July 20, 2017 - In This Issue:
Announcing the inaugural Global Classmates Summit
 

Sasakawa USA is pleased to sponsor the inaugural Global Classmates Summit, organized by Kizuna Across Cultures, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging youth to become global citizens. The Summit is an engaging nine days of discovery and dialogue designed to cultivate cultural awareness between U.S. and Japanese high school students, foster awareness of the significance of the bilateral relationship, and nurture a collaborative spirit to tackle challenges faced by both nations and the broader international community.  The Summit will take place from July 28 to August 5 in Washington, D.C.
Save the date: Cyber3 Conference Tokyo 2017

Save the date for the annual Cyber3 Conference, taking place October 5, 2017 to October 6, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. The conference will focus on Japan's cybersecurity goals for 2020 and global cooperation on cybersecurity. 

This year's conference is hosted by Nikkei Inc. and Nikkei Business Publications, Inc., and co-hosted by Keio University, IPA (Information-Technology Promotion Agency, Japan).

Job opening: Executive Assistant for Chairman & Administrative Assistant

Sasakawa USA is now hiring an Executive Assistant for Chairman & Administrative Assistant. The deadline to apply is July 28, 2017. The Executive Assistant for Chairman & Administrative Assistant will assist the Chairman in all of his activities related to Sasakawa USA. In addition, s/he will support the management of office-wide procedures and HR-related duties , and occasionally assist the execution of program events on an as-needed basis. 

Japan Political Pulse: New polls show support for Abe eroding

Opinion polls show Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's approval declining significantly in the wake of his Liberal Democratic Party's defeat in Tokyo's metropolitan assembly elections, writes Sasakawa USA Fellow for Economy, Trade, and Business Tobias Harris.

With public support for Prime Minister Abe eroding, will Abe be able to restore faith in his leadership as he heads into the final year of his term? Harris addresses this question and more in the latest from Japan Political Pulse.

In the News: Collapsing public trust in Shinzo Abe, and Japan's negotiations over a revived Trans-Pacific Partnernship

Negotiating a revived trans-pacific partnership may be challenging:  A July 14 New York Times article on Japan's lead on revived TPP discussions draws on insights from a range of experts on Japan's trade policy, including Sasakawa USA Distinguished Non-Resident Fellow Tomohiko Taniguchi. In the article, Taniguchi claims that negotiations for the revived trade pact are possible, but will be challenging to negotiate. Click here to read more.


Public trust in Prime Minister Abe is collapsing:   Sasakawa USA Fellow  Tobias Harris  was quoted in a Financial Times article this week on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's  slipping approval rating. 



Chris Nelson interviewed on North Korea's July 4 missile test: TRT World interviewed Sasakawa USA Fellow for U.S.-Asia Relations Chris Nelson on North Korea's successful test of a long-range missile on July 4. In the July 5 interview, Nelson was asked about the degree of the threat from Pyongyang, North Korea's interest in dialogue, and the effect of sanctions on the Pyongyang regime.  Click here to read more.

From Nippon.com: A market-driven model of regional revitalization

As Japan's population continues its inexorable decline, the nation's regional communities are facing tough economic challenges. In this article from Nippon.com, Kinoshita Hitoshi, CEO of the Area Innovation Alliance, highlights self-sustaining community development initiatives that have allowed communities to revitalize their central commercial districts.

 

Event Recap: After the Tokyo Election: The Return of Political Instability?

Sasakawa USA hosted a July 13 lunch discussion, "After the Tokyo Election: The Return of Political Instability?" focused on the implications of the July 2 Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly elections and poor approval ratings for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The lunch featured insights from Sasakawa USA Fellow Tobias Harris and Dr. Sheila Smith, Senior Fellow for Japan Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

 

Event Recap: Stormy Energy Future: Energy Security & Sustainability Strategy

On July 11, Sasakawa USA hosted a policy lunch featuring Nobuo Tanaka, Sasakawa Peace Foundation's Chairman and former Executive Director of the International Energy Agency. Tanaka-san presented his analysis of the current state of nuclear power, specifically with respect to energy security and the U.S.-Japan relationship.

 

Event Recap: ROK President Moon Jae-In's visit to the United States and the way ahead for the U.S.-ROK alliance

On July 6, South Korea's Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Ahn Ho-Young, came to Sasakawa USA for an off-the-record, private lunch talk. The talk was moderated by Sasakawa USA CEO Ambassador James Zumwalt and focused on the recent visit of South Korea's President Moon Jae-In to the United States, President Moon's summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, and the future of U.S.-ROK relations.

 

Reminder: Deadline for 2017-18 Sasakawa USA Journalism Fellowship approaching

The deadline for applications  for the 2017  Sasakawa USA Journalism Fellowship is July 31, 2017. The fellowship is  offered as part of the International Center for Journalists' "Ill uminating Today's Japan for American Audiences" program . The program will select one U.S.-based journalist to participate in a 19-day reporting trip in Japan in fall 2017, fully sponsored by Sasakawa USA.  

Reminder: Sasakawa USA/USJETAA grants for JETAA Chapters & Sub-Chapters

The application deadline for the 2017-2018 Sasakawa USA/US Japan Exchange & Teaching Programme Alumni Association (JETAA) grants for JETAA Chapters & Sub-Chapter is September 5, 2017.

The grants are intended to help chapters fund new activities and programs, or further develop current programs to improve their outreach and impact in their communities.

Sasakawa USA Forum: Accepting submissions for papers on 
U.S.-Japan relations

In order to gain a more comprehensive view of U.S.-Japan relations, the Sasakawa USA Forum offers experts outside Sasakawa USA a chance to bring their work to a wide audience. 

The Sasakawa USA Forum is now accepting submissions for future publication. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis, and the submission deadline for summer 2017 is August 10. 


  Upcoming events
 
Save the date for the 2017 Cyber3 Conference in Tokyo! The conference will focus on Japan's cybersecurity goals ahead of 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Please check our events page for event details and new listings as they get posted. 

●  October 5-6 Cyber3 Conference Tokyo 2017
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA

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202-296-6694
info@spfusa.org