A Conversation with Prof. Isaac Ben Israel, Chairman of the Israel Space Agency

Event Information

Enhancing the ability in cross-domain operations involving space, cyberspace, and the electromagnetic fields are priority areas of defense for Japan and its allied nations. In this gathering, pioneering policy thinker Prof. Isaac Ben Israel talks about Israeli initiatives and inventions on this topic, followed by discussion with members of related study groups on this issue.

Presentation:
"Securing Space, Cyberspace, and the Electromagnetic Fields: An Israeli Policy"

Speaker: Isaac Ben Israel, Chairman of the Israel Space Agency

Discussant: Kazuto Suzuki, Professor of International Politics and Vice Dean of the Public Policy School, Hokkaido University

Discussant: Nobumasa Akiyama, Professor at the Graduate School of Law and Dean of the Graduate School of International and Public Policy, Hitotsubashi University

Moderator: Satoshi Ikeuchi, Professor of Religion and Global Security, RCAST, the University of Tokyo

Speaker’s Bio:
Isaac Ben Israel (also spelled Yiztchak Ben Yisrael) is Chairman of the Israel Space Agency since 2005. He is Professor Emeritus of Tel Aviv University, teaching at the Security Studies Program since 2002 and at the Cohen Institute for the History & Philosophy of Sciences and Ideas since 1989. Prof. Ben Yisrael is currently the Head of the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Studies Centre and also the Head of the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security, both of which he was the founder.

Professor Ben Israel was a member of the 17th Knesset (Israeli Parliament) between June 2007 and February 2009. During this period, he was a member of the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee, the Finance Committee, the Science & Technology committee, the Chairman of the Homeland Security Sub Committee and the Chairman of the Israeli–Indian Parliamentary Friendship Association.

In 2011 he was appointed by the Prime Minister to lead a National Task Force that formulated Israel national Cyber policy. Following that he led the foundation of National Cyber Headquarters in the PM Office. In 2014 he was appointed again by the PM to lead another task force which resulted in a government decision (February 2015) to set up a new National Cyber Authority.

In June 2018 he was appointed again by the Prime Minister to lead a National Task Force to formulate Israel national Artificial Intelligence policy, and to submit a national plan to the Government that will put Israel among the top 5 countries in the world in this field.

For more details of his wide-ranging experiences:
https://www.space.gov.il/en/node/36
https://english.tau.ac.il/profile/itzik

This conversation is held as #17 of the RCAST Security Seminar Series.

This is a gathering of researchers belonging to two study groups funded by JSPS. It is open to invited practitioners of ministries and institutions in charge of the topic.

For University of Tokyo students and staffs who are interested in participating, please contact office@me.rcast.u-tokyo.ac.jp.