The DIS was invited as the only non-Asian institution among the supporting organisations in late July when the Japan International Mediation Center (JIMC) held its 8th Anniversary Seminar, part of this year's Japan International Arbitration Week 2026 (JIAW2026).
Under the theme "Towards Fair, Impartial and Trustworthy International Mediation", the hybrid event took place in the impressive setting of Kodai-ji Temple in Kyoto and was jointly organised by JIMC, the Japan Association of Arbitrators (JAA) and RECITAL at Doshisha University.
DIS was represented by Advisory Board member Hannah Tümpel, international mediator and academic co-director of the Master’s Programme in Mediation and Conflict Management at the European University Viadrina.
She commented: “It was an honour to represent DIS during the JIAW events in Tokyo and, more specifically, as one of the speakers at the JIMC seminar in beautiful Kyoto. It is not every day that one gets to speak about mediation in a temple surrounded by enchanting Buddhist paintings – but this remarkable setting reflected the special nature of the event. Bringing together dispute resolution specialists and ADR institutions from across Asia and offering an unique opportunity for cross-border dialogue on current practice in commercial mediation. As DIS increasingly focuses on strengthening its mediation services, it is important to be part of these dialogues with our international partners, clients and colleagues. As a new member of the Advisory board I was delighted to be able to contribute to this exchange.”
The invitation reflected JIMC’s interest in strengthening cross-border cooperation and institutional networks for mediation both within Asia and beyond. This was also demonstrated by the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding during the conference, namely between JIMC and the Korea International Mediation Centre (KIMC) and Shanghai Commercial Mediation Center (SCMC), respectively. Against this background, and building on previous conversations between the two institutions, the event provided an opportunity to explore potential areas of future collaboration between DIS and JIMC.
The conference panel brought together mediation and dispute resolution practitioners and experts from Japan, Singapore, Korea, China, Malaysia and Germany. Other institutions represented included, the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC), the Korea International Mediation Centre (KIMC), the Shanghai Commercial Mediation Center (SCMC) and the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC).
The speakers addressed a number of timely issues in cross-border commercial mediation, including the role of AI in mediation, comparative perspectives on hybrid dispute resolution mechanisms, ethical questions surrounding “double-hatting” in combined dispute resolution proceedings, and the enforceability of mediated settlement agreements.
Representing DIS, Tümpel focused on current practice and recent developments in administered mediation for cross-border disputes, including the DIS Mediation Rules and applicable ethical standards. She also referred to recent work by the International Mediation Institute (IMI) on ethical standards for mediators and contributed to the discussion on the use of AI in and for mediation.
The seminar marked the final day of JIAW2026, which had begun in Tokyo several days earlier with events celebrating UNCITRAL’s 60th anniversary under the auspices of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the presence of UNCITRAL Secretary Anna Joubin-Bret. High-level panel discussions addressed, among other topics, UNCITRAL’s impact on international law and rulemaking and the evolving future of ADR in the context of global harmonisation. DIS was also represented at these events, reflecting its longstanding engagement with UNCITRAL, including its active contribution to the work of UNCITRAL Working Group II.
Hannah Tümpel
