APP'S BOOKS OF THE WEEK of May 24, 2026

 📚Books of the Week📖

China's War on Faith

By Ambassador Sam Brownback (R-KS), Chairman, National Committee for Religious Freedom

PURCHASE BOOK (5/12/2026)

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spends billions of dollars annually to either control or exterminate people of all faiths. It is a strategic imperative for them. Christians, Buddhist, Muslims, Falun Gong, and more are seen as a threat to the control of China and the world by the CCP. 

The Modern Japanese Garden

By Stephen Mansfield, Author and 

Freelance Photo-Journalist based in Japan

PURCHASE BOOK (10/7/2025)

Japan has an immense diversity of garden designs, from animist-infused, prototypical stone arrangements placed in sacred groves, to extraordinary post-war innovations. Mansfield examines post-war shifts in attitudes towards the contemporary garden as they moved from status symbols and expressions of influence to spaces of healing, mediation, and connection to nature. The book contains brief essays from notable specialists in the fields of landscape design, garden aesthetics, and architecture, including Shyunmo Masuno, Japan’s leading garden designer.

Realizing Saudi Vision 2030: Governance, 

Institutions and Human Capital Development

By the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (ABOUT)

PURCHASE BOOK (2/19/2026)

A behind-the-scenes investigation into the current transformations taking place in Saudi Arabia. It comprises contributions from academics, researchers, policymakers and practitioners who have access to the decision-makers and relevant institutions in the country. Chapters focus on the remodeling of government entities, the creation of institutions, and the new opportunities made available for Saudis through human capital development initiatives, all key issues that are central to the Vision. 

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Books selected on the APP website are not a sign of endorsement. 

They are simply new and interesting.

Japanese Wagyu in the American Market

Japan’s Wagyu Quest and the Case for Reciprocal Beef Trade

by Phil Seng, Affiliate Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University, Past President & CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, and Past President of the International Meat Secretariat, and APP Member.

First Published March 10, 2026 on Meatingplace. PDF version here.

N.B.: This issue was not discussed at the Summit.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi and President Donald Trump will meet on March 19, where both leaders are expected to reaffirm their commitment to fair and reciprocal trade. For decades, U.S. presidents urged Japan to open its tightly restricted beef market, which once symbolized the closed nature of the Japanese economy.

Today, the roles are reversed. Prime Minister Takaichi should urge the United States to remove restrictions that limit Japanese Wagyu beef exports to the American market. Japan now finds itself in the unusual position of having a bilateral trade agreement with the United States — yet still faces a trade-distorting tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on beef imports, including the 26.4% out-of-quota tariff currently applied once the quota is triggered.

Implemented in 2020 through executive authority rather than a comprehensive congressional free trade agreement, the current U.S.–Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA) delivered important tariff reductions, but it did not resolve the structural barrier that Wagyu exporters now face in the U.S. market.

Japan’s Longstanding Support for U.S. Agriculture
Beef access may not rank among the top issues in the broader U.S.–Japan relationship. Yet a closer look reveals that liberalizing the U.S. market for Japanese Wagyu would reinforce a mutually beneficial agricultural partnership. Thirty-five years ago, Japan eliminated its own beef import quota, and 20 years ago it reopened its market to U.S. beef following the BSE crisis. Expanding access for Wagyu today would strengthen a supply chain that significantly benefits American farmers. More than 80% of the feed used by Japanese livestock consists of imported grains and oilseeds, much of it from the United States.

A compelling argument for reform lies in Japan’s longstanding role as a cornerstone customer for U.S. agriculture. For more than 75 years, Japan has been one of the most reliable buyers of American feed grains and oilseeds — imports that sustain Japan’s livestock sector and directly support U.S. farmers. Japan consistently imports roughly 10–15 million metric tons of corn annually from the United States, along with significant volumes of soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.

In other words, a thriving livestock sector in Japan directly supports U.S. agriculture, from Midwestern grain farmers to the broader feed supply chain that underpins livestock production. This raises the natural question of why isn’t there stronger support among U.S. grain producers for more liberalized Japanese beef access when their own export success depends so heavily on Japan’s livestock industry?

Tariff-Rate Quotas and Market Challenges
When the USJTA entered into force in 2020, Japan’s previous country-specific quota of 200 metric tons was folded into the broader “All Others” quota of 65,005 metric tons. At the time this appeared workable because Japan had not historically filled the quota.

That changed when Brazil, previously ineligible to export beef to the United States, gained U.S. market access and was included in the same quota category. Since then, Brazil has repeatedly fillednearly the entire quota. In 2025 the quota was triggered after just 17 days, and  in 2026 it was exceeded on Jan. 6, with approximately 99% of the quota filled by Brazilian shipments. As a result, Japanese Wagyu exporters and U.S. importers face steep tariffs almost immediately each year.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has approved specific quota arrangements or allocations for other countries. The U.S.–UK trade agreement created a 13,000-metric-ton carve-out for British beef within the same quota framework, while Argentina recently received a 100,000-metric-ton allocation. In contrast, Japanese Wagyu imports face the 26.4% tariff once the TRQ is filled, even though Japan remains one of the United States’ closest economic and strategic partners.

