|
|
|
April 20, 2016 - In This Issue:
|
|
|
|
|
 Announcing Sasakawa USA's Third Annual Security Forum: American and Japanese Interests and the Future of the Alliance
On May 6, 2016, Sasakawa USA will bring together key security experts and officials from government, business, think tanks, and academia for its Third Annual Security Forum. Building upon the success of previous security forums, this event will focus on the new U.S.-Japan Defense guidelines, Japan's recently passed security legislation, and the future of the U.S.-Japan alliance.
Sasakawa USA is pleased to welcome distinguished guests including Japanese Minister Shigeru Ishiba, former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Scott Swift, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Tomohisa Takei, Michael Chertoff, Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae, Ambassador Ryozo Kato, Ambassador Richard Armitage, former Japanese Minister of Defense Satoshi Morimoto, Michèle Flournoy and many others, for this high-level discussion.
Space is limited for this event and available on a first-come, first-served basis. RSVP now to reserve your spot.
|
|
Maritime Awareness Project launch features panel discussions, live demos of interactive web portal
Sasakawa USA and The National Bureau of Asian Research launched the Maritime Awareness Project at a public event last week. The MAP portal features an interactive map that allows users to navigate geographic data on disputes, displaying claim lines, security and economic trends, resource distributions, incidents at sea, and much more. The portal also hosts detailed historical explanations of maritime disputes and regularly updated analyses and resources written by leading maritime experts.
Click here to visit the MAP portal and
here to see videos and photos from the launch event.
|
|
Japan Political Pulse: Impact of new teenage voters uncertain
 This summer's House of Councillors (HOC) elections will be the first in which Japan's eighteen- and nineteen-year-olds can vote
. In his latest piece for Japan Political Pulse,
Sasakawa USA Fellow
Tobias Harris analyzes an
Asahi Shimbun survey to better understand the potential impact of this new group of voters who
are less favorably disposed to the Abe government than the electorate as a whole.
|
|
In the News: MAP, Hiroshima, and cybersecurity
Launch of Maritime Awareness Project praised by former Seventh Fleet Commander:
Former Seventh Fleet commander Vice Adm. Robert L. Thomas Jr. praised the launch of the Maritime Awareness Project last week, saying he wishes he had "had this web portal available for my Sailors prior to coming out to the region." Click here to read coverage from Seapower magazine and USNI News.
Japan gets serious about cybersecurity as Olympics approach:
New strategies to combat cybercrime in Japan will take time to become effective but are vital to containing and reducing cyber threats, Sasakawa USA's Admiral Dennis C. Blair said in an article featured in Japan Today.
Click here to read the article.
|
|
From Nippon.com:
Political shiftings and high court rulings
Rebranding the DPJ: Old Wine in a New Bottle?
On March 27, the Democratic Party of Japan, previously the nation's number one opposition party,
merged with the smaller Japan Innovation Party in a bid to unify Japan's badly fragmented opposition going into this summer's House of Councillors election. This data analysis looks at how the merger came to be, shifting allegiances, and the makeup of the party now.
Click here to read more.
High Court Decisions Augur Long Road to Women's Equality in Japan:
On December 16 last year, the Supreme Court delivered a ruling on a closely watched case regarding the right of spouses to maintain separate surnames after marriage. In this op-ed, author Muta Kazue analyzes that decision and looks to the future. Click here to read more.
|
Photo Gallery: A look back on National Cherry Blossom Festival events
The Evolution of American Perceptions on Japan through Film:
On April 6, Sasakawa USA celebrated more than seventy years of friendship between the United States and Japan in film with a clip reel viewing and panel discussion looking at films that portray Japan.
JUMP booth at the Sakura Matsuri: On April 16, Sasakawa USA's
JUMP (Japan-US Military Program) team drew in kids and adults alike with the traditional Japanese festival game of "kingyo sukui"
------ goldfish scooping
----- at the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival in Washington, D.C. JUMP aims to connect past and present service members, families, and government civilians who have served in Japan. Click
here to view photos from the event and
here to learn more about JUMP.
|
 Upcoming events: April & May 2016
Gender equality and security issues are the main focus of our next two events. Not all events are open to the public
----- please view each listing for details and check back at
spfusa.org for several more events that will be listed soon.
|
|
STAY CONNECTED
|
|
|
|
|
