Japan Rearmed

This year, Japan is expected to release its fourth National Security Strategy under the leadership of Sanae Takaichi, whose government appears poised to continue the more proactive security policies pursued by recent administrations. As Japan expands its defense capabilities, develops new security institutions, and assumes a larger strategic role in the Indo-Pacific, important questions remain about the political, legal, and strategic forces driving this transformation.

This strategic roundtable invites contributors to examine the causes and implications of Japan's evolving security posture through original analytical essays. Participants will develop individual research projects contributing to a broader conversation rather than a single collaborative report. Topics may include, but are not limited to, economic security, emerging technologies, the U.S.–Japan alliance, Indo-Pacific strategy, electoral politics, public opinion, constitutional and legal constraints, defense industrial policy, and regional security dynamics.