The Stimson Center’s Japan Program is proud to present the 6th annual Voices from Japan symposium. Honorable Tetsuro Kuroe, Special Advisor to the National Security Secretariat of Japan and former Vice-Minister of Defense, and LTG Koichi Isobe (JGSDF, ret.), former Commander of the JGSDF Eastern Army and former Vice Chief of Staff of the JSDF Joint Staff, will discuss Japan’s strategic outlook as the security environment in East Asia undergoes shifts. From the ongoing dialogue with North Korea to China’s progress in its military reforms, Japan’s defense posture will require careful calibration with the U.S. and other partners in the region.
“Voices from Japan: National Security Speaker Series” is an annual public symposium that brings high-profile, senior-level Japanese individuals to Washington, D.C. for discussions about how the U.S. and Japan can tackle today’s global security challenges under the U.S.-Japan alliance and in partnership with like-minded nations. It provides a unique platform for Japanese officials to share their insights and concerns on a range of international issues.
Led by Director Yuki Tatsumi since 2004, the Japan Program seeks to deepen the understanding of Japan’s evolving role in the international community and its implications for the U.S.-Japan alliance. The program continues Stimson’s 28-year tradition of providing expert analysis on key global security issues. For more information about previous Voices from Japan events, click here.
WHAT: A symposium on Japan’s strategic outlook as the security environment in East Asia shifts. This event is on-the-record.
WHERE: The Stimson Center, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 8th Floor, Washington DC, 20036
WHEN: Tuesday, September 11, 2018, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
RSVP: Click here to RSVP for the event.
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Featuring:
TETSURO KUROE, Special Advisor, National Security Secretariat of Japan
Honorable Tetsuro Kuroe joined the Japan Defense Agency in 1981 after graduating from the University of Tokyo with his B.A. in Law. In 1999 he became the Director of the Operations Division in the Bureau of Operations, and from 2001 to 2006 he was Cabinet Counselor, first in the Cabinet Affairs Office and later for the Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary for National Security and Crisis Management. In 2006, he directed the Administrative Coordination Division before becoming Defense Councilor in 2007. He was appointed Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Defense Policy in 2009, and from 2012 to 2014 was Director General for a year each in the Bureau of Operational Policy, the Minister’s Secretariat, and the Bureau of Defense Policy. In October 2015, he became the 30th Administrative Vice-Minister of Defense. He retired from the Ministry of Defense in July 2017.
KOICHI ISOBE, LTG, JGSDF, ret.; Senior Fellow, Asia Center, Harvard University
LTG Isobe retired from active duty in August 2015 after serving as the 37th Commanding General of the Ground SDF Eastern Army, completing 35 years of service in the SDF. He currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., and as a Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s Asia Center and the Asia Pacific Initiative Foundation. While on active duty, he served in several key staff positions including Director of J-5 (July 2009-August 2011) and the 7th Vice Chief of Staff (August 2012-August 2013). He also deployed personnel in several major disasters, and he emerged as a linchpin of Japan-U.S. military coordination via Operation Tomodachi as Director of J-5 during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. As Vice Chief Joint Staff, he initiated the Amphibious Warfare Study Forum. Earlier in his career, he served at the Japan-U.S. Security Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (August 1989-August 1991). His command positions included 9th Division Aviation Squadron, 7th Armored Division, and Eastern Army. He earned his Master of Military Studies at USMC University in 1996, and his M.Sc. in National Resource Strategy at National Defense University in 2003. His awards include the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal.
YUKI TATSUMI, Co-Director, East Asia Program, Stimson Center (Moderator)
Yuki Tatsumi is Co-Director of the East Asia Program and Director of the Japan Program at the Stimson Center. Before joining Stimson, Tatsumi worked as a research associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and as the special assistant for political affairs at the Embassy of Japan in Washington. Tatsumi’s most recent publications include Balancing Between Nuclear Deterrence and Disarmament: Views from the Next Generation (ed.; Stimson Center, 2018) and Lost in Translation? U.S. Defense Innovation and Northeast Asia (Stimson Center, 2017). In September 2006 Tatsumi testified before the House Committee on International Relations. She is a recipient of the 2009 Yasuhiro Nakasone Incentive Award. In 2012 she was awarded the Letter of Appreciation from the Ministry of National Policy of Japan for her contribution in advancing mutual understanding between the United States and Japan. A native of Tokyo, Tatsumi holds a B.A. in liberal arts from the International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan and an M.A. in international economics and Asian studies from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University in Washington.
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