Included in this issue of the newsletter:

• Message from Sasakawa USA's Chairman Satohiro Akimoto

January Activities

• In-Depth Research Trip: ADM Philip S. Davidson Engages on U.S.-Japan Alliance Issues While in Japan
• Policy Briefing: The 2022 National Security Strategy and Japan's New Defense Posture with the Hon. Iwao Horii
• Journalism and Academia Fellowship Research Trip: Prof. Peter Skerry Researches Japan’s Immigration and Refugee Policies
• Japan Political Pulse Research Trip: Dr. Daniel M. Smith Researches Coalition Management Between the LDP and Komeito
• Washington Kenkyu Group: Discussion with Mr. Koji Sonoda

External Engagements 

• Mr. James Schoff Speaks at the Mansfield Foundation: U.S.-Japan Network for the Future
• Mr. James Schoff Speaks at the Japan Forum on International Relations: China Risk and China Opportunity in the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Era”

Publications 

• US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative: Economic Security: Boon or Bane for the U.S.-Japan Alliance? (Dr. Solís)
• US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative: Why Japan and the U.S. Need Cyber and Data Security Cooperation for Their Economic Security (Ms. Matsubara)
• Sasakawa USA Emerging Experts Delegation (SEED): 2022 SEED Trip Report (Ms. Sealy)
• Japan Political Pulse: Prime Minister Kishida's Re-election Strategy(Dr. Akimoto)

Upcoming Activities

• Policy Briefing: Discussion with ADM Katsutoshi Kawano at the U.S. Naval Academy  
• Policy Briefing: A Taiwan Contingency: Legal Challenges to Japan’s Involvement with Prof. Masahiro Kurosaki 
• Pacific Islands Maritime Domain Awareness Program: Conference in Honolulu, HI 
• Congressional Program on U.S.-Japan Relations and the Indo-Pacific (CPUSJ): Program Kicks Off on Feb. 7 
• Japan US Military Program: JUMP Annual Dinner
• Japan US Military Program: JUMP Camp Pendleton
• Japan US Military Program: JUMP Colorado Springs

Message from Sasakawa USA's Chairman Satohiro Akimoto

The U.S.-Japan relationship began the new year with a foreign policy version of “Japanuary” in Washington, D.C. As the Japanese government recently eased measures against COVID-19 including border controls along with a plan to reclassify COVID-19 to Class Five in May, the same category as common infectious diseases like seasonal influenza, many influential Japanese lawmakers such as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura, former Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense Taro Kono visited Washington, D.C. While in Washington, Minister Nishimura and Rapidus President Atsuyoshi Koike discussed a U.S.-Japan semiconductor strategy with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. This joint effort by the government and private sector aims to revitalize Japan’s semiconductor industry. Minister Nishimura also focused on coordinating trade policies between the U.S. and Japan with Katherine Tai, the U.S. Trade Representative.  

Furthermore, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoshimasa Hayashi and Minister of Defense Yasukazu Hamada participated in a “2 plus 2,” the foreign and defense ministerial consultations between Japan and the U.S. with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on January 11. Secretary Blinken stated at the press conference that “it is hard to overstate the importance of the U.S.-Japan Alliance. For more than seven decades, it’s been the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific – ensuring the security, the liberty, the prosperity of our people across the region.” “Japanuary” culminated with the summit between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Joe Biden at the White House on January 13. The two leaders proudly declared how their national strategies converge. President Biden summarized the Alliance’s total alignment by stating “Let me be crystal clear: The United States is fully, thoroughly, completely committed to the Alliance and, more importantly, to Japan’s defense – the defense of Japan.”

With this backdrop in Washington, D.C., Admiral Philip S. Davidson, the 25^th Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command and a member of Sasakawa USA’s Advisory Committee on Projects, traveled to Tokyo in the middle of January. He congratulated Japanese lawmakers, bureaucrats, and experts in the areas of foreign policy and national security for their tremendous achievement in transforming Japan’s National Security Strategy, as well as its related National Defense Strategy and Defense Buildup Program, that paves the way for the U.S. and Japan’s national security strategies to merge together. He called the progress made in the U.S.-Japan Alliance over the last month the “most profound change in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in more than 60 years.” Roughly 400 people attended both in person and online to hear Admiral Davidson’s talk at a public event held at Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Tokyo. 

In our “Japanuary,” Sasakawa USA also supported Dr. Daniel M. Smith, the Gerald L. Curtis Visiting Associate Professor of Modern Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy at Columbia University, with his research on Japanese politics for a week in Tokyo, as well as Dr. Peter Skerry, professor of Political Science at Boston College, with his research on Japanese refugee policies for a week in Tokyo. Sasakawa USA will continue making contributions to the U.S.-Japan relationship through dialogue, research, networking, and publications in 2023. We look forward to working with you. 

