Japan's new Foreign and Security policy directions: Implications for the Japan-Australia partnership

This event is hosted by the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, ANU Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs.

Japan finds itself at a critical crossroads. With recent leadership changes, rising defense expenditure, and a challenging strategic environment, Japan is reshaping its strategic posture. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency raises questions about the U.S.- Japan alliance. Against this backdrop, the AustraliaJapan security partnership grows in importance. Four Japanese experts will discuss these developments and their implications for Indo-Pacific security and the evolving alliance.

Speakers

Dr. Michito Tsuruoka, Associate Professor, Faculty of Policy Studies, Keio University and Deputy Director, Keio Center for Strategy (KCS)

Dr. Michito Tsuruoka specializes in international security and contemporary European politics. He studied politics and international relations at Keio University and Georgetown University and holds a PhD in War Studies from King’s College London. Dr. Tsuruoka served as an advisor for NATO at the Embassy of Japan in Belgium (2005–2008) and as a Resident Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (2009). Prior to joining Keio, he was a Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), Ministry of Defense, from 2009 to 2017. While at NIDS, he served as Deputy Director of the International Policy Division, Bureau of Defense Policy, and as a Visiting Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). He was a Visiting Fellow at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre (SDSC), The Australian National University, from 2023 to 2024.

Professor Satoru Mori, Faculty of Law, Keio University, and Deputy Director, Keio Center for Strategy (KCS)

Professor Satoru Mori focuses on U.S. Asian strategy, U.S.-China and Japan-U.S. relations, and defence innovation. He earned a bachelor’s degree in law from Kyoto University, master’s degrees from Kyoto University and Columbia University, and a doctorate in law from the University of Tokyo. Professor Mori previously served in Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held academic roles at Hosei University. He has been a Senior Researcher at the Nakasone Peace Institute since 2018 and served as a Special Advisor and Senior Fellow at the National Security Secretariat (2016–2019). He is currently a member of the Ministry of Defense New Defense Policy Roundtable and has been involved in expert reviews of Japan’s defense strategy.
 

Dr. Ayumi Teraoka, Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University

Dr. Ayumi Teraoka is a scholar of alliance politics and Indo-Pacific security. She is a fellow with the Columbia-Harvard China and the World Program (2024–2025) and teaches Japanese Foreign Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Her current book project examines U.S. alliance management and China’s counter-strategies in Asia. Dr. Teraoka’s research has been supported by leading foundations and has been published in academic journals and outlets such as Foreign Policy and The Japan Times. She holds a PhD and MA in Security Studies from Princeton University, an MA in Asian Studies from Georgetown University, and a BA in Law from Keio University. She previously worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations.
 

Dr. Tomohiko Satake, Associate Professor, School of International Politics, Economics and Communication (SIPEC), Aoyama Gakuin University

Dr. Tomohiko Satake specializes in Asia-Pacific security, international relations, and Japanese and Australian security policies. He holds a BA and MA from Keio University and a PhD in International Relations from The Australian National University. Dr. Satake was previously a Senior Research Fellow at Japan’s National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS) and worked as Deputy Director for International Security in the Defense Policy Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Defense.
 

Moderator
Dr. Lauren Richardson, Lecturer in the Department of International Relations at the ANU Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs