East-West Center Event: The Ukraine Crisis and Japan's Russia Challenge (9 March 2015 in DC)

I will be speaking on the impact of the Ukraine crisis on Japan at East-West Center in DC on 9 March 2015. It is open to the public and see below for details.

https://eastwestcenter.org/events/the-ukraine-crisis-and-japan’s-russia-challenge

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Where: 1819 L Street, NW, Washington, DC, Sixth Floor Conference Room

When: Monday, March 9, 2015 - 12:30 until Monday, March 9, 2015 - 13:30

What:

The Ukraine Crisis and Japan’s Russia Challenge

An Asia Pacific Foreign Policy and Defense Seminar featuring:

Dr. Michito Tsuruoka 
Senior Research Fellow
National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), Japan

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The crisis in Ukraine – Russia’s annexation of the Crimea and its intervention in Eastern Ukraine – has had global implications. Resisting any attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion used to be a challenge mainly in East Asia. However, in the wake of the Ukraine crisis, Europe and Japan (and Asia as a whole) are now facing in common the same challenge. Still, the question of how to manage the relationship with Russia remains tricky for Tokyo, particularly in the context of the territorial dispute and peace treaty negotiations between the two countries and the rise of China. The Shinzo Abe government invested a lot in cultivating relations with Moscow – or with Putin personally. It is, therefore, not surprising that Japan has often been seen as among the most reluctant of G7 members along with Germany regarding economic sanctions on Russia, while firmly committed to the process of G7 coordination. Japan, in short, faces its own Russia challenge in the wake of the Ukraine crisis.

Dr. Michito Tsuruoka will discuss what considerations and calculations have been at work behind Japan’s response to the crisis in Ukraine. It is much more than just about the bilateral relationship between Japan and Russia. He will also examine (alleged) extended deterrence implications as well as concerns about “hybrid warfare.”

Monday, March 9
12:30 P.M. – 1:30 P.M.
A light luncheon will be served.

This event will be off-the-record.

To RSVP, please click here: www.eastwestcenter.org/Zk4 
Kindly send your reply by March 6.

East-West Center in Washington
1819 L St, NW, Washington, DC. Sixth Floor Conference Room
This event is free and open to the public.

RUSI Event: Japan's Expanding Security Partnerships (24 February 2015 in London)

Open seminar at RUSI, London on Tuesday, 24 February. If you happen to be in London and are interested in joining us, please contact me.

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Japan's Expanding Security Partnerships

Japan is seeking to expand its political, security and defence partnerships in Asia and beyond. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, since taking power in December 2012, has been exceptionally active in summit diplomacy, establishing security and defence cooperation with an increasing number of countries. The UK and Japan have recently held the first-ever "2+2" ministerial meeting, bringing together both Foreign and Defence Ministers, in London, in another sign of strengthening Anglo-Japanese security and defence ties.

This event will explore the broad picture of what Tokyo is now trying to do in terms of security and defence cooperation with other countries and put relations with Europe in context. Speakers will also examine the development of Japan-Australia and Japan-Australia-US cooperation in security and defence. As the UK increases its interest in Asia, Australia is likely to be a place where the UK and Japan as well as the United States meet for exchange and exercises.

Date/Time: Tuesday, 24 February from 10h00 to 12h00

Venue: RUSI, 61 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET

  

Speakers:

Dr Michito Tsuruoka, Senior Research Fellow, National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), Japan

Dr Tomohiko Satake, Research Fellow, National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), Japan

Speakers' bio:

Michito Tsuruoka studied politics and international relations at Keio University and Georgetown University and received a PhD in War Studies from King's College London. Before joining NIDS in 2009, he served as a Special Adviser for NATO at the Japanese Embassy in Belgium (2005-08). Dr Tsuruoka was seconded to the Ministry of Defense from 2012 to 2013 as a Deputy Director at the International Policy Division in charge of multilateral frameworks in the Asia-Pacific region, most notably the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus). He was a Visiting Fellow at RUSI from May 2013 to March 2014. Dr Tsuruoka has published mainly on European security, Europe-Japan/Asia relations and nuclear policy.

Tomohiko Satake studied politics and international relations at Keio University and received a PhD in International Relations from the Australian National University (ANU). He joined NIDS in 2010 and was seconded to the Ministry of Defense from 2013 to 2014 as a Deputy Director at the International Policy Division in charge of multilateral frameworks in the Asia-Pacific region, most notably the ADMM-Plus. Dr Satake has published widely on alliance politics, Australia, Japan-Australia relations and Japan-US and Japan-US-Australia security relations. He will be a Visiting Fellow for one year at ANU beginning in March 2015.