Photo credit: Sasakawa Peace Foundation

January Activities

In-Depth Research Trip: ADM Philip S. Davidson Engages on U.S.-Japan Alliance Issues While in Japan

ADM Philip S. Davidson, the 25th Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command from 2018 to 2021 and Sasakawa USA Advisory Committee member, travelled to Japan in January as part of Sasakawa USA’s In-Depth Research Trip. While in Japan, he engaged with high-ranking lawmakers, government and Japan Self-Defense Forces officials, members of the media, and private sector leaders to discuss the U.S.-Japan security alliance and pressing issues of importance in the Indo-Pacific. In addition, ADM Davidson was able to meet with Amb. Rahm Emanuel. While in Japan, ADM Davidson was featured as the keynote speaker at the event “The Role of the Japan-U.S. Alliance in the Indo-Pacific in 2023: Russia-Ukraine War and China” which was hosted by our sister organization, Sasakawa Peace Foundation. A recording of the video will be available in the coming weeks.  

Photo: ADM Philip S. Davidson (Photo credit: Sasakawa Peace Foundation )

Policy Briefing: The 2022 National Security Strategy and Japan's New Defense Posture with the Hon. Iwao Horii

On January 11, Sasakawa USA hosted the hybrid briefing and discussion, "The 2022 National Security Strategy and Japan’s New Defense Posture," featuring remarks by the Hon. Iwao Horii, Member of the House of Councillors of Japan. This event marked a special occasion for Sasakawa USA, as it was the first Policy Briefing to be hosted in-person at the Sasakawa USA office since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the event, the Hon. Horii shared timely insights on Japan’s newly adopted National Security Strategy (NSS) and two supporting documents, the National Defense Strategy (NDS) and Defense Buildup Program. The adoption of this new strategic document—the first update to be issued since Japan’s inaugural NSS in 2013—constitutes a watershed moment for Japan’s defense planning, which will incorporate major transformations such as doubling defense spending to 2% of GDP and the acquisition of counterstrike capabilities. Hon. Horii outlined the major points of the new NSS and opened the floor for an engaging discussion on the implications for U.S.-Japan alliance cooperation moving forward. A recording of the event will be available on Sasakawa USA’s website soon. 

Photo: Hon. Iwao Horii and Dr. Satohiro Akimoto

Journalism and Academia Fellowship Research Trip: Prof. Peter Skerry Researches Japan's Immigration and Refugee Policies

From January 6 to 15, Prof. Peter Skerry from Boston College, embarked on his one-week research trip to Japan through Sasakawa USA’s Journalism and Academia Fellowship. This program provides journalists or academics who have a high-level of influence in their field the opportunity to deepen their understanding of current challenges and opportunities for growth in the U.S.-Japan relationship through a week-long research trip to Japan. Prof. Skerry’s research focused on the changing dynamics in Japan’s immigration and refugee policies. His meetings in Japan included visiting various advocacy groups, government agencies, academia, non-profit organizations, and media. Prof. Skerry’s findings will be available on our website in the coming months. 

Photo: Prof. Peter Skerry and Dr. Saburo Takizawa, former UNHCR Representative in Japan.

Japan Political Pulse Research Trip: Dr. Daniel M. Smith Researches Coalition Management Between the LDP and Komeito

As part of a Sasakawa USA Japan Political Pulse Research Trip from January 10 to 13, Dr. Daniel M. Smith, the Gerald L. Curtis Visiting Associate Professor of Modern Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy at Columbia University, met with a number of high-level politicians, journalists, and academics to discern the inner workings of the LDP-Komeito coalition and the state of their coalition relations. With his meeting partners, Dr. Smith discussed LDP and Komeito policy priorities and party goals, election strategy, the planned increase in defense spending, current issues in Japanese politics and foreign policy, as well as challenges in the near future. In February, Dr. Smith will publish a Japan Political Pulse analysis of his findings which will be available on our website. Japan Political Pulse is a resource for American media, policymakers, academics, and the public with regular and reliable insight and analysis of the trends and state of Japanese politics.  

Photo: Hon. Takashi Yamashita (LDP), Dr. Daniel M. Smith, and Hon. Shinjiro Koizumi (LDP) 

Washington Kenkyu Group: Discussion with Mr. Koji Sonoda

On January 5, Washington Kenkyu Group welcomed Mr. Koji Sonoda, former Washington Correspondent at The Asahi Shimbun and master’s candidate at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Mr. Sonoda presented remarks on the complex geopolitical situation surrounding Taiwan, accounting for the respective national interests, diplomatic strategies, and domestic politics of China, the United States, and Japan. His presentation was followed by a lively Q&A discussion with attending Japanese representatives from the private sector, media, think tanks, academia, and government. 

