YCAPS

The Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS) is an American 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered with the Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Our mission is to promote the studies of strategic, diplomatic and legal issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region, and broaden the understanding of our local community. Started out as a study group on the Yokosuka Naval Base, YCAPS is now a fast-growing organization thanks to the support we receive from the Yokosuka community and our audience around the world. With the commitment to enable professional growth and foster grassroots connections, YCAPS hosts experts, government officials and military personnel to speak at our webinars. We invite you to join us in our off-the-record discussions, and hope to see you around! Follow us on Facebook for updates on our events: https://lnkd.in/gQYKR9N Subscribe to our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/cmkAMH Join us on Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gdxniYE2 On Instagram: https://lnkd.in/gQXKx4UE On X (formerly Twitter): https://lnkd.in/gqDXRzZv On Bluesky: https://lnkd.in/gRwxCGjN #YCAPS #community #asiapacific #diplomacy #security #internationallaw #yokosuka

Event reminder 📢 YCAPS' "Getting to Know Japan Series" continues with a talk titled "Nuclear Japan" by Dr. Kyle Cleveland to be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at 19:00 (Tokyo). Registration: https://lnkd.in/ghcgfpZv   #Nuclear energy has played a defining role in #Japan's modern history, continuing to influence Japan’s #policy priorities and international relations. As the only nation to have ever been attacked by nuclear weapons, the legacy of #Hiroshima and #Nagasaki remains deeply rooted in the national psyche, and yet despite widespread anti-nuclear sentiment, nuclear power constituted 30% of Japan’s #energy supply until the 2011 #Fukushima nuclear disaster shuttered its entire fleet of 54 nuclear reactors. Now, with a reestablished regulatory agency, and having realized the economic implications of temporarily becoming a non-nuclear state, commercial nuclear energy is incrementally reclaiming a significant place in Japan’s energy policy. Having been established in the aftermath of WWII in conjunction with U.S. Cold War geo-political strategy, Japan’s commercial nuclear energy industry faces international scrutiny to demonstrate that it has assembled a safety culture that was so devastatingly proven to be lacking when the Tōhoku tsunami swept along the Sanriku coast and inundated the Daiichi Nuclear power plant, causing a total station blackout and meltdowns in 3 reactors, threatening the region with radiation exposure and the long-term viability of commercial nuclear energy worldwide. It is between these two bookends that Japan’s nuclear policy has developed, as it addressed its commercial energy needs post-war under the influence of U.S. pressure while embracing the economic and political advantages that the American nuclear deterrence umbrella afforded.  In this talk, Dr. Kyle Cleveland, a scholar who has conducted extensive ethnographic fieldwork in Fukushima and interviewed both Japanese and American government, military, and nuclear officials will discuss the history of nuclear energy in Japan, refracted through the lens of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. For more information on this topic, please read Dr. Cleveland's article titled "Mobilizing Nuclear Bias: The Fukushima Nuclear Crisis And The Politics Of Uncertainty" here. Dr. Kyle Cleveland is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Temple University Japan and founding Director of TUJ’s Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies, through which he has organized a series of public lectures, workshops, and symposia on Japan’s 3.11 Tōhoku #earthquake, #tsunami, and nuclear disasters. He is co-editor (with Scott Knowles and Ryuma Shineha) of “Legacies of Fukushima: 3.11 in Context,” (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021). #YCAPS #event #webinar #Japan #US #JapanUS #nuclearpower #nuclearreactor #nucleardisaster #TohokuEarthquake #energypolicy

YCAPS reaches 1700 followers on LinkedIn 🎉 We are thrilled to celebrate this milestone with our incredible community! Thank you to all our followers, supporters, and especially the researchers and collaborators who have contributed to YCAPS' mission. Your engagement fuels our efforts to promote dialogue, education, and mentorship on strategic, diplomatic, and legal issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region. At YCAPS, we aim to build networks, foster personal growth, and create opportunities for conceptual exchange through world-class events and programs. All discussions are held in a personal capacity, and we remain committed to providing a safe space for off-the-record dialogue and mutual learning. Keep an eye on the YCAPS website, newsletter, and LinkedIn page for updates about community and research events—there’s much more to come! Together, we’ll continue to advance understanding and collaboration in the Asia-Pacific. Thank you for being part of the YCAPS journey! YCAPS homepage: https://www.ycaps.org/ #YCAPS #AsiaPacific #IndoPacific #communityevents #community #researchevents #professionalnetworking

Please help YCAPS foster communities better prepared to manage the challenges of the Indo-Pacific. 🙏 We are a small volunteer-run non-profit that organizes around 100 events each year. But passion and time don't pay for Zoom subscriptions, webpage providers, transportation, etc. Therefore, we need your help. We've joined the Combined Federal Campaign and set up a channel to take direct donations by credit card. If you can give to either, no matter how big or small, we will deeply appreciate it and you will be directly benefiting those whom we serve. Nothing goes to costly overhead such as office space or executive salaries. To give via CFC, search YCAPS at: https://lnkd.in/gqJpMgr #76735 To give via credit card: https://lnkd.in/gh-gbt_P

