Asteion was launched in 1986, a time when intellectual endeavor was still being held back by competing ideologies. Things have moved on since then. By adopting a more flexible approach and tuning our senses to a broad range of global issues, rather than churning out articles focusing solely on current affairs, we have developed a keen understanding of contemporary trends. The name Asteion comes from the Ancient Greek "ASTEION," meaning sophisticated and refined. This reflects our desire to stimulate intelligent discourse among those who are independent and yet share the same public space as fellow citizens through active but sensible exchanges of diverse opinions. A quarter of a century on, the competing ideologies that marked the twentieth century have now converged, leaving us free to express our opinions on an endless range of subjects. Our mission to promote genuine debate is all the more important for shedding light on the mega-waves of our time. We hope that more and more people, each interested in public issues in their own way, will come to share the spirit of Asteion and support our efforts. Masayuki Tadokoro Chair, Asteion Editorial Committee