For American importers, the consequences are significant. Wagyu beef can be five to 10 times more valuable than commodity beef, meaning the ad valorem tariff becomes proportionally more expensive for importers, foodservice operators, and retailers. The quota also creates uncertainty in the marketplace, forcing importers to speculate about when tariffs will take effect and limiting decisions about product range, quality grades, and whether to import frozen or chilled beef.

This uncertainty discourages participation across the supply chain, from importers and distributors to restaurants and retailers, ultimately reducing availability for American consumers w,tarhile pushing prices higher for one of the world’s most prized beef products.

Japan’s Track Record as a Trusted Trade Partner
Japan has repeatedly strengthened the bilateral agricultural relationship over the past four decades. It liberalized its beef market between 1988 and 1991, reforms that later served as a model for market-opening agreements in Korea. Japan also reformed its retail and distribution laws, allowing U.S. exporters to sell directly into the Japanese market. In 1995 Japan decoupled domestic pork prices from import pricing, enabling a surge in chilled U.S. pork exports. In 2006 it reopened its market to U.S. beef following the BSE crisis, restoring one of America’s most valuable export destinations.

The results speak for themselves: Over the past 50 years Japan has imported more than $100 billion in U.S. red meat and by-products and remains one of the most dependable markets for American agriculture.

At the same time, Japanese beef represents an almost negligible presence in the U.S. market, accounting for less than 0.003% of total U.S. beef imports. Japanese Wagyu also occupies a highly specialized ultra-premium niche that complements rather than competes with the mainstream U.S. beef market. In practical terms, expanded Wagyu access would be economically negligible for U.S. producers but symbolically important for maintaining credibility in reciprocal agricultural trade.

Why Equal Treatment Matters
Japan is not seeking special treatment — only equal treatment. For decades, Japan has opened its markets, invested in American agriculture, and supported the livelihoods of U.S. farmers and ranchers. Ensuring fair access for Japanese Wagyu to the United States would acknowledge the depth of this partnership while reinforcing a trade relationship that benefits both countries.

Trade between allies should reflect trust, reciprocity, and long-term partnership. When nations invest in each other’s success, market access should move in both directions. That is how trade becomes durable, balanced, and mutually beneficial.

A Gift for the Future
It is customary when heads of state meet to exchange gifts. In this case, the United States could offer one with lasting value — leveling the playing field for Japanese Wagyu in the American market. After all, Japan has already made the down payment.

The Fragile Alliance

A Fundamental Gap Opens in Tariff Negotiations


By Takuya Nishimura, APP Senior Fellow, Former Editorial Writer for The Hokkaido Shimbun. The views expressed by the author are his own and are not associated with The Hokkaido Shimbun
You can find his blog, J Update here.
May 5, 2025. Special to Asia Policy Point

As tariff talks between the United States and Japan are getting into details, a fundamental difference over preconditions has emerged that put the talks in danger. While the U.S. says that cars, steel, and aluminum tariffs are nonnegotiable, Japan insists on negotiating tariffs on every product from Japan. This disagreement places unusual pressure on both governments due to internal political calendars.

Following the first meeting on April 16, Japan’s top negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, held a second meeting with his counterparts, U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in Washington, DC on May 1.

After the meeting, Akazawa announced that both sides had discussed expanding trade between the two countries, reducing non-tariff barriers, and cooperating on economic security. Japan asked the U.S. to reconsider its tariff policy on all products.

According to some news reports, Japan explained in the meeting how it would increase imports of corn and soybeans from the U.S. and ease regulations that generally prevent the importation of foreign-made cars. Bessent said that he hoped to reach a consensus with Japan across a range of key bilateral issues soon.

However, even before Akazawa returned to Japan, Japanese news media reported that the U.S. would exclude cars, steel, and aluminum from the negotiations. The Trump administration had already activated 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum in March and imposed a 25 percent duty on automobiles in early April.

The “reciprocal” tariffs that Trump announced in April are different from the 25 percent tariffs. The administration set a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports into the U.S. and separate tariffs for each country. The baseline tariff took effect on April 5, but Trump set 90-day moratorium on the additional tariffs; the moratorium will expire on July 9. The tariffs on cars, steel, and aluminum are in a third category.

The rate of reciprocal tariffs on Japanese imports, the sum of the 10 percent baseline tariff and an additional 14 percent tariff, is 24 percent. The U.S. team told Akazawa that they would negotiate only the additional 14 percent tariff. In addition, the U.S. would not negotiate the 10 percent baseline with any country.

As soon as he returned to Japan, Akazawa reported to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba about the results of the meeting. Akazawa announced Japan’s position that tariffs on all goods should be negotiated. “We cannot reach an agreement without those items (cars, steel, and aluminum),” said Akazawa to the reporters. He added that he did not have parameters for an agreement with the U.S.

Notwithstanding the differences between the two governments, officials on both sides have continued to negotiate after Akazawa’s second visit. A third meeting at the ministerial level is anticipated in mid-May. Both sides understand the importance of reaching a deal before the 90-day moratorium expires.