Last month, I (Oxford Global Society YCAPS Pacific Forum Indo-Pacific Studies Center Australia-Vietnam Leadership Dialogue United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney) had the privilege of participating in the Women in Strategic Policy Program, organised by Girls Run the World in partnership with Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at The Australian National University (ANU). The Women in Strategic Policy Program is aimed at empowering young women to contribute to Australia’s strategic and defence discourse. Over the next two years, the programme will support the publication of over 40 opinion articles and 10 policy papers, all authored by women under the age of 35. The program aims to equip participants with the skills and opportunities to engage in Australia’s defence and strategic policy debates. It is open to young women with experience, expertise, or a demonstrated interest in foreign, national security, strategic, or defence policy. Participants will gain: - stronger understanding of Australian strategic priorities, tailored to their areas of interest or expertise. - solid foundation for writing opinion articles for both academic and mainstream media. - concrete idea and outline for an article, ready for publication. - pitch for editors, honed through peer feedback. - supportive network of peers and professionals to assist in writing, pitching, and publishing. A heartfelt thank you to the Department of Defence Australia for their support to make this remarkable opportunity possible. I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to Hugh White, Helen Dalley-Fisher, Sally Moyle, Toni Erskine, Maria Tanyag, Huong Le Thu, Jennifer Parker, Adam Bartley, and Brendan Taylor for sharing their expertise and insights, and for enlightening us with their first-hand experiences on the key strategic issues shaping Australia’s defence landscape. Most of all, my thanks to Asha Clementi, Founder and CEO of Girls Run the World, for her vision in creating this empowering programme. Asha’s leadership continues to inspire and enable young women to take on leadership roles in strategic policy and beyond. It has been an insightful and rewarding experience. Link to apply to the Women in Strategic Policy Program: https://lnkd.in/gTyVzJUU

On November 28, we held an international symposium on "China Challenges and the Indo-Pacific" at the Seikei University campus. It was a huge success. I thank numerous attendees, as well as the keynote speakers and panelists, for gathering. The event was honored by supporters, such as the Japan Association of Global Governance and the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS). Benefitting from the participation of prominent scholars in this field, this groundbreaking symposium marked the evolution of the Indo-Pacific strategic thinking. As an organizer, I'm truly grateful to Brendon J. Cannon, Ash Rossiter, Kyoko Hatakeyama, Ippeita Nishida, and Satoshi Yamamoto for their engagement. We were truly honored to have Professor Tomohiko TANIGUCHI as an eminent attendee. Mr. Seiji Muto, a board member of Seikei Gakuen and a close friend of the late Mr. Shinzo Abe, honored the event. Importantly, Professor Masanobu Horie of Aoyama Gakuin University, who is Brendon's and my matchmaker, was there, too.  The China challenges have become a serious disruptive factor in international relations. In upholding a "free and open international order (FOIO)," as Tokyo does, we must put forward strong China-countering measures. Otherwise, the FOIO is only an empty title. That was one of the important conclusions that we reached.

Event reminder 📢 "YCAPS West Odawara Hike with Richard Walton" A YCAPS Community Event will be held on December 21, 2024, between 10:00-15:00 (in-person, JST). Richard Walton will lead a group of #YCAPS members on a hike in the West #Odawara area. The route will follow the #Hayakawa Kataura Walking Trail outlined on the Odawara City homepage including the historic #Ishibashiyama battlefield and scenic views of the coast. A shortcut into Hayakawa Station will be added near the end of the #hike to save time. RSVP required: Please confirm your spot via [email protected]. Spaces will be limited. The itinerary for the day is: ・10:00 – Meet at JR Nebukawa Station ・10:00-15:00 – Hike from Nebukawa Station to Hayakawa Station ・15:00 – Event ends at JR Hayakawa Station with optional refreshments in the Hayakawa Port area Participants should be prepared for approximately 4-5 hours of #hiking and #walking. Break opportunities will be limited, so it is important to take advantage of all restroom opportunities. Some vending machines will be available, but participants should bring their own drinks, snacks and bagged lunch. This hike is not overly strenuous, however it is unsuitable for small children or those with physical limitations. The group size will be limited so please RSVP early. Cost: Free of Charge #YCAPS #communityevent #Japan #naturehiking #event

Happy to contribute to @Indo-Pacific Defense Network on #Japan focuses on #economic #resilience, #technology safeguards to bolster national defense November 28, 2024 https://lnkd.in/gHPja8Q3

News Pick-Up: China’s defense minister placed under investigation for corruption By Demetri S. (Financial Times) URL: https://lnkd.in/g6HtBUfT Excerpt: "China has put its defense minister under investigation in the latest corruption-related scandal to hit the top of the People’s Liberation Army, according to current and former US officials familiar with the situation. Admiral Dong Jun, who was named in December 2023 after his predecessor was fired for corruption, is being investigated as part of a broader probe into graft in the PLA, the US officials said. He is the third consecutive serving or former defense minister to be investigated for alleged corruption." #YCAPS #news #US #China #PLA #CCP #XiJinping #corruption #Chinesemilitary #Chinesedefense #corruptionscandal #investigation