Toward Improving the Effectiveness of Extended Deterrence in the Japan-U.S. Alliance

Nobukatsu Kanehara is the Executive Director of SPF. He previously served as Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (2012–2019) and was the first Deputy Secretary-General of the NSS. His career at the MOFA included key roles such as Director-General of the Bureau of International Law, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Policy Bureau, and Ambassador for the United Nations and Human Rights. He also held diplomatic posts in Seoul and Washington. From 2020 to 2025, he was a professor at Doshisha University. He was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French president.

Admiral Takei retired from active duty in December 2016 after having served for two years as the 32nd Chief of Staff of the JMSDF. Prior to this post, Admiral Takei served as the Commandant, JMSDF Yokosuka District (2012-2014); Vice Chief of Staff, JMSDF (2011-2012); Commandant, JMSDF Ominato District (2010-2011); Director, the MSO Operations and Plans Department (N3/N5) (2008-2010); Chief of Staff, Kure District (2007-2008); Director, the C4I Systems Department (J6), Joint Staff Office (2006-2007), among others.

Admiral Takei joined the JMSDF after graduating from the National Defense Academy and holds a master’s degree from the University of Tsukuba. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College, class of 1999.

In 2016, Admiral Takei was awarded L'ordre national de la légion d'honneur by the Government of France, and was awarded the Legion of Merit from the U.S. four times, as well as the Legion of Merit from Turkey. He assumed the position of CNO’s Distinguished International Fellow in the International Programs Department at the U.S. Naval War College in April 2017.

Admiral Takei has been a senior fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation since April 2024. He also serves as a special advisor to the CEO of the SAMPA K.K. in Yokohama from March 2020, an adjunct fellow at the Japan Institute for International Affairs since October 2020, and an advisor to the Japan Forum of Strategic Studies.

Retired General Yamazaki Koji, born in Yamanashi Prefecture, graduated from the National Defense Academy in 1983 and the National Defense University in the United States with a master's degree in national security strategy in 2006.

He served in various frontline command positions in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), including Northern Army Commanding General, 9th Division Commander, 4th Engineer Group Commander, and Deputy Chief of Staff (Operation) of the Western Army Headquarters. Within the Ministry of Defense, he held roles such as Chief of Staff of the Ground Staff Office (GSO), Director-General of the Personnel Department, and Director of the Logistics Planning Division at GSO. He assumed the position of Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff in 2019, the highest position in the Japan Self-Defense Forces, overseeing domestic and international operations and advising the Defense Minister from a military perspective. He contributed to the formulation of three security-related documents, including the National Security Strategy, which was released at the end of 2022.

He is also a recipient of the highest decoration awarded by the governments of the United States, France, and Australia to military personnel of other countries. He retired from the Japan Self-Defense Forces in 2023 with the rank of JGSDF General.

Retired General Yamazaki has been serving as an advisor to Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. since 2023, an advisor to the Ministry of Defense, a member of the Defense Ministry's "Expert Panel on Fundamental Reinforcement of Defense Capabilities," and in 2024, a member of the Defense Ministry's "Expert Panel on Strengthening the Human Infrastructure of the Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Forces," and Chairman of the Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS).

He has been in his current position at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation since April 2024.

Lieutenant General, Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Ret.)
General Oue was born in 1959 in Nara Prefecture, Japan. He entered the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) as a graduate of the National Defense Academy in 1982. Throughout his military career, he had been involved with policy development and program promotion, as well as budget request regarding BMD, F-35 introduction, Joint Staff reorganization and more.

Upon promotion to Lieutenant General he assumed the position of Commandant of the Air Staff College. Afterwards, he served as a Commander of the Northern Air Defense Command, responsible for coping with missile launches from North Korea, responding to Russian air activities to defend the territorial aerospace of Japan, and maintaining readiness to provide forces with other defense sectors’ operations. He retired in August 2017 as a Commander of Air Materiel Command, responsible for logistic operations of all Air Self Defense Force activities.

Lieutenant General OUE earned his Master of Public Administration from J. F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in 1997, and Master of National Security Strategy from the National War College, National Defense University of the U.S.A. in 2002. Between July 2019 and June 2021, he served at the Harvard Asia Center as a Senior Fellow.

Lieutenant General Oue has been a senior fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation since September 2024. He also serves as a special policy advisor to the Minister of Defense since December 2023, while assuming a consultant senior fellow, Asia Pacific Initiative, a member of policy proposal committee, Japan Forum for Strategic Studies and a director, Japan Security Research Association.