The schedule is closely aligned with the domestic politics of each side. Ishiba does not want the negotiations to have a negative impact on elections to the Upper House in July. The leaders in Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are worried about protests by farmers against any compromise on imports of agricultural products from the U.S. LDP leaders are aware of the importance of protecting the national interest in the tariff negotiations.

Opposition leaders are putting pressure on Ishiba not to make easy concessions. “It is important to keep a motivation for an early agreement, but Japan should not open its hand too early to be taken advantage of by the U.S.,” said the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda.

Concerns are growing about a slowdown in the Japanese economy. In a monetary policy meeting on the same day as the Akazawa-Bessent meeting, the Bank of Japan reduced its projection of Japan’s economic growth in FY2025 by more than 50 percent from the original 1.1 percent in January to 0.5 percent. Japan has no time to waste on tariff negotiations.

Trump has indicated that a deal with Japan is a priority that will set a level for negotiations with other countries. Along with progress in negotiations with Japan, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that tariff talks with China would start soon. As approval ratings for President Trump are declining, Trump may believe that a negotiated deal with Japan will be a signal achievement in the MAGA agenda.

There is an expectation in Japan that the two sides may be able to make more progress when Trump and Ishiba are together at the G7 Summit in Canada on May 15 to 17. Ishiba spoke by telephone with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had just been elected prime minister, to discuss the impact of Trump’s tariffs on the world economy and the multilateral trade framework. Although Ishiba’s G7 schedule does not yet include a side meeting with Trump, an agreement, even if it is only partial, between the leaders in June is the best hope for both Japan and the U.S.

Monday Asia Events January 29, 2024

 THE INDO-PACIFIC AS JAPAN’S 21ST CENTURY GRAND STRATEGY. 1/29, Noon -1:00pm (EST), HYBRID. Sponsor: Harvard University. Speaker: Saori Katada, Professor of International Relations; Director, Center for International Studies, University of Southern California.

US INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY AND THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN 2024 AND BEYOND. 1/29, 1:00-3:00pm (EST), HYBRID. Sponsor: American Enterprise Institute. Speakers: Sharon Bomer-Lauritsen, Founder, AgTrade Strategies; Gregg Doud, President, National Milk Producers Federation; Joseph W. Glauber, Nonresident Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute; Vincent H. Smith, Director of Agricultural Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute; Craig Thorn, Partner, DTB Associates; Darci Vetter, Head of Global Public Policy, PepsiCo, Former Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the US Trade Representative.

A CONVERSATION WITH REP. DARRELL ISSA ON US–SOUTH ASIA RELATIONS. 1/29, 2:00-3:00pm (EST), HYBRID. Sponsor: Hudson Institute. Speakers: Rep. Darrell Issa, (R-CA), Aparna Pande, Research Fellow, Hudson Institute (India and South Asia).

GLOBAL BUSINESS SEMINAR: JAPAN'S ATTRACTIVE INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT IN A CHANGING INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT. 1/29, 2:00-4:50pm (JST), IN PERSON ONLY. Sponsors:  Cabinet Office (CAO), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). Speakers: Mr. Marcus Schuermann, Chief Executive Officer / Delegate of German Industry and Commerce in Japan; Mr. Masanori YOSHIDA, Executive Officer, Global Chief, Japan Exchange Group, Inc.; Mr. Mitsuru MYOCHIN, Deputy Director-General for Economic and Fiscal Management, Director General of the Office of Foreign Direct Investment Promotion; Mr. Kazuya NAKAJO, Executive Vice President, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO); Mr. Satoshi TAKAMATSU, Representative Director, President and CEO, ARCALIS, Inc.; Mr. Mamoru NAKANO, Japan Country Manager, Tenstorrent Japan Inc.; Mr. Luc PEJO, CEO, Ciel Terre Japan Inc.

PURCHASE BOOK

*INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC LAW & POLICY COLLOQUIUM – “UNDERGROUND EMPIRE: HOW AMERICA WEAPONIZED THE WORLD ECONOMY”. 1/29, 3:30-5:30pm (EST), IN PERSON ONLY. Sponsor: Georgetown University. Speaker: Abraham Newman, Professor, Director of the Mortara Center for International Studies, Georgetown University.                                                   BYSTANDER SOCIETY: CONFORMITY AND COMPLICITY IN NAZI GERMANY AND THE HOLOCAUST. 1/29, 4:00-5:30pm (EST), VIRTUAL. Sponsor: Wilson Center. Speaker: author Mary Fubrook, Professor of German History, University College London.

BOOK TALK WITH JOSEPH S. NYE JR - A LIFE IN THE AMERICAN CENTURY. 1/29, 5:00-6:30pm (ET), IN PERSON ONLY. Sponsor: Aspen Strategy Group. Speaker: Author Joseph S. Nye Jr, Founder and Co-Chair, Aspen Strategy Group.

