Geostrategy in the Grassroots 
In 2013, NAJAS and The Sasakawa Peace Foundation developed the concept of "Japan Update Through Japan-America Societies", to provide public affairs updates across the US. In the six years of the program from 2013 to 2019, 44 "Japan Update" programs were held in 15 cities; Atlanta, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland (Oregon), St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California and Washington DC.
In 2019, SPF and NAJAS decided to partner on a new public affairs program focusing on the geostrategic challenges Japan and the US face in a changing Asia. A rising China, North Korea and the re-emergence of Russia, among others, present new challenges to both countries, at a time when the US is reconsidering its global engagement. SPF and NAJAS feel that this series is an important contribution to understanding of the alliance, especially when undertaken outside Washington DC. The series involved events in five different cities, hosted by local JAS, each event composed of two recognized experts, one from each country, in a discussion format. We named the series "Geostrategy in the Grassroots".
The current program year (FY2023 for April 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024) is the fifth year of the Geostrategy in the Grassroots series, and the 11th combining the Japan Update series.
FY2023 Geostrategy in the Grassroots:
Japan Society of Boston
| Date: | Friday, February 9, 2024 |
| Title: | Economic Statecraft and Security in the Indo-Pacific: Views from Japan, US, and Southeast Asia |
|
Speakers: |
Dr. Kei Koga Dr. Phillip Lipscy Dr. William Grimes |
| Videos | Introduction (4:50) & Full Program (56:57) |
| Date: | Thursday, March 14, 2024 |
| Title: | Emerging Technologies and the Indo-Pacific |
|
Speakers: |
Dr. Takahiro Tsuchiya James Schoff |
| Date: | Tuesday, March 19, 2024 |
| Title: | JA-GA Futures Forum - Geostrategy in the Grassroots: The QUAD and the Potential for Action in a Contingency |
|
Speakers: |
Dr. Tomohiko Satake Lisa Curtis |
| Video: | Full Program |
| Date: | Thursday, March 21, 2024 |
| Title: | The U.S.-China Rivalry and Taiwan: The Ramifications of Japan’s New Security Strategy and U.S.-Japan Alliance |
|
Speakers: |
Dr. Zack Cooper Dr. Satoru Mori |
| Video: | Full Program |
| Date: | Wednesday, March 27, 2024 |
| Title: | The Trans-Atlantic Relationship and Linkages to the Indo-Pacific |
|
Speakers: |
Dr. Yuka Koshino Bonnie S. Glaser |
FY2022 Geostrategy in the Grassroots:
Japan-America Society of Tennessee
| Date: | Thursday, March 30, 2023 |
| Title: | Implications of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine: How the U.S. and Japan can Ensure Stability across the Taiwan Strait |
| Speakers: |
Masashi Murano Zack Cooper Andrew Wylegala |
| Date: | Wednesday, March 1, 2023 |
| Title: | Powering to Sustainability |
| Speakers: |
Takakhiro Ueno Jane Nakano Connie Lau Karen Knudsen |
Japan Society of New Orleans
| Date: | Tuesday, February 28, 2023 |
| Title: | Geostrategic Challenges Facing the U.S. and Japan in 2023 + |
| Speakers: |
Masashi Murano Dr. Ankit Panda Peter Kelley |
Japan Society of Northern California
| Date: | Monday, February 27, 2023 |
| Title: | US & Japan vs. China: Cooperation and Competition in the War for Technology Leadership |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Kazuto Suzuki Amb. Kurt Tong Larry Greenwood |
Japan America Society of Greater Cincinnati
| Date: | Wednesday, February 15, 2023 |
| Title: | Russia/Ukraine and What it Means for Japan and the U.S. in Asia |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Kei Koga Dr. Jeffrey Hornung Joseph Dehner |
Japan America Society of St. Louis
| Date: | Thursday, February 9, 2023 |
| Title: | The Implications for Japan and the US of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine: The Role of Global Institutions |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Kayo Takuma Dr. Phillip Lipscy Peter Kelley |
Japan Society of Colorado
| Date: | Tuesday, February 7, 2023 |
| Title: | The U.S.-Japan Partnership in 2023: Addressing Economic & Security Challenges from China and Russia |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Michito Tsuruoka Dr. Kristy Govella John Hayato Branderhorst |
Japan America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth
| Date: | Thursday, February 2, 2023 |
| Title: | The Role of China on U.S.-Japan Relations and the Russia-Ukraine War |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Shinji Yamaguchi Dr. Eric Heginbotham Dr. Hiroki Takeuchi |
Japan-America Society of Indiana
| Date: | Tuesday, March 29, 2022 |
| Title: | Strategic Choices Facing Japan and The United States in an Increasingly Uncertain World |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Narushige Michishita Dr. Richard Samuels Dr. Dyron Dabney |
Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania
