[36th Session] Musashino Political Academy “France and Japan – Is There a Future for Nuclear Superpowers? Reflections Inspired by the Film The Seal of the Sun”

Event Date and Time
Sunday, July 6, 2025
14:00 – 16:00

Venue
Kichijoji Excel Hotel Tokyu 8F, Ambassador Room
2-4-14 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino City, Tokyo 180-0004

Session Details
In this session of the Musashino Political Academy, Tamiyoshi Tachibana, Executive Director of the academy, who participated in a post-screening discussion of the film The Seal of the Sun in France, will report on the event. He will also share video footage and insights from interviews conducted later in France with 11 individuals, including experts in nuclear energy and radiation protection, as well as active members of parliament.

Does a country like France, which is fully committed to nuclear weapons and nuclear power, truly have a future? Is Japan’s energy policy—stating its intention to make maximum use of nuclear energy—a grave mistake? Is there a way out of this complex dilemma?

For the first time since the founding of the Musashino Political Academy, Executive Director Tamiyoshi Tachibana will speak as the main presenter. Providing commentary will be author Yusuke Nakagawa, who accompanied him to France.

[Speaker]
Tamiyoshi Tachibana (Executive Director, Musashino Political Academy / Entrepreneur)
First elected to the Okayama Prefectural Assembly at age 36, serving three terms (12 years). After retiring from politics, he founded a listed company and has continued his career as an entrepreneur. In 2016, he produced and released the film The Seal of the Sun.
He actively promotes anti-nuclear themes both in Japan and abroad, and currently works as Executive Director of the Musashino Political Academy, creating spaces for meaningful, real-world political discourse.

[Commentator]
Yusuke Nakagawa (Author / Editor)
Lecturer at Waseda University Extension Center.
Author of numerous non-fiction works covering a wide range of topics including classical music, kabuki, film, popular songs, and manga. Recent titles include August 15, 1945 and The Men Who Returned from Sugamo Prison.
He also served as the editor of former Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s works: The TEPCO Fukushima Nuclear Disaster: Reflections as Prime Minister and The Truth 10 Years After the Nuclear Accident.

[Moderator]
Reiko Matsushita (Member of the House of Representatives)
Former Mayor of Musashino City and politician. After graduating from Jissen Women’s University, she joined Sapporo Breweries, where she worked for eight years before resigning on her own terms. She later completed a master’s degree at Waseda University’s Graduate School of Economics and was part of the 25th class of the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management.
She was elected to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and re-elected for a second term. She narrowly lost her third-term bid by 774 votes and was again the runner-up in a reattempt. She was elected Mayor of Musashino in 2017 and 2021.
Her family includes her husband and child. Her hobbies include cooking, reading, and enjoying theater, film, and art.

Downloadable Materials