Japan in a Changing Asia

Japan’s choices in the years ahead will be increasingly fraught. At home, significant challenges confront the Japanese people, including repeated natural disasters, an aging population and a shrinking economy. Moreover, expectations are rising that a transition to a post-Abe era in Japan’s politics is not too far off. Abroad, Asia’s rapidly evolving geopolitics demand a new calibration in regional ties as Japan pursues its economic and military interests.  Of singular importance, Japan needs to navigate the emerging strategic rivalry between the United States and China.  With the COVID-19 pandemic complicating this new era of Japanese strategic adjustment, Abe and his successor will be hard-pressed to sustain their alliance with the United States while building an Indo-Pacific coalition to ensure the region’s continued prosperity and peace. This work has already resulted in meetings, podcasts, articles, and comprehensive infographics, which will continue throughout the project.

This project is made possible through support from the Smith-Richardson Foundation and the U.S.-Japan Foundation.