As Japan enters the 21st century, it is sure to face a host of new and unprecedented challenges and opportunities as a member of the global community. Undoubtedly, one important dimension of Japan’s future will relate to Japan’s dealings with Islamic nations and peoples. Indeed, in past decades, events such as the oil shocks of the 1970s and the Persian Gulf Crisis of 1990-1991, as well as recent developments such as the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War, have had an extraordinary impact not only on Japan’s foreign policy, but also on Japan’s political and economic system as a whole. This being the case, there is an increasing need for all Japanese, inside and outside of government, to be well informed, knowledgeable, and sympathetic toward the culture, beliefs, and political challenges of the Islamic world.

The Shingetsu Institute aims to help fill an institutional gap in Japanese society. In Japan there are few places and opportunities for people to learn about Islamic peoples, or even about the history or current status of Japanese-Islamic relations. This is especially true for Japanese in Western Japan, far from the center of the national government in Tokyo.

The Shingetsu Institute has missions at the global, national, and local levels. Globally, the Institute will endeavor to promote international peace and understanding through education and enlightenment. Nationally, the Institute will be a center of research that will chronicle and explain the history and current state of Japan’s relations with Islamic peoples. And locally, the Institute will provide educational services to Japanese citizens in Western Japan, as well as cultural support for Muslim residents of the region.

The Shingetsu Institute is headquartered in the city of Kitakyushu at one of the closest points in Japan to the Asian mainland. This region, which includes the Kanmon Straits between the islands of Honshu and Kyushu, has long served as a crucial juncture between Japan and the outside world. We would be pleased to see this region once again play a vital role as an intellectual gateway for a peaceful and productive relationship between Japan and the world at large.