Professor John Nilsson-Wright is the Fuji Bank University Professor of Modern Japanese Politics and the International Relations of East Asia at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Darwin College. He oversees the Japan and Koreas Programme at Cambridge’s Centre for Geopolitics and holds affiliations with institutions including Chatham House, the Sejong Institute, and the Korea Centre at the National University of Singapore. Read Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE) at Christ Church, Oxford (1984–1987) Obtained an M.A. in International Relations at SAIS, Johns Hopkins University (U.S.) Completed D.Phil. in International Relations at St. Antony’s College, Oxford (1997) His research spans Cold War history, focusing on U.S.-Japan-Korea relations (1945–1960), and contemporary issues like regional security, alliance dynamics, and populism’s impact on East Asian and European politics. Recent publications address South Korean foreign policy innovation , UK Indo-Pacific strategy , and creative minilateralism in Asia . He also directs a monograph project on populism and identity politics across historical and modern contexts. Scientific recognition includes the Nakasone Yasuhiro Prize (2014) and the BIHG annual dissertation prize (1997) . He supervises graduate research on topics including regional diplomacy , multiculturalism in Japan and Korea , and China-North Korea relations . Key affiliations include leadership roles at Chatham House (2014–2016) and non-resident fellowships at the Sejong Institute, Vienna University’s Centre for North Korean Studies, and the Korea Centre at NUS.
