On January 27, Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA hosted the virtual policy briefing, "Requirements for Crafting Japan’s New National Security Strategy." This event featured Lieutenant General Koichi Isobe, JGSDF (Ret.), 37th Commander of the Eastern Army (2013-2015), who is a member of the National Security Strategy Study Group (国家安全保障戦略研究会, Kokka Anzen Hoshō Senryaku Kenkyūkai). This group consists of the following members: Gen. Ryoichi Oriki (JGSDF, Ret.) Former Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the JSDF, and Chair of the NSS Study Group; Former Vice-Minister of Defense Tetsuro Kuroe, who is Vice Chair of the NSS Study Group; LtGen. Kazuaki Sumida (JGSDF, Ret.) Former Commanding General of Ground Component Command; Vice Adm. Tokuhiro Ikeda (JMSDF, Ret.) Former Commandant, Kure District; Vice Adm. Tatsuhiko Takashima (JMSDF, Ret.) Former Commander of Fleet Submarine Force; LtGen. Junichi Araki (JASDF, Ret.) Former Commander of Air Training Command; LtGen. Shigeki Muto (JASDF, Ret.) Former Commanding General of Air Defense Command.
LtGen. Isobe provided remarks on behalf of the group to share their policy recommendations from their report, “What is Required of the New National Security Strategy: To Confront the Turbulent Era.” The Hon. Randall Schriver, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs at the U.S. Department of Defense and Chairman of the Board at the Project 2049 Institute, provided commentary from the U.S. perspective. The event was moderated by Dr. Satohiro Akimoto, Chairman and President of Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA.
