russia’s continuous war on Ukraine, as well as other conflicts and growing pressures on international institutions. Both countries are facing evolving expectations and challenges in their respective regions and at home. The discussion aimed to clarify national approaches, identify areas of transatlantic and transpacific alignment, and explore the potential for coordinated German-Japanese action in a changing world order. Discussions also touched on topics including energy dependency, supply chain disruptions, space utilization, and the socioeconomic implications of the new international landscape.

The Forum was launched in 1993 as a joint initiative of Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, as a private, bilateral dialogue designed to promote mutual cooperation and understanding. The meetings are held annually, with JCIE and the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) serving as the secretariat.