CHALLENGING CHINA: THE PHILIPPINE EXPERIENCE IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. 1/29, 7:00-8:00pm (EST), VIRTUAL. Sponsor: U.S- Asia Law Institute. Speaker: Jay L Batongbacal, Professor, University of the Philippines College of Law, Director, Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea of the U.P. Law Center.

Monday in Washington, September 17, 2018

WILL DEMOCRACY WIN? THE RECURRING BATTLE BETWEEN LIBERALISM AND ITS ADVERSARIES. 9/17, 9:30-10:45am. Sponsor: Brookings. Speakers: Robert Kagan, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Program, Brookings, Former Member, State Department’s Policy Planning Staff, The Jungle Grows Back: America and Our Imperiled World; Amb. Norman Eisen, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings, Former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic, The Last Palace: Europe’s Turbulent Century in Five Lives and One Legendary House. Moderators: William A. Galston, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings; Alina Polyakova, Fellow, Foreign Policy, Brookings. Moderator: John R. Allen, President, Brookings.

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CONVERSATION WITH SIX FORMER USTRS. 9/17, 10:00am-Noon. Speaker: William Brock, U.S. Trade Representative (1981-1985); Carla Hills, U.S. Trade Representative (1989-1993); Michael Kantor, U.S. Trade Representative (1993-1996); Charlene Barshefsky, U.S. Trade Representative (1996-2001), Susan Schwab, U.S. Trade Representative (2006-2009); Ronald Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative (2009-2013); William Alan Reinsch, Senior Adviser, Scholl Chair in International Business, CSIS.

CHINA'S ROLE IN MYANMAR'S INTERNAL CONFLICTS. 9/17, 11:00am-12:30pm. Sponsor: U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP). Speakers: Amb. Derek Mitchell, Former U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar, President, National Democratic Institute; Daniel Twining, President, International Republican Institute; David Steinberg, Professor Emeritus, Asian Studies, GTU, Nancy Lindborg, President, USIP. Moderator: Jennifer Staats, Director, East and Southeast Asia Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace.

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WHY ISLAMIST EXTREMISTS QUIT TERRORISM: INSIGHTS FROM INDONESIA'S DE-RADICALIZATION PROGRAMS. 9/17,12:30-1:45pm. Sponsor: US-Indonesia Society (USINDO). Speakers: author, Julie Chernov Hwang; Moderator: William M. Wise, Practitioner-in-Residence, Southeast Asia Studies, SAIS. cation: USINDO, 1625 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Suite 550. Contact:

DISCUSSION ON NATIONAL SECURITY WITH DIA DIRECTOR ROBERT AHSLEY. 9/17, 1:30-3:00pm. Sponsor: CSIS. Speaker: Lieutenant General Robert P. Ashley, Jr., Director, Defense Intelligence Agency; Moderators: Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair, Director, Transnational Threats Project, Senior Adviser, International Security Program; Juan C. Zarate, Chairman, Financial Integrity Network, Senior Adviser, Transnational Threats Project and Human Rights Initiative.

JAPAN IN ASIA: ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEW GEOPOLITICS. 9/17, 2:00-3:30pm. Sponsor: Brookings. Speakers: Pek Koon Heng-Blackburn, Assistant Professor, School of International Service, Director, ASEAN Studies Center, American University; Fukunari Kimura, Chief Economist, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), Professor, Economics, Keio University; Meredith Sumpter, Head, Research Strategy & Operations, Eurasia Group; Shujiro Urata, Dean, Professor, Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies, Waseda University. Moderator: Mireya Solis, Philip Knight Chair in Japan Studies, Senior Fellow, Center for East Asia Policy Studies, Brookings.

SINO-US ECONOMIC AND TRADE RELATIONS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. 9/17, 9:00am-4:30pm. Sponsors: Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE); China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). Speakers will include: The Hon. Jacob J. Lew, Former Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, Partner, Lindsay Goldberg; C. Fred Bergsten, Senior Fellow, Director Emeritus, PIIE; Cui Tiankai, Ambassador to the United States from the People’s Republic of China; Caroline Freund, Director, Trade for Regional Integration and Investment Climate, World Bank; Gary Clyde Hufbauer, Nonresident Senior Fellow, PIIE; Jiang Xiaojuan, Vice Chairperson, Committee of Social Construction of the National People’s Congress; Adam S. Posen, President, PIIE; Xie Fuzhan, President, CASS; Yu Yongding, Former Director, Institute of World Economics and Politics, CASS. Streaming only.

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LEGACY OF ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: REMARKS BY MADELINE K. ALBRIGHT. 9/17, 4:30-6:00pm. Sponsor: Foreign Policy Institute, (FPI), SAIS, Johns Hopkins. Speakers: Vali Nasr, Dean, SAIS, Johns Hopkins; Madeline K. Albright, former Secretary of State; Moderator: Carla P. Freeman, Director, FPI, SAIS, Johns Hopkins.

FOOD INSECURITY AS A SECURITY CHALLENGE. 9/17, 6:00-7:00pm. Sponsor: CSIS. Speakers: Amb. Ertharin Cousin, Former Executive Director, World Food Programme; Moderator: Nina Easton, Senior Associate, CSIS Chair, Fortune Most Powerful Women International, Co-Chair, Fortune Global Forum.