| Date: | Wednesday, March 23, 2022 |
| Title: | Geostrategy in the Grassroots, 2022 Strategy in Asia Pacific |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Ken Jimbo Zack Cooper Dr. John Shin |
The Japan-America Society of Georgia
| Date: | Tuesday, March 22, 2022 |
| Title: | US-Japan Now: Geostrategic Implications to a Rising China |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Yasuhiro Matsuda Bonnie Glaser Yoshi Domoto |
Japan Society of New Orleans
| Date: | Wednesday, March 16, 2022 |
| Title: | Security Challenges Facing the US & Japan in 2021 + |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Ryo Sahashi Dr. Jennifer Lind Peter Kelley |
Japan-America Society of Southern Colorado
| Date: | Tuesday, February 22, 2022 |
| Title: | A Discussion on Aerospace Security: Insights from Japan's Kazuto Suzuki and USA's Todd Harrison |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Kazuto Suzuki Todd Harrison Peter Kelley |
Japan-America Society of Central Ohio
| Date: | Thursday, February 17, 2022 |
| Title: | US-Japan Geostrategy Concerns in SE Asia |
| Speakers: |
Amb. Masafumi Ishii Amb. David Shear Benjamin Pachter |
The Japan Society (Toronto)
| Date: | Wednesday, February 16, 2022 |
| Title: | Geostrategic Outlook for Asia 2022 |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Shino Watanabe James Schoff Peter Kelley |
Japan America Society of Southern California
| Date: | Thursday, February 10, 2022 |
| Title: | Geostrategic Opportunities in East Asia: Perspectives on the U.S.-Japan-China Trilateral Relations in Times of COVID-19 |
| Speakers: |
Dr. Akio Takahara Dr. Sheila Smith Dr. Saori Takada |
The Japan-America Society of Georgia
| Date: | Thursday, March 25, 2021 |
| Title: | US-Japan Now: Geostrategy in a New World |
| Speakers: |
Koji Murata Sheila Smith Yoshi Domoto |
Japan-America Society of Greater Austin
| Date: | Wednesday, March 24, 2021 |
| Title: | Indo-Pacific Security and Multilateral Strategic Cooperation: Past, Present and Future |
| Speakers: |
Nobukatsu Kanehara David Shear Patricia Maclachlan |
Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania
| Date: | Thursday, March 18, 2021 |
| Title: | A Resilient U.S. - Japan Alliance in 2021 and Beyond |
| Speakers: |
Toshihiro Nakayama Abraham Denmark Kay Shimizu Dyron Dabney |
Japan Society of New Orleans
| Date: | Thursday, March 4, 2021 |
| Title: | Geostrategic Challenges Facing the US & Japan in 2021 + |
| Speakers: |
Tomohiko Satake Richard Fontaine Peter Kelley |
Japan America Society of Greater Cincinnati
| Date: | Tuesday, March 2, 2021 |
| Title: | The Impact on Japan of Geostrategic Challenges in Asia: Two Perspectives |
| Speakers: |
Hiroyuki Akita Jacob Schlesinger Joe Dehner |
Japan Society of Northern California
| Date: | Monday, February 8, 2021 |
| Title: | Japan’s Changing Role in Asia: Opportunities and Challenges |
| Speakers: |
Hiroyuki Akita Thomas Berger Robert Madsen Larry Greenwood |
Japan America Society of Michigan and Southwestern Ontario
| Date: | Thursday, December 10, 2020 |
| Title: | US-Japan-China Relations Post 2020 & Implications for the Auto Industry |
| Speakers: |
Yasuhiro Matsuda Bonnie Glaser Bernard Swiecki |
Japan America Society of St. Louis
| Date: | Wednesday, December 2, 2020 |
| Title: | The Security Situation in North Asia in a Post COVID World |
| Speakers: |
Ken Jimbo Randall Schriver Jim Talent |
Japan-America Society of Central Ohio
| Date: | Tuesday, November 17, 2020 |
| Title: | Geostrategy in the Grassroots |
| Speakers: |
Aiko Doden Kent Calder Peter Kelley |
FY2019 Geostrategy in the Grassroots:
The Japan Society of Boston
| Date: | Friday, March 6, 2020 |
| Title: | GEOSTRATEGY IN THE GRASSROOTS |
| Speakers: |
Takako Hikotani Mireya Solis Peter Kelley |
Japan/America Society of Kentucky
| Date: | Thursday, March 5, 2020 |
| Title: | The Evolving Japan - U.S. Alliance |
| Speakers: |
Kunihiko Miyake James Schoff Peter Kelley |
The Japan America Society of Chicago
| Date: | Thursday, February 27, 2020 |
| Title: | Geostrategy: Japan and the US |
| Speakers: |
Narushige Michishita Richard Samuels Edward Grant |
Japan-America Society of Tennessee, Inc.
| Date: | Wednesday, February 12, 2020 |
| Title: | Tennessee-Japan Forum 2020 |
| Speakers: |
Yoshihide Soeya Sheila Smith Peter Kelley |
Japan-America Society of North Carolina
| Date: | Monday, February 3, 2020 |
| Title: | 2020 JASNC Speaker Series in the Triangle Securing Freedom and Liberty in the Pacific |
| Speakers: |
Ryo Sahashi Richard Fontaine Peter Kelley |
NAJAS and our members are grateful to The Sasakawa Peace Foundation for its support for this program. A unique partnership to create a public affairs program series with national impact, The "Geostrategy in the Grassroots" program is integral to the mission of promoting and strengthening mutual understanding between the United States and Japan.
