Japan

Japan

Japan, as a longtime ally of the United States, plays an essential role in maintaining regional stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. As the strategic landscape of the Indo-Pacific continues to shift, both the United States and Japan are working closely to maintain regional security, economic, and democratic development. As Japan works to further define its regional role, it faces both challenges and opportunities to work with the United States on issues such as energy, emerging technology, infrastructure, and more.

Germany and Japan’s Differing Arms Export Regimes

New Atlanticist
Oct 31, 2025

How will Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’ approach foreign policy?

By
Kyoko Imai

While new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is a protégé of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, she will need to chart her own course for Tokyo in a changed world.

East Asia
Indo-Pacific

Germany and Japan’s Differing Arms Export Regimes

New Atlanticist
Sep 22, 2025

Why has Japan deployed fighter jets to NATO bases in the US, Canada, and Europe?

By
Atlantic Council experts

As part of Operation Atlantic Eagles, Tokyo has sent four F-15 fighter jets and four additional military aircraft to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Germany
Japan

Germany and Japan’s Differing Arms Export Regimes

Issue Brief
Aug 15, 2025

The future of US and Japanese engagement with Central Asia

By
Kyoko Imai

Situated between China and Russia, and with an abundance of vital natural resources, Central Asia is an area of strategic interest for Tokyo and Washington. Beijing and Moscow currently enjoy overwhelming political, economic, and cultural influence, which limits other countries’ ability to constructively shape the region. Some friction has emerged between the two authoritarian powers as post-Soviet dominance over Central Asia erodes and Chinese economic influence takes its place.

Central Asia
China

Projects


Close up of tiger

The Tiger Project: War and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific

Explore the Atlantic Council’s work on current and enduring defense and deterrence issues in the Indo-Pacific, featuring expert commentary, multimedia content, and in-depth analysis.

Explore the programs

The Indo-Pacific Security Initiative (IPSI) informs and shapes the strategies, plans, and policies of the United States and its allies and partners to address the most important rising security challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including China’s growing threat to the international order and North Korea’s destabilizing nuclear weapons advancements. IPSI produces innovative analysis, conducts tabletop exercises, hosts public and private convenings, and engages with US, allied, and partner governments, militaries, media, other key private and public-sector stakeholders, and publics.

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Content

Defense Industrialist

Aug 26, 2014

Germany and Japan’s Differing Arms Export Regimes

By James Hasik

It’s much easier to kill an arms exporting franchise than to build one. The armaments export policies of Germany and Japan seem to be crossing paths this month. His recent approval of the export of a whole tank factory to Algeria notwithstanding, German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel is said to have been piling up license requests on his desk, content to […]

Germany Japan

Global Trade And The Americas

Jul 23, 2014

Bridging the Pacific: The Americas’ New Economic Frontier?

By Atlantic Council

Watch the July 23, 2014 report launch featuring Acting Deputy US Trade Representative Wendy Cutler, TPP Caucus Co-chairs Congressmen Charles Boustany, Jr. (R-LA) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and other experts from the public and private sectors. Bridging the Pacific: The Americas’ New Economic Frontier?, written by Atlantic Council author Peter Rashish, proposes nine concrete steps […]

Americas Australia

In the News

Jul 11, 2014

Manning: Asia Must Ensure Abe Maintains Pacifist Pledge

By Robert Manning

Brent Scowcroft Center Resident Senior Fellow Robert Manning writes for Global Times on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s decision to reinterpret Japan’s constitution:

Japan
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, May 6, 2014

NATOSource

May 7, 2014

Prime Minister Abe: Japan and NATO Are ‘Natural Partners’

By Shinzo Abe, Office of the Prime Minister of Japan

Why Japan and NATO?

Japan NATO
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

NATOSource

May 6, 2014

Japan Strengthens Its Partnership with NATO

By NATO

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday (06 May 2014) signed a roadmap detailing areas where the Alliance and Japan will work to widen and deepen their longstanding partnership.

Japan NATO

Article

Apr 14, 2014

Manning and Przystup: Obama-Abe Summit should Overcome Dangerous ‘Mirror-Image Trust Gap’

By Robert A. Manning and James Przystup

As U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gear up for a timely summit, a festering sense of uncertainty and unease stalks the U.S.-Japan alliance as it approaches a critical juncture. After an exciting first year marked by renewed economic dynamism and impressive efforts to enhance Japan’s global strategic posture, Abe’s pragmatic streak […]

Japan United States and Canada
Robert Gates, November 17, 2010

NATOSource

Apr 11, 2014

Gates: US Response to Russia’s Use of Force Likely to Lead to ‘More Crises and Conflict’

By Robert Gates, Stars and Stripes

I think an actual invasion would be a very critical matter and a source of great concern. But I think — I think it’s a concern for the same reason that the invasion of Crimea or the seizure of Crimea is a concern.

China Japan

Event Recap

Feb 26, 2014

Strengthening the US-Japan Alliance

On February 26, 2014, the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security held a not-for-attribution roundtable briefing on the US-Japan alliance and what it portends for US extended deterrence in Asia. The briefing featured Mira Rapp-Hooper, Stanton nuclear security fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and was presided over by project co-chair Richard […]

Japan United States and Canada

Article

Feb 14, 2014

East Asia’s Dangerous History Wars

By Rajan Menon

At the annual Davos World Economic Forum, which convened last month, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe disrupted the conviviality by offering an historical analogy that jarred his listeners. Abe likened the polemics and gunboat diplomacy (he did not characterize it thus) that China and Japan have been using against each other of late to the rivalry between […]

China East Asia

New Atlanticist

Feb 13, 2014

Stakes too High for East Asia to Risk War

By Robert A. Manning

It is fashionable these days to compare current tensions in East Asia to Europe on the eve of WWI in 1914. Then, as now, there was deep economic and financial interdependence that led many to think that war was obsolete. Then, as now, there was a regional military buildup as Germany sought to become a […]

China Japan
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Experts

Fellow

Michael Corbo

Distinguished Fellow

Global China Hub

Americas Australia

Fellow

Jonathan Corrado

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Indo-Pacific Korea

Fellow

Shawn Creamer

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Indo-Pacific Security Initiative

Security & Defense East Asia

Fellow

Nicholas Eftimiades

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Intelligence

Fellow

Akiko Fukushima

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy East Asia

Staff

Lauren D. Gilbert

Deputy Director

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

East Asia Human Rights
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