November 13, 2015 - In This Issue:
Prospects for Japan-Russia Relations and Implications for the U.S.-Japan Alliance

On November 16, Sasakawa USA and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace will co-host a public forum seeking to better understand outstanding historical issues impacting Japan-Russia relations, prospects for cooperation in the fields of security, energy, trade, and investment, and the impact of these relations on the U.S.-Japan alliance.

View more details on the event here 
 
 
 
  
Chairman's Message: Flurry of East Asia summits signals thawing of icy relations 
 
For the first time in years, the state of relations among East Asian countries is good enough that leaders in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan have begun to meet with one another once again. In this edition of the Chairman's Message, Admiral Dennis Blair discusses how the nations' willingness to talk about thorny issues such as territorial disputes, economic challenges and rivalries signals positive opportunities for leaders to continue the dialogue. 



Modeling a Stronger U.S.-Japan Alliance 
 
This report by Sasakawa USA Fellow Jeffrey Hornung, produced in collaboration with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, examines the political and military structures the U.S. shares with other alliances as a prism through which to consider ways to improve the U.S.-Japan alliance.  

Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, the Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C., and the National War College are collaborating on a JUMP (Japan U.S. Military Program) event November 17 at the National War College in Washington, D.C. The event will include a panel discussion with leading Asia experts on potential crises facing the Northeast Asia region, followed by a buffet reception.

 
Focus on Cybersecurity: Roundtable at US Embassy in Tokyo and the Cyber3 Conference Okinawa 2015

C ybersecurity a vital responsibility in risk management: Admiral Dennis Blair , Chairman and CEO of Sasakawa USA, spoke at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo last week at a Cyber Security roundtable. What can companies learn from Coca-Cola about protecting their data in a modern, interconnected world? Read Blair's remarks for the answer. 
 
Ensuring peace in the age of cyber operations:
Blair also served as chair of the Cyber Security track of the World Economic Forum's 2015 Cyberconference in Okinawa last weekend. In his introductory remarks, Blair pointed out the difficulties that governments face in reaching common understandings on the use of cyber operations in intelligence and conflict. Read the full transcript here .


 
In the News: Sasakawa fellows comment on public diplomacy, tension in the South China Sea and the text of the TPP
  
Park urged to boost profile at US Capitol
Japan-Korea tensions have jumped the Pacific and now have an impact on the United States. Sasakawa USA Senior Fellow Dan Bob discusses how the the two countries have been conducting public diplomacy in a front-page interview conducted by The Korea Times. Read the full article here. 

U.S.-China communication a positive sign amid tension:
Although tensions have flared in recent weeks over American freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, one key point to take away is that the two countries continue to communicate, according to Sasakawa USA Fellow Jeffrey Hornung. Read the full article here. 

Text of TPP revealed; now the battle begins:  
The full text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership was released last week, spawning the start of a major battle as the 12 Pacific Rim nations seek to get approval from their legislative bodies. Sasakawa USA Fellow Tobias Harris didn't find any major surprises in the agreement, but said the political process in the U.S., Japan, and other countries now will start in earnest. Read the full article here .  
 
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA

1819 L Street NW
Suite 300
Washington DC 20036

202-296-6694