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November 6, 2017 - In This Issue:
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Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks.
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Chairman's Message: Trump's trip to Asia and fundamentals to consider in a high stakes environment
In this Chairman's Message, written on the eve of President Donald Trump's first trip to East Asia, Sasakawa USA Chairman Admiral Dennis Blair stresses the importance of maintaining U.S. alliances in Japan and South Korea and of articulating a vision for the Asia-Pacific for the President's trip.
"The President and his team need to keep a few fundamentals in mind during the visit," writes Admiral Blair. "Keeping our alliances with Japan and South Korea strong for the long term is as important as handling any current crisis with North Korea."
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Sasakawa USA Forum: The Value of Understanding East Asian History in Addressing Current Regional Tensions
Sasakawa USA Forum Issue No. 8: In assessing China's rise and potential associated problems, looking at historical analogies may offer important lessons. However, there has been a tendency to focus more on examples from western history rather than Asian despite a wealth of analogous developments in the region where China is located.
The latest Sasakawa USA Forum article by Dr. David C. Kang, Professor of International Relations and Business at the University of Southern California, addresses this issue and provides alternative analogies based on East Asian history to assess China's rise. Click here to read the full article.
 Now accepting submissions: The Sasakawa USA Forum is currently accepting submissions for Fall/Winter. Submissions should be 750 to 2,000 words in length and written on issues that previously have been inadequately covered regarding Japan or U.S.-Japan relations from a bilateral, regional, and global context. For more information, contact Darah Phillip at [email protected].
Click here to learn how to submit.
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Analysis: Fellow Tobias Harris examines Japan's Oct. 22 election in two op-eds
Giving up hope: How Yuriko Koike lost Japan's Snap election:
The dismal performance of Yuriko Koike's Party of Hope in Japan's Diet elections led some to ask what went wrong for the party and its leader. According to Sasakawa USA Fellow for Economy, Trade, and Business Tobias Harris, in an opinion piece published in Foreign Affairs, "the Party of Hope had many problems, and they began with Koike." Click here to read more.
The bright side of Japan's bleak election:
While the October 22 elections seemed to result in more of the same for Japanese politics, developments with Japan's various opposition parties, the formation of the Constitutional Democratic Party in particular, may have created a turning point for Japan's democracy. "Abe's decision to call an early election inadvertently revealed that there is a genuine desire for a party that is unapologetically liberal," wrote Fellow Tobias Harris in a New Republic op-ed, "and willing to part with the LDP consensus on a host of issues." Click here to read more.
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In the News: Sasakawa USA Fellows and staff quoted in media on Japanese elections
In coverage of Japanese elections, Sasakawa USA Fellow Tobias Harris key expert for media: In the lead up to and aftermath of Japan's Lower House elections on October 22, Sasakawa USA's Tobias Harris provided expert commentary on the elections and the overall political landscape in Japan for a range of publications and media outlets including Washington Post, Financial Times, and NPR. Click here to read more.
Shinzo Abe's future, threat from North Korea topics of i24NEWS interview of Daniel Bob:
International news channel i24NEWS interviewed Sasakawa USA Senior Fellow and Director of Programs Daniel Bob last week in its coverage of the Japanese elections. The segment focused on Prime Minister Abe's goals in calling for a snap-election, competition from Yuriko Koike's Party of Hope, and recent security concerns involving North Korea. Click here to read more.
No big changes expected from Japanese elections, says Amb. Zumwalt
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"I don't think the Japanese election is getting a great deal of attention here in DC," said Sasakawa USA CEO Ambassador James Zumwalt in a recent
Tokyo Business Today
article on the U.S. perspectives of the October 22 elections in Japan. The October 16 article included comments from a range of U.S.-based experts and officials on their expectations of the parliamentary race interest on the elections in the United States. Click here to read more.
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In the News: Ambassador Zumwalt keynotes Southeast U.S.-Japan Association conference
 Sasakawa USA CEO Ambassador James Zumwalt keynoted the Southeast U.S.-Japan Association (SEUS)'s 40th Annual Joint Meeting in late October, where he spoke on the importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship to an audience of lawmakers and politicians, high-level diplomats, business leaders, and U.S.-Japan experts. The gathering took place in Greenville, South Carolina, and was well-covered by local media.
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Upcoming event: Persistent Challenges for the Northeast Asia Region: A JUMP Panel Discussion
Join Sasakawa USA's Japan-U.S. Military Program (JUMP) on November 16 for the third annual panel discussion at the National War College, "Persistent Challenges for the Northeast Asia Region: Japan, China, the Korean Peninsula, and U.S. Perspectives."
At this event, distinguished specialists on Japan, China, the Korean Peninsula, and U.S.-Northeast Asian relations will discuss the persistent challenges that have and continue to impact the region. Dinner and reception will follow.
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Announcement: Center for a New American Security SEED Trip on Cybersecurity and Innovation
The Sasakawa USA Emerging Experts Delegate (SEED) trip to Japan will take place this December in partnership with the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). In this iteration of the SEED program, seven U.S. experts will visit Japan for a week to meet with Japanese experts and explore cybersecurity cooperation and innovation opportunities in U.S.-Japan relations.
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Maritime Awareness Project: Japan-Malaysia Cooperation in the New Security Landscape of the Indo-Pacific
"There is room to enhance the strategic direction and scope of cooperation between" Japan and Malaysia, writes Sumathy Permal, Fellow and Head of the Centre for the Straits of Malacca at the Maritime Institute of Malaysia, in the latest International Experts Paper published by the Maritime Awareness Project (MAP).
MAP is a joint initiative of Sasakawa USA and The National Bureau of Asian Research with the mission of improving public understanding of critical maritime problems and possible routes to their peaceful resolution.
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Recap: Japan's Elections: Impacts on Regional Security, Trade, and U.S.-Japan Relations
On Monday, October 23, 2017, Sasakawa USA held a media briefing at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on the results of Japan's October 22 snap elections.
At the briefing, experts on Japanese politics and U.S.-Japan relations summarized the results of the elections and their impact on U.S.-Japan security and economic relations, Japanese politics, and the legacy of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
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Reminder: Sasakawa USA In-Depth Alumni Research Trip accepting applications
Previous participants in a Sasakawa Peace Foundation or Sasakawa USA sponsored delegation or program are invited to apply for the Sasakawa USA In-Depth Alumni Research Trip. The selected alumni and an accompanying assistant or research partner will have the opportunity to return to Japan to gain a deeper understanding of common challenges in the U.S.-Japan relationship, then to present their findings to the D.C. policy community at an event hosted by Sasakawa USA.
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Upcoming events: November 2017
Join Sasakawa USA and JUMP for upcoming events in Washington, D.C. focused on U.S.-Asia relations. Please check our events page for event details and new listings as they get posted.
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