MY FAVORITE MOVIE WITH FRANCIS FUKUYAMA: THE LIVES OF OTHERS. 9/17, 6:30-8:00pm. Sponsors: Future Tense; Slate; New America; Arizona State University. Speaker: Francis Fukuyama, Senior Fellow, Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, author End of History and the Last Man.

Monday in Washington, April 23, 2018

CENTRAL BANK INDEPENDENCE REVISITED. 4/23, 11:00am-1:00pm, Webcast. Sponsor: PIIE. Speakers: Ed Balls, Research Fellow, Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government, Harvard University; Anna Stansbury, PhD Scholar, Multidisciplinary Program in Inequality and Social Policy, Harvard University; Hon. Lawrence H. Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor, Harvard University; Adam S. Posen, President, PIIE.

ADVOCACY FOR SOUTH KOREA’S INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: ESCAPE FROM DEVELOPMENTALISM AND ASIANIZATION OF NORDIC DEVELOPMENT AID WITH TAEKYOON KIM. 4/23, 3:00-5:00pm. Sponsor: Institute for Korean Studies, Elliott School, GWU. Speaker: Dr. Taekyoon Kim, Associate Professor of International Development, Former Associate Dean for International Affairs, Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University.

AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT: SMART INVESTING FOR GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. 4/23, 4:00-5:00pm. Sponsor: Brookings. Speakers: Gilbert F. Houngbo, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development; Karen Brooks, Director, Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets, International Food Policy Research Institute; Julie Howard, Senior Adviser, Global Food Security Project, CSIS, Senior Adviser to the Associate Provost, Dean for International Studies and Programs, Michigan State University. Moderator: Johannes F. Linn, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Brookings.

Monday in Washington, December 11, 2017

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING IN THE 2018 US FARM BILL. 12/11, 8:30-9:15am. Sponsor: AEI. Speakers: Vincent H. Smith, AEI; Philip Pardey, University of Minnesota.

U.S.-KOREA DEFENSE ACQUISITION AND SECURITY COOPERATION. 12/11, 9:00am-12:30pm. Sponsors: CSIS; Defense Acquisition Program Administration; Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade; Korea Aerospace Industries. Speakers: Dr. Jeon, Jei Guk, Minister, Defense Acquisition Program Administration; Yu, Byoung-Gyu, President, Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade.

BEYOND TRADE: THE COSTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF EXITING NAFTA. 12/ 11, 10:00-11:30am. Sponsor: CSIS. Speakers: Richard Miles. Senior Fellow and Deputy Director of the Americas Program, CSIS; Scott Miller, Senior Adviser and Scholl Chair in International Business, CSIS; Ambassador Carla Hills, CSIS Counselor and Trustee; ​Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne, Senior Adviser with the Project on Prosperity and Development at CSIS and former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico and Argentina; Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan, former Mexican Ambassador to the United States; Ambassador Michael Wilson, former Ambassador to the United States and Former Minister of Finance for Canada; moderator: Romina Bandura, Senior Fellow with the Project on Prosperity and Development and the Project on U.S. Leadership in Development at CSIS.

THE MADCOM FUTURE: HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WILL ENHANCE COMPUTATIONAL PROPAGANDA, REPROGRAM HUMAN CULTURE, AND THREATEN DEMOCRACY...AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. 12/11, Noon–2:00pm. Sponsor: Elliott School, GW Speakers: Matt Chessen, Foreign Service Officer, State Department; Robert Ogburn, Visiting State Department Fellow, The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication, School of Media and Public Affairs and the Elliott School of International Affairs.

CLASHING OVER COMMERCE. 12/11, 12:15-1:30pm. Sponsor: Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) Speaker: author Douglas Irwin, Professor, Economics, Dartmouth College. Webcast.

WHITHER AMERICA? A STRATEGY FOR REPAIRING AMERICA'S POLITICAL CULTURE. 12/11, 2:00pm. Sponsor: Atlantic Council. Speaker: John Raidt, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Middle East Security Initiative, Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security.

JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES AS GLOBAL LEADERS IN ENERGY AND INNOVATION. 12/11, Noon-1:30pm, Lunch. Sponsor: Sasakawa USA. Speakers: Robbie Diamond, Founder, President and CEO, Securing America's Energy (SAFE); Phyllis Yoshida, Fellow for Energy and Technology, Sasakawa USA; Moderator: Daniel Bob, Director of Programs and Senior Fellow, Sasakawa USA.

ANATOMY OF FAILURE: WHY AMERICA LOSES EVERY WAR IT STARTS. 12/11, 5:30-7:30pm. Sponsor: Atlantic Council. Speakers: Harlan Ullman, Distinguished Senior Fellow, U.S. Naval War College, Senior Adviser, Atlantic Council; Susan Eisenhower, President of The Eisenhower Group and Chairman Emeritus at the Eisenhower Institute; Edward Luce, Washington Columnist for the Financial Times; Frederick Kempe, President and CEO of the Atlantic Council. 