Photo: Dr. Satohiro Akimoto and Mr. Koji Sonoda

External Engagements

Mr. James Schoff Speaks at the Mansfield Foundation: U.S.-Japan Network for the Future

Sasakawa USA Senior Director James Schoff gave a talk at the Mansfield Foundation’s “Network for the Future” event on January 10. The U.S.-Japan Network for the Future is a program designed to build a network of diverse Japan specialists that can facilitate a more vigorous and in-depth dialogue on topics relevant to the bilateral relationship. Participants of the two-year program are expected to broaden their network, engage in research, and address key issues in discussions. At this event, Mr. Schoff discussed recent trends in U.S.-Japan intellectual exchange activity within the think tank community along with alliance developments in the areas of economic security and defense cooperation following the recent bilateral summit and 2+2 meetings. 

Mr. James Schoff Speaks at the Japan Forum on International Relations: China Risk and China Opportunity in the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific"

Sasakawa USA Senior Director James Schoff spoke at a virtual U.S.-Japan policy roundtable discussion hosted by the Japan Forum on International Relations and the American Enterprise Institute on January 23. This event was part of the “China Risk and China Opportunity in the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Era’” series that studies foreign policy options for the allies vis-à-vis China and offers recommendations for effective alliance policy coordination. Mr. Schoff was one of four scholars presenting on “China Risks Regarding Economic Security Issues and the U.S.-Japan Response.” 

US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative: Economic Security: Boon or Bane for the U.S.-Japan Alliance? (Dr. Solís)

NEXT Alliance Conference participant and Director of the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at The Brookings Institution, Dr. Mireya Solís published a paper on U.S.-Japan economic security coordination on January 6. Sasakawa USA asked Dr. Solís to prepare a paper on the topic for the NEXT Alliance Conference held at the beginning of November 2022. Her paper discusses the building of economic security frameworks between the US and Japan, minimizing drawbacks of economic interdependence amidst geopolitical rivalry, and highlights gaps in policy prescription/implementation between the two countries. Please click here to read Dr. Solís' paper published on the NEXT Alliance Conference page. 

Photo: Dr. Mireya Solís

US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative: Why Japan and the U.S. Need Cyber and Data Security Cooperation for Their Economic Security (Ms. Matsubara)

NEXT Alliance Conference participant and Chief Cybersecurity Strategist at the NTT Corporation, Ms. Mihoko Matsubara published a paper on cyber and data security cooperation on January 12. Sasakawa USA asked Ms. Matsubara to prepare a paper on the topic for the NEXT Alliance Conference held at the beginning of November 2022. Her paper highlights both U.S. and Japanese government efforts to move forward with the development of cybersecurity and economy security as an interdependent package. Ms. Matsubara stresses that cybersecurity is imperative to shore up economic security. Please click here to read Ms. Matsubara's paper published on the NEXT Alliance Conference page. 

Photo: Ms. Mihoko Matsubara

Sasakawa USA Emerging Experts Delegation (SEED): 2022 SEED Trip Report (Ms. Sealy)

From July 31 to August 6, 2022, the SEED of nine American public health professionals traveled to Tokyo to deepen their understanding of Japanese perspectives on the COVID-19 response and the principles and goals behind the Japanese government and medical community’s handling of the pandemic. You may find more details of their study trip here. Following their engagement in Tokyo, Sasakawa USA is publishing a series of reports written by the SEED delegates on their observations and analyses of Japan’s response to COVID-19. Sasakawa USA is pleased to publish the seventh report of the series, “Cultural COVID Crossroads: How Communication Affected the Response to COVID-19 in Japan vs. the United States” authored by Ms. Amanda Sealy, Senior Producer for Dr. Sanjay Gupta at CNN. 

Photo: Ms. Amanda Sealey 

Japan Political Pulse: Prime Minister Kishida's Re-election Strategy (Dr. Akimoto)

In his recent Japan Political Pulse article, “Prime Minister Kishida’s Re-election Strategy,” Dr. Satohiro Akimoto, Chairman and President of Sasakawa USA, examines whether Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will be able to extend his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidency even though his Cabinet has low approval ratings. You can read Dr. Akimoto’s article here. 

Photo: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, front row center, with his new Cabinet members on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

(Issei Kato/Reuters/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Upcoming Events

Policy Briefing: Discussion with ADM Katsutoshi Kawano at the U.S. Naval Academy

On February 14, ADM Katsutoshi Kawano, the Fifth Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, will visit the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD to speak on strengthening the U.S.-Japan security alliance. This in-person policy briefing event is a collaboration between Sasakawa USA and the Naval Academy which will bring naval shipmen, officers, and civilian faculties to engage with ADM Kawano. 

