Videos

Mr. Fontaine is a distinguished expert on American Foreign Policy. He served as foreign policy advisor to Senator John McCain for more than five years, and worked at the State Department, the National Security Council and on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The Indo-Pacific region is undergoing geopolitical changes that will transform the region for generations to come. Both Washington and Tokyo are struggling to respond, and to do so in a way that promotes their common interests, strengthens the Japan-U.S. alliance, and remains consonant with domestic politics in each country. How is Washington thinking about the Indo-Pacific region today, and about Japan-U.S. relations within it? How should both Washington and Tokyo collaborate to enhance their own ties, deepen the prospects for peace, and strengthen the rules-based regional order?

Having two Japanese experts; Mr. Hiroki Sugita from Kyodo News as a moderator, and Prof. Ryo Sahashi from Kanagawa University as a commentator, we explored those critical question for the region, and Japan-U.S. relations.

Prof. McGann is a leading expert of think tanks studies, researching not only think tanks in the United States but also in many other countries. His annual “Global Go To Think Tank Index Report” (Pennsylvania University), which examines more than 6,000 think tanks in the world, has been receiving greater attention through the world now, and he has also just published his new book Think Tanks, Foreign Policy and the Emerging Powers (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018). Prof. Calder is a well-known expert on Japanese politics and International Political Economy. He also has published a lot of books including Asia in Washington (Brookings Institution Press, 2014), and also has been involved in many projects of think tanks both in the United States and Japan.

With increased information and communication tools, rapidly changing technological and international landscape, the think tanks have expanded its role and importance in the world in the past decades. Currently, we can see a lot of different types of the think tanks from autonomous to government affiliate having different functions, depending on the different political systems and the environment of civil society. It is reported that the think tanks have now more influence in the emerging powers, such as India and China. On the contrary, in the United States, the decline of the influence and the raison d’etre of think tanks in Washington D.C. is also argued under the Trump administration where the President himself and his closer staff have made many important policy decisions without much consultation with policy makers.

In the rapidly changing world environment and United States, what will be the role of the think tanks for the future, what will be the necessary changes to tackle with the new challenges, Prof. McGann and Prof. Calder discussed from a broader perspective including the future Japan-U.S. relations and the role of Japan.

Kristin Haffert is an expert in women’s leadership and initiatives to advance gender equality. For more than two decades Kristin has conducted research, created practical tools, and delivered gender-related initiatives to more than 100 countries. Kristin founded the women and gender equality team at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) in 2002. Her award-winning work on gender equality, and work with political parties, makes her a go-to adviser globally to build and grow gender-inclusive workplaces.

Jessica Grounds is recognized as a thought leader in the space of women’s leadership. Jessica was named to Marie Claire's List of 50 Most Influential Women and recognized by Campaigns & Elections magazine as a Top 50 Political Influencer. She is the Co-Founder and former Executive Director of Running Start, a U.S. based organization training young women to run for elected office. She has worked on the campaigns of hundreds of women seeking elected office in the United States including working twice for Hillary Clinton. Jessica is a prominent speaker globally on gender and women's leadership.

Professor Friedberg is a distinguished scholar in international politics who served as a Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs in the Office of the Vice President from 2003 to 2005. He has published a lot of books and papers, including Beyond Air–Sea Battle: The Debate Over US Military Strategy in Asia (Adelphi series, 2014), and A Contest for Supremacy: China, America, and the Struggle for Mastery in Asia (Norton, 2011).

Recently, He also contributed a special monograph for the SPF entitled “The Authoritarian Challenge: China, Russia and the Threat to the Liberal International Order”.*　In this monograph, he examines the deeply rooted factors driving China and Russia to adopt aggressive policies challenging the existing international order and western values, including the resentment, ambition and insecurity of their regimes.

In the course of the seminar, based on the argument of his monograph, Professor Friedberg llustrated the strategies both authoritarian countries have taken in order to survive and preserve their political power, and the implications for the United States and Japan.

* Under the Japan-U.S. Program, the SPF has published a series of special monographs, inviting the distinguished scholars and experts who have been cooperating on various projects of our program as authors. This series aims to raise awareness a wide range of academic and policy topics important to Japan-U.S. relations. PDF file of Professor Friedberg’s monograph is available on our website.

The AALD program gives selected state-elected Asian American officials the opportunity to visit Japan for one week to meet and exchange ideas with Japanese political, governmental, business and community leaders at both the national and local levels. It aims to enhance mutual understanding and network building between Japan and the United States.

During the panel discussion, which was moderated by renowned journalist Aiko Doden, delegates talked about their respective political and personal journeys in the United States. Many of the delegates this year have followed non-traditional paths, choosing to become a politician after pursuing different careers. The audience had the opportunity to learn about their personal choices, as well as the important role Asian American politicians play in their political arenas, especially in light of current events. The speakers also reflected upon their week-long experience in Japan.