In the light of the priority goals of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, the General Affairs and Networking Program aims to contribute to global peace and security while strengthening Japan’s defense capabilities. Our program mobilizes a range of domestic and international actors, including experts and stakeholders, to establish strategic networks, research key issues, and develop policy recommendations across the Indo-Pacific region.

In recent years, increasing multipolarity and shifting international alliances have made it imperative to strengthen Japan’s defense capabilities and economic security, and our program supports research and policy recommendations along these lines. Networking programs meanwhile focus on security dialogue and defense exchanges between national security personnel in Japan and other Asian countries, as well as broader congressional networking efforts between Japan and the U.S., while building the capacity of Japanese experts well-versed in U.S. politics. This will help to nurture a pool of experts from Japan, Asia, and the U.S. who can guide policy decisions and improve mutual understanding between politicians, experts, and national security personnel of their respective countries.