October 5, 2018 - In This Issue:

 

Strength Through Peace: Japan in the 21st Century Competitive Space

In a new Commentary and Analysis paper published on the Sasakawa USA website this week, the Honorable Sharon Burke posits that Japan has an opportunity to improve global readiness for the great security challenges of the later part of this century, not all of which are military in nature. In "Strength Through Peace: Japan in the 21st Century Competitive Space," Burke draws on research and findings from her participation in the Sasakawa USA 2017-2018 In-Depth Alumni Research Trip to Japan. She examines the question of whether a third world war between China and the United States is inevitable, and what role a nation like Japan, with its strengths in diplomacy, development, trade, and cultural presence, can play in averting worldwide conflict. 

Burke is a Senior Advisor and Program Director at New America, and is a former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy, within the Obama Administration.  

Sasakawa USA Forum: "Japan's sanctions policy vis-a-vis Russia: Implications for Western sanctions unity"

In Sasakawa USA Forum Issue No. 15, Dr. Maria Shagina writes that while Japan, as a G7 member, felt obligated to support the international community and impose symbolic sanctions toward Russia after its annexation of Crimea, the sanctions may be counterproductive for Japan's territorial negotiations with Russia in the long run. Read " Japan's sanctions policy vis-a-vis Russia: Implications for Western sanctions unity. "

Upcoming Event: Multinational Nuclear Supplier Partnerships within the OECD: Ensuring Relevance and Competitiveness in the Global Nuclear Power Market

The Global America Business Institute, Sasakawa USA, and Heritage Foundation will host "Multinational Nuclear Supplier Partnerships within the OECD: Ensuring Relevance and Competitiveness in the Global Nuclear Power Market," on October 10, 2018. The event will be held at the Heritage Center and will conclude with lunch. Sasakawa USA CEO Ambassador James Zumwalt and Senior Fellow for Energy and Technology Dr. Phyllis Yoshida are among the speakers.
Japan Political Pulse Update: Cabinet reshuffle brings no boost to Abe but public support is stable

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet reshuffle did not provide him a boost, but public support is stable as he starts his third term, writes Sasakawa USA Fellow for Economy, Trade and Business Tobias Harris, in his latest commentary for Japan Political Pulse. Abe, fresh off his successful bid for a third term as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the September 20 party election, announced a new lineup for his cabinet and for the LDP's leadership on October 2.

The Japan Political Pulse aggregates major opinion polls conducted by Japanese media outlets in order to provide a more accurate picture of the Abe government's public approval rating.

True Stories from Japan: My Path to a Career in U.S.-Japan Relations

Juliane Doscher, Executive Assistant to the CEO and Alumni Program Coordinator, penned the latest True Stories from Japan post for the Sasakawa USA website. In "My Path to a Career in U.S.-Japan Relations," Doscher shares how an early love of Pokemon developed into an appreciation for Japan's history, culture, and language. 

Doscher majored in Japanese Studies but struggled to determine a career path. An internship at the Japan-America Society of Washington, DC, as well as an opportunity to travel to Japan as a part of a Kakehashi Project trip, influenced her decision to work in the U.S.-Japan relations field. 

Upcoming Event: Japan's Energy Conundrum Rollout (Tokyo) 

Join Sasakawa USA and Sasakawa Peace Foundation for the roll out of Japan's Energy Conundrum in Tokyo, Japan. Edited by Dr. Phyllis Yoshida, Senior Fellow for Energy and Technology, Japan's Energy Conundrum assesses Japan's energy situation as it attempts to manage and balance domestic supply and demand for energy, changing global energy markets, its climate change goals, and its overall energy security in the years after March 11, 2011.

This event will feature a Japanese-language Executive Summary of Japan's Energy Conundrum and include insights from report authors and energy experts. 

News: Cohort of journalists to participate in next Sasakawa USA Emerging Experts Delegation (SEED) trip

Sasakawa USA will take eight American journalists to participate in the 6th iteration of the Sasakawa USA Emerging Experts Delegations (SEED) program. Journalists selected to travel to Japan December 8-15 include reporters and editors from a diverse group of media outlets, including National Public Radio, the Washington Post, Vox, The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, National Journal, Military Times, and Breitbart.

This SEED program will be organized around the theme of "Modernization of Japan's defense strategy and implications for the United States and the Indo-Pacific region." The goal is to facilitate better understanding of Japan's security and defense policies among the participants as Japan makes efforts to modernize its defense strategy and capabilities. 

Event Recap: "Post-LDP Election: What's Next for Japanese Politics?"

Tobias Harris, Sasakawa USA Fellow for Business, Economy and Trade, was joined by Prof. Toshihiro Nakayama, Japan Fellow at the Wilson Center, for a September 21, 2018, policy lunch talk on the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) elections held the previous day. The discussion was moderated by Sayuri Romei, Sasakawa USA's Associate Fellow for Security and Foreign Affairs. Read a recap of " Post-LDP Leadership Election: What's Next for Japanese Politics?" on the Sasakwa USA website. 
News: Next In-Depth Alumni Research Trip participants named

The next Sasakawa USA In-Depth Alumni Research Trip will take two participants to Japan for a week in November  to conduct independent research and interviews on a topic of their choice related to common challenges in the U.S.-Japan relationship. 

Sonja Schaefer is a Legislative Assistant whose portfolio includes trade, labor, immigration, budget, and appropriations issues for a U.S. House of Representatives member. Daniel Charles is the CEO and Founder of Charles Bernard Ventures. Charles has extensive experience advising the U.S. government on the procurement and deployment of critical technology. 

Event Recap: "Opportunities and Challenges for Japan-Taiwan-U.S. Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific"

Sasakawa USA hosted Ambassador Stanley Kao, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) to the United States in Washington, DC, for an off-the-record policy lunch discussion on September 25, 2018. Ambassador Kao discussed Japan-Taiwan-U.S. cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan's southbound policy, and opportunities for collaboration with Japan.
Upcoming Events

Join Sasakawa USA for upcoming events in Washington, DC, and Tokyo focused on U.S.-Asia relations. Please check our events page for event details and new listings as we post them.

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