U.S.-Asia Law Institute

Japan’s Role in Asian Regional Security

Friday, February 24, 2023
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM (Eastern Time)

Vanderbilt Hall 201 and Zoom

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About the Event

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine one year ago, Japan has begun significantly upgrading its national security posture. It announced plans to double defense-related expenditures to equal 2 percent of GDP in five years and updated three of its key national security documents. Meanwhile, Japan and the US have strengthened their alliance through a Biden-Kishida summit at the White House and a series of meetings between their top economic policy and security/defense teams. What is Japan’s goal, and what other steps may be necessary to harden the resilience of its supply chains for goods, energy, and food? Professor Kanehara of Doshisha University, who helped formulate security policy while serving as assistant chief cabinet secretary to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from 2012 to 2019, will discuss the role Japan should play in the alliance with the US and share his comprehensive view of security from a geopolitical perspective.

About the speaker

Nobokatsu Kanehara is a professor in Doshisha University's Department of Political Science. He served as assistant chief cabinet secretary to Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from 2012 to 2019. In 2013, Kanehara became the inaugural deputy secretary-general of the National Security Secretariat and held the post until he retired from government service in 2019. He also served as deputy director of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office. Kanehara’s role in the Cabinet built on a distinguished career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he served in many notable positions, including as director-general of the Bureau of International Law, deputy director-general of the Foreign Policy Bureau, and ambassador-in-charge of the United Nations and human rights. In addition, Kanehara served abroad as deputy chief of mission in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and political minister at the Embassy of Japan in Washington. He was decorated by the president of France with l’Ordre de la Légion d’Honneur.