Photo: ADM Katsutoshi Kawano 

Policy Briefing: A Taiwan Contingency: Legal Challenges to Japan's Involvement with Prof Masahiro Kurosaki

On February 7, Sasakawa USA will host the virtual briefing and discussion, “A Taiwan Contingency: Legal Challenges to Japan’s Involvement,” featuring remarks by Prof. Masahiro Kurosaki, Professor of International Law and Director of the Study of Law, Security, and Military Operations at the National Defense Academy of Japan. In the event, Prof. Kurosaki will discuss legal challenges and constraints that Japan’s political leadership and Self-Defense Forces would face in the event of a Taiwan contingency, with an eye to how the U.S.-Japan alliance plays a role in Japan’s decision-making under such circumstances. His remarks will be followed by commentary from Ambassador Kurt Tong, Managing Partner at The Asia Group and Advisory Committee Member at Sasakawa USA. 

Photo: Prof. Masahiro Kurosaki

Pacific Islands Maritime Domain Awareness: Conference in Honolulu, HI

In January, Sasakawa USA’s Pacific Islands Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Program led by the Hon. Randall G. Schriver, Director of the Pacific Islands Program at Sasakawa USA and Chairman of the Board at Project 2049 Institute, will host a conference in Honolulu, HI, to bring together current and former U.S. government officials, military, academics, and experts from Japan, the Pacific Islands, and other partnering nations. They will discuss issues of importance such as views from the Pacific Islands, understanding toolkits available in the Pacific region, and possible initiatives and programs to further bolster cooperation among partnering nations. The program was borne out of a strong conviction that the Freely Associated States (FAS) are critical allies and partners to the United States and Japan, vital to ensuring a regional liberal order rooted in universal values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law in the Pacific. The program aims to make policy recommendations to the U.S. and Japan on MDA and related issues vis-à-vis the FAS. 

Photo: (L-R) Dr. Alfred Oehlers, Advisor of Pacific Islands MDA Program; the Hon. Randall G. Schriver; Dr. Satohiro Akimoto; and Min. Tomoaki Ishigaki, Embassy of Japan.

Congressional Program on U.S.-Japan Relations and the Indo-Pacific (CPUSJ): Program Kicks Off on Feb. 7

We are happy to announce that the Winter 2023 CPUSJ program began with its largest group yet! This year, Sasakawa USA, in partnership with the East-West Center in Washington, has accepted a total of 15 applicants. The program began on February 7 and will conclude on March 3 after seven sessions in which Congressional staff will have the opportunity to participate in interactive discussions with prominent experts from government agencies, think tanks, universities, and other policy institutions about the importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship and its impact on the Indo-Pacific region. Session topics are set to include: Japanese Domestic Politics; The U.S.-Japan Alliance as the Cornerstone of Indo-Pacific Peace, Security, and Stability; U.S.-Japan Technological Partnership and Competition; Economic Challenges & Areas of Cooperation; U.S.-Japan Engagement with ASEAN and APEC; U.S.-Japan Defense Cooperation Under New Strategies; and Great Power Competition. Please visit the East-West Center website for additional program details. 

Japan US Military Program: JUMP Annual Dinner

On February 15, Sasakawa USA’s JUMP will hold its 2023 JUMP Annual Dinner at The Army and Navy Club in Farragut Square, Washington, D.C. The theme of the dinner will focus on the future of the U.S.-Japan alliance in facing new challenges in the Indo-Pacific. The evening will feature a keynote address by ADM Katsutoshi Kawano (JMSDF, Ret.), Fifth Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Force. JUMP continues to serve as a national program to connect past and present service members, families, and government civilians who have served in Japan through social networks and grassroots events. JUMP is the only national program to do so, providing a powerful foundation for sustaining the alliance between the United States and Japan. 

Photo Credit: Jeff Song/Sasakawa USA 

Japan US Military Program: JUMP Camp Pendleton

In February, Sasakawa USA’s JUMP will hold the event, "USMC Force Design 2030: The Importance of Marines in the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance," at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan. This event will include featured remarks on the U.S.-Japan security alliance from Brigadier General Jason Woodworth (USMC), MG Hiroyuki Sugai (JASDF), LtGen Lawrence “Larry” Nicholson (USMC, Ret.), and LtGen Wallace “Chip” Gregson (USMC, Ret.) with a networking lunch reception to follow.  

Japan US Military Program: JUMP Colorado Springs

On February 25, Sasakawa USA’s JUMP will hold the event, "USAF and JASDF Collaboration on Defense and Economic Security" at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, CO in collaboration with the Japan Club of USAFA and the Embassy of Japan. This event will include featured remarks on the U.S.-Japan alliance from former Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell, MG Hiroyuki Sugai (JASDF), and Consul General Yoichi Mikami. The event will be followed with a networking reception and cultural performance.  

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