Political Friendship and the Culture of Peace: An Interview with Naomichi Ishibashi

Abstract

Elisaveta Nica

This article explores the concept of political friendship as a practical foundation for peace through an interview with Naomichi Ishibashi, a Japanese writer and former official of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Rather than offering a theoretical definition of political friendship, the study presents a historical case illustrating how friendship functions within political practice. Drawing on reflections related to post–World War II reconciliation between Japan and China, the interview highlights forgiveness, historical memory, and mutual understanding as essential elements of international cooperation. Through narrative testimony and reflective dialogue, the article develops the framework of Friendship and Culture of Peace (FCOP), emphasizing the human dimension of diplomacy often overlooked in contemporary political discourse. Ishibashi’s insights suggest that empathy, trust, and respectful engagement are not merely personal virtues but diplomatic resources capable of transforming relations between former adversaries. The case study demonstrates that personal connection between leaders of states with different ideological systems can provide an ethical foundation for political cooperation and shared action. The article argues that political friendship should not be dismissed as idealism; rather, it constitutes a practical and necessary resource for building sustainable peace in a fractured global order.