Monday in Washington, November 21, 21016

U.S.-KOREA DEFENSE ACQUISITION POLICY AND THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ENVIRONMENT. 11/21, 9:00am-12:30pm. Sponsor: International Security Program, CSIS. Speakers: Myoung-jin Chang, Minister, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), Republic of Korea, John Hamre, President and CEO, CSIS; Kathleen Hicks, Senior Vice President, Henry A. Kissinger Chair, Director, International Security Program, CSIS; Mr. Kim, Il Dong, Director General, Acquisition Planning Bureau, DAPA; Mr. Kim, Chansoo, Head, Technology Strategy Planning Team, DTaQ; Mr. Dale Ormond, Principal Director for DASD Research, OSD; Mr. David Ahern (Moderator) Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Strategic and Tactical Systems, Department of Defense; Major General Oh, Won Jin, Director General, Defense Industry Promotion Bureau, DAPA; Yi, Yong Sic, Managing Director, Korea Aerospace Industries; Dak Hardwick, Assistant Vice President, International Affairs, AIA; Rick Weir, Director, International Policy and Campaigns, Aerospace Sector, International, Northrop Grumman Corporation; Mr. Frank Kenlon (Moderator) Formerly Director, International Negotiations AT&L/IC/IN.

CULTIVATING OPPORTUNITY: THE BENEFITS OF INCREASED U.S. - CHINA AGRICULTURAL TRADE. 11/21, 10:00-11:30am. Sponsor: China Center, US Chamber of Commerce. Speakers: Myron Brilliant, Executive Vice President, Head of International Affairs; U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Amb. Darci Vetter, Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative; Fred Gale, Senior Economist, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service; Joseph Glauber, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute; Matthew O'Mara, Managing Director, Biotechnology Innovation Organization; Joe Somers, Vice President, Informa Economics.

CREATING A STABLE ASIA. 11/21, 10:00-11:30am, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Speakers: Michael D. Swaine, Senior Associate, Carnegie, Analyst, Chinese Security studies; Ashley J. Tellis, Senior Associate, International Security, Defense, Asian Strategic Issues, Carnegie.

THE 2016  PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: RESPONSES FROM BEIJING, HONG KONG AND TAIPEI. 11/21, 10:30am-Noon, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Asia Program, Kissinger Institute on China and United States, Wilson Center. Speakers: Zhaoyin Feng, U.S. Correspondent, Initium Media; Chiachieh (Jane) Tang, U.S. Bureau Chief, Sina News; Robert Daly, Director, Kissinger Institute; Moderator: Sandy Pho, Senior Associate, Kissinger Institute.


THE AMERICAN MOMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST--FROM EISENHOWER TO TRUMP. 11/21 11:45am-1:30pm. Sponsor: Hudson Institute. Speakers: Michael Doran, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, Author, Ike’s Gamble: America’s Rise to Dominance in the Middle East; Walter Russell Mead, Distinguished Fellow, Hudson Institute, James Clarke Chace Professor of Foreign Affairs and Humanities, Bard College, Editor-at-Large, The American Interest; Ray Takeyh, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations; Moderator: Lee Smith, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute.

MIDDLE EAST STRATEGIC OUTLOOK: REGIONAL AND GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS. 11/21, Noon-2:00pm, Arlington, VA. Sponsors: International Center for Terrorism Studies, Potomac Institute; Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies; Inter-University Center for Legal Studies, International Law Institute; Center for National Security Law, School of Law, University of Virginia. Speakers: Michael S. Swetnam, CEO, Chairman, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies; Amb. (Ret.) Marcelle M. Wahba, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, President, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington D.C.; Amb. (Ret.) Theodore H. Kattouf; Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria, President, CEO, AMIDEAST; Cem Ulusoy, Counselor, Counterterrorism, Iraq, Embassy of Turkey; Caroline Vicini, Deputy Head, Delegation of the European Union to the United States of America; Prasad Nallapati, Former Additional Secretary, Government of India, President, Centre for Asia-Africa Policy Research in India; General Alfred Gray, USMC (Ret.), Twenty-Ninth Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, Senior Fellow, Chairman of the Board of Regents, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies; Moderator: Yonah Alexander, Director, Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies, Senior Fellow, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, AND THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF U.S. ENGAGEMENT IN SOUTH ASIA. 11/21, 12:30-2:00pm. Sponsor: Stimson Center. Speaker: Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation.

RESPONDING TO DIGITAL INNOVATION CHALLENGES IN JAPAN. 11/21, 2:00pm-6:00pm. Sponsors: Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan; Washington Innovation Network (WIN). Speakers: Dr. Toshio Obi, Professor of Information and Communication Policy, Waseda University; Dr. Naoko Iwasaki, Associate Professor, Institute of Government, Waseda University; Tamaki Tsukada, Minister for Communications and Cultural Affairs, Embassy of Japan; Katsuyuki Imamura, Founding President, WIN; Richard Linowes, Associate Professor, Kogod School of Business, American University; Dr. Banning Garrett, Adjunct Faculty, Singularity University; Tomohiro Yonei, Deputy General Manager, NTT; Barbara Dyer, CEO, Hitachi Foundation; Abigail Friedman, CEO, Wisteria Group; Chiyo Kobayashi, CEO, Washington Core.

