Lecturer Alex L.S. Chan attended the International Sociological Association (ISA)'s 20th World Congress of Sociology in Melbourne, Australia, from June 25 to July 1.  Responding to this year's conference theme on Resurgent Authoritarianism, Lecturer Chan presented a study on Japanese soft power from the media perspective. He argued that the collaborative production between the Japanese broadcast agency and the global streaming platform has extended the 'cool Japan' narrative.

As the sole representative from Soka University, Lecturer Chan has reconnected with academic friends from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan while networking with scholars from Malaysia, India, South Africa, Spain, and Mexico in the research committees.