On January 24, the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at Brookings and the Japan-America Society of Washington DC will host the ninth annual Japan in the Year program, “Japan in 2023.”

Senior and next-generation Japanese and American experts will look ahead at what’s in store for the year ahead in Japan’s foreign policy and domestic affairs.

Tuesday, January 24, 2023, 9:00 am-12:00 pm ET
(11:00 pm -2:00 am JT)

The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC(22:00 — 00:20 JST) & Online via Webcast

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2023 is already shaping up to be a consequential year for Japan’s role in the region and wider global stage. A new National Security Strategy promises to significantly bump up defense spending as part of broader changes to Japan’s defense architecture and security policy. In spring, Hiroshima will be the site of the G7 leaders’ summit as Japan takes over the G7 presidency for the year. Opportunities for closer cooperation with allies and partners glimmer on the horizon, yet tensions with China, concerns over the stability of the Taiwan Strait, and the threat of a nuclear North Korea persist. At home, the economy struggles to gain momentum coming out of a prolonged pandemic and energy hikes have fueled inflation. The domestic political scene is still recalibrating after the loss of one of the country’s most impactful political figures, Shinzo Abe. What developments can we expect out of Japan in 2023? And how will they influence regional and global developments?

Questions will be taken from the audience at the end of each session. Online viewers can submit questions via e-mail to [email protected] or via Twitter at #Japanin2023

“Japan in 2023” is part of the NAJAS Japan Currents series.

Agenda

Opening remarks (9:00 am-9:05 am)

Ryan Shaffer, President, Japan-America Society of Washington DC

Keynote Session (9:10 am-9:55 am)

Pre-recorded discussion:
Rahm Emanuel, Ambassador of the United States of America to Japan (pre-recorded)
Moderator: Ryan Shaffer, President, Japan-America Society of Washington DC

Live discussion:
Koji Tomita, Ambassador of Japan to the United States of America
Moderator: Mireya Solís, Philip Knight Chair in Japan Studies, Director and Senior Fellow, Center for East Asia Policy Studies, Brookings Institution

Panel 1: Foreign policy (10:00 am-10:55 am) 

Naoko Eto, Professor, Department of Political Science, Gakushuin University
Matthew Goodman, Senior Vice President for Economics, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Chris Johnstone, Senior Adviser and Japan Chair, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Moderator: Shihoko Goto, Director for Geoeconomics and Indo-Pacific Enterprise and Deputy Director, Asia Program, Wilson Center

Panel 2: Domestic issues (11:00 am-11:55 am)

Jennifer Sklarew, Assistant Professor, Energy and Sustainability Policy, Food-Energy-Water-Climate Nexus, Social Science, George Mason University
Sheila Smith, John E. Merow Senior Fellow for Asia-Pacific Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Randall Jones, Non-Resident Distinguished Fellow, Korea Economic Institute; Professional Fellow, Center on Japanese Economy and Business, Columbia University
Moderator: Tobias Harris, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Asia Program, German Marshall Fund

Closing remarks (11:55 am-12:00 pm)

Ryan Shaffer, President, Japan-America Society of Washington DC
Mireya Solís, Philip Knight Chair in Japan Studies, Director and Senior Fellow, Center for East Asia Policy Studies, Brookings Institution

To RSVP, please contact the Brookings Office of Communications at [email protected], or visit the Brookings event page.