Featured Alumnus
Ian Easton

Research Fellow, Project 2049 Institute
What is your expertise?
My research generally covers foreign policy and defense issues in Asia, with a special focus on Chinese military modernization and what it means for the United States and our allies. 

How did you become involved with Sasakawa USA?
I got lucky. In early 2013 I had the very good fortune of participating in a Sasakawa delegation trip to Tokyo and Kyoto. It was an outstanding program. Not long after, my home think tank, the Project 2049 Institute, worked on a multi-year joint research project with Sasakawa USA and I got to be part of that.     

What are you currently working on? 
I'm currently writing a book about the Chinese invasion threat facing Taiwan. When it comes to this scenario, a maelstrom of opinions has existed without any foundation of basic knowledge upon which they could take proper shape and form. The book will attempt to examine this flashpoint in a spirit of analytical investigation using primary source materials and interviews with military experts to cast light on a subject that Beijing tends to cloak with fear politics and misinformation.    

How has learning about Japan affected your work? 
I lived in Asia for five years, in Taipei and Shanghai, but spent very little time in Tokyo before that first Sasakawa delegation trip. That week in Japan opened doors for me professionally and led to a series of follow-on trips for conferences and research projects on the U.S.-Japan alliance.       

What is your favorite aspect of Japan?
I greatly admire the Japanese dedication to excellence regardless of one's station in life - that constant search for an unobtainable perfection -captured so beautifully in the movie Jiro Dreams of Sushi.  
Want to be featured in our next issue?
Contact Juliane Doscher with the header of your email as "Sasakawa USA: Featured Alumni", and answer the above questions in the body of the email.
Featured Articles
Chairman's Message: Revising the Japanese Constitution
In his latest message, Chairman Admiral Dennis Blair says that Japan should clarify its civil-military relations and reassess the roles of the three components of the Self Defense Forces before revisiting its constitution.

Japan ramps up clean energy as U.S. recedes
Umair Irfan, Published by E&E News on June 6, 2017
Japan is trying to reinvent itself as a major technology exporter, with energy as a key component of its role in mitigating global climate change. While perfecting technology for geothermal energy and other clean energy sources, the country is also seeking more liquefied natural gas exports from the United States. This is one article in a series Umair is publishing about his December 2016 trip to Japan as the first recipient of Sasakawa USA's Journalism Fellowship with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).

Rewriting the Story of Fukushima, Six Years Later
Emily Gallagher, Posted by New America on April 26, 2017
Fukushima is no longer a story of disaster. Now, six years after the nuclear meltdown, Fukushima is a story about building back the fundamentals of a society. It is about how quickly disasters can deteriorate trust in institutions and how laborious it is to gain that trust back. And about how misinformation is a hardy foe against fact. Those are the lessons Emily Gallagher learned when she visited Fukushima through the Sasakawa USA SEED Program in March 2017.

Energy opportunity, security, and a nod (bow) to Japan
Kate Gordon, From her personal blogpost on April 12, 2017
Financial Times stated that  "Successful development in China opens the door to the export of coal-intensive technologies, undercutting international efforts to limit emissions of carbon and other greenhouse gases." Kate Gordon notes that she saw this tension play out starkly during her visit to Tokyo and Fukushima through the Sasakawa USA SEED Program in March 2017.

True Stories from Japan
"The little things"
Alanna Reese
As a black American, Alanna stood out while studying abroad in Japan. Yet, she learned that patience and willingness to learn the local language and cultural norms are key to connecting with others in a new environment, and may help change apprehensive perceptions. Alanna is currently the Education Intern at Sasakawa USA. 
Past Events
Second Annual Alumni Reunion
Mar. 23, 2017
Sasakawa USA held its Second Annual Alumni Reunion on Thursday, March 23 in Washington, D.C. for members of Sasakawa USA's Japan Alumni Program. The dinner served as an opportunity for alumni to re-connect with Japan and to re-engage on current issues in U.S.-Japan relations.

Fourth Annual Security Forum: The U.S.-Japan Alliance: Foundation of Asian Security
May 02, 2017
Sasakawa USA brought together key security experts and officials from government, business, think tanks, and academia for its Fourth Annual Security Forum. Building upon the success of previous security forums, this event focused on key issues in the U.S.-Japan alliance.

U.S.-Japan Cooperation on Energy and Environment
May. 22, 2017
Sasakawa USA held a special roundtable discussion for 2017 SEED participants to share their key findings and takeaways from the trip and to network with D.C.-based representatives from organizations and ministries they visited in Japan. The focus of the roundtable discussion was "U.S.-Japan Cooperation on Energy and Environment: Findings, Recommendations, and Next Steps."
Visit our  events page  and  past events page  for the full listings of Sasakawa USA's upcoming and past events.
Publish Through Sasakawa USA
True Stories from Japan
True Stories from Japan is an occasional blog featured on the Sasakawa USA website that compiles reflections from one's travels to Japan. Topics range in interest from policy to culture and everything in between.
Articles should be accompanied by your biography, a head-shot photo of you, and a picture relating to the article (if you have one). Please e-mail  Juliane Doscher if you are interested.
Article Submission
Sasakawa USA is now featuring articles written by alumni on the  Sasakawa USA Blog. The articles must be relevant to U.S.-Japan relations and will be reviewed before posting online.
Articles should be submitted to  Juliane Doscher for review and should be accompanied by your biography, and a head-shot photo of you. If you would like the article to be posted in full, we will need permission from the original publisher.
Sasakawa USA Forum
The  Sasakawa USA Forum is a new platform for research and analysis related to Japan and U.S.-Japan relations in a bilateral, regional, and global context. In order to gain a more comprehensive view of U.S.-Japan relations, the Sasakawa USA Forum offers experts outside Sasakawa USA as well as our esteemed alumni a chance to bring their work to a wide audience.
Submissions should be 750 to 2,000 words in length and written on issues that previously have been inadequately covered regarding Japan or U.S.-Japan relations from a bilateral, regional, and global context.  Click here for details.

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