REAL SECURITY: GOVERNANCE AND STABILITY IN THE ARAB WORLD. 11/21, 3:00-4:30pm. Sponsor: Brookings Institution. Speakers: Suzanne Maloney, Deputy Director, Foreign Policy, Senior Fellow, Energy Security and Climate Initiative, Center for Middle East Policy; Madeleine K. Albright, Co-Chair, Middle East Strategy Task Force, Former U.S. Secretary of State, Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group; Tamara Cofman Wittes, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center for Middle East Policy; Amr Hamzawy, Senior Associate, Middle East Program, Democracy & Rule of Law Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Moderator: Stephen Hadley, Co-Chair, Middle East Strategy Task Force, Former US National Security Advisor, Principal, Rice Hadley Gates [rumored adviser to President elect Trump]. 

USJI Week in Washington February 22-26, 2016

US-JAPAN RESEARCH

ESTABLISHING A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: Emerging opportunities for international collaboration on SDG’s. 2/23, 10:30-11:50am, Washington DC. Sponsor: U.S.-Japan Research Institute. Speakers: Fumiko Kasuga, Visiting Professor, Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science, University of Tokyo; Jon Padgham, Capacity Building Lead, Future Earth Secretariat hub in Colorado; Maria Uhle, Program Director, International Activities, Directorate, Geosciences, National Science Foundation (NSF); Moderator: Hassan Virji, Executive Director, International START Secretariat USA. Location: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Washington Office, 2001 L St., NW, Suite 1050.

REFUGEES UNWILLING TO RETURN: Cases of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Great East Japan Earthquake, Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. 2/24, 10:00am-Noon, Washington DC. Sponsor: U.S.-Japan Research Institute (USJI). Carl Bruch , Senior Attorney, Co-Director, International Programs, Environmental Law Institute(ELI); Nicholas S. Bryner, Visiting Associate Professor, George Washington University; Heather Croshaw, Visiting Attorney, Environmental Law Institute (ELI); Moderator, Mikiyasu Nakayama, Operating Advisor, USJI, Professor, The University of Tokyo. Location: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Washington Office, 2001 L St., NW, Suite 1050.


PLANT SCIENCE RESEARCH FOR GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. 2/24, 1:00-2:30pm, Washington DC. Sponsor: U.S.-Japan Research Institute (USJI). Speakers: Jocelyn Kenneth Campbell Rose, Professor, Cornell University; James J. Giovannoni, Professor, Cornell University; Tohru Ariizumi, Associate Professor, University of Tsukuba; Moderator: Hiroshi Ezura, Professor, University of Tsukuba. Location: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Washington Office, 2001 L St., NW, Suite 1050.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY POLICIES IN EAST ASIA. 2/25, 10:00am-Noon, Washington DC. Sponsor: U.S.-Japan Research Institute (USJI). Speakers: Tomoaki Watanabe, Assistant Professor, Kyushu University; Nobuhiro Horii, Associate Professor, Kyushu University; Masaki Takahashi, Senior Power Engineer, World Bank; Joanna Lewis, Associate Professor, Georgetown University; David Livingston, Associate, Carnegie’s Energy and Climate Program; Moderator: Toru Oga, Associate Professor, Kyushu University. Location: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Washington Office, 2001 L St., NW, Suite 1050.

REJUVENATING JAPAN'S ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES - Abenomics in the Long Run. 2/25, 1:00-3:00pm, Washington DC. Sponsor: U.S.-Japan Research Institute (USJI). Speakers: Glen S. Fukushima, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress, University Professor, Waseda University; Junichi Mori, Vice Chair, U.S.-Japan Research Institute, Professor, Vice President, International Relations, Kyoto University; Yoshinori Hara, Professor, Kyoto University; Moderator, Takashi Hikino, Associate Professor, Kyoto University. Location: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Washington Office, 2001 L St., NW, Suite 1050. Contact:

COMPETING OR COMPLEMENTING ECONOMIC VISIONS? REGIONALISM AND THE PACIFIC ALLIANCE, TPP, RECEP AND THE AIIB. 2/26, 10:30am-Noon, Washington, DC. Sponsor: U.S.-Japan Research Institute (USJI); Wilson Center’s Asia Program. Speakers: Mauricio Moreira, Principal Economic Advisor, Trade and Integration Sector, Inter-American Development Bank; Takashi Terada, Professor of International Relations, Doshisha University; Kent Huges, Wilson Center. Location: Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 6th Floor Auditorium.

BUILDING THE TOMODACHI GENERATION: Engaging U.S. and Japanese University Students in Social Problem-Solving. 2/26, 10:00am-12:30pm, Washington DC. Sponsor: U.S.-Japan Research Institute (USJI). Speakers: Katsuichi Uchida, President, USJI, Assistant to the President, Global Affairs, Waseda University; Christopher Joseph Cook, Chief Compliance Officer, Keel Point Advisors. Location: Washington Center Residential and Academic Facility, 1005 3rd St., NE.

There will also be a series of events only open to students. Please check the homepage for details.

Monday in Washington, November 23, 2015

This is Thanksgiving week and Washington pretty much shuts down.

THE “PITILESS” WAR: A STRATEGY AFTER THE PARIS ATTACKS. 11/23, 10:00-11:15am. Sponsor: The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). Speakers: James Jeffrey, Distinguished Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Matthew G. Olsen, Former Director, National Counterterrorism Center; Derek Chollet, Counselor and Senior Adviser for Security and Defense Policy, GMF.

click to order

REAPPRAISING THE U.S. MILITARY STRATEGY AND MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN. 11/23, Noon-1:30pm Sponsor: Middle East Institute (MEI). Speakers: David Barno, American University; Ali Jalali, National Defense University; Thomas Lynch, National Defense University; David Sedney, CSIS.

THE DETERIORATING STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA. 11/23, Noon-1:30pm. Sponsor: CATO Institute. Speakers: Chen Guangcheng, Visiting Fellow, Catholic University; Teng Biao, Associate, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy; Wei Jingsheng, Chairman, Wei Jingsheng Foundation; Xia Yeliang, Director, Center for Liberty and Global Prosperity, CATO Institute.

A TRANSATLANTIC POLICY CONVERSATION ON GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. 11/23, Noon-1:30pm. Sponsor: Center for American Progress. Speakers: Dan Glickman, Vice President, Aspen Institute; Nancy Stetson, U.S. Special Representative for Global Food Security, U.S. Department of State; Richard Leach, President and CEO, World Food Program USA; Alexander Müller, Member of the German Council for Sustainable Development; Alexander Carius, Managing Director, Adelphi.

US COMBATING THE ISLAMIC STATE: IS A NEW STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT NEEDED? 11/23, Noon-2:00pm, Arlington, Virginia. Sponsor: Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. Speakers: Michael S. Swetnam, CEO, Chairman, Potomac Institute; Robert C. McFarlane; Former NSA to President Reagan, Co-Founder, US Energy Security Council; Keith J. Stalder, General (Ret.), USMC (Ret.), Former Commanding General, USMC Forces Pacific, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, Senior Fellow, Member, Board of Regents, Potomac Institute; Judith Yaphe, Former Senior Analyst, Office of Near Eastern and South Asian Analysis, Directorate of Intelligence, CIA, Professor, Elliot School, GWU; Dean Alexander, Director, Homeland Security Research Program , Professor, Homeland Security, School of Law Enforcement & Justice Administration, Western Illinois University.

Will Africa feed China? - no

Professor Deborah Bräutigam, a leading expert on China in Africa, is the MacMillan Center's Coca-Cola World Fund at Yale Lecturer. She disputes the common beliefs that China is acquiring large swaths of land, exporting food from Africa, and exploiting communities.

She is the Bernard L. Schwartz Professor of International Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University, and her teaching and research focus on international development strategies, governance, and foreign aid. She regularly advises international agencies and governments on China-Africa economic engagement. Professor Bräutigam is the author of The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa and Chinese Aid and African Development: Exporting Green Revolution. We talk with her about her new book, Will Africa Feed China? It focuses on the question of “land grabs,” food security, and Chinese agribusiness investment in Africa.

Monday in Washington, June 15, 2015

AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA: TELLING FACTS FROM MYTHS. 6/15, 9:00am-5:00pm. Sponsor: World Bank. Speakers: Karen Brooks; Paul Dorosh; Maximo Torero; Etherl Sennhauser; Shenggen Fan; Stan Wood; Chris Barrett; Gero Carletto.

COMMERCIAL ESPIONAGE AND BARRIERS TO DIGITAL TRADE WITH CHINA. 6/15, 9:00am. Sponsor: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Speakers: Samm Sacks, China Analyst, Eurasia Group; Matthew Schruers, Vice President for Law and Policy, Computer and Communications Industry Association; Paul Tiao, Partner, Hunton and Williams; Dennis Poindexter, Author; Jen Weedon, Manager of Threat Intelligence and Strategic Analysis, FireEye and Mandiant Inc. 

KOREA AND THE TPP: THE INEVITABLE PARTNERSHIP. 6/15, 12:15-1:30pm. Sponsor: Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE). Speakers: Jeffrey Schott, PIIE senior fellow; Cathleen Cimino, PIIE research associate; Marcus Noland, executive vice president and director of studies at PIIE.

BLOOD YEAR: TERROR AND THE ISLAMIC STATE. 6/15, 12:15 pm. Sponsor: New America Foundation (NAF). Speakers: Author, David Kilcullen, NAF senior fellow and chairman of Caerus Global Solutions; and Peter Bergen, NAF vice president and director of its International Security Program.

GLOBAL COOPERATION UNDER THREAT: ADAPTING THE UN FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. 6/15, 1:30-3:00pm. Sponsor: Brookings. Speakers: United Nations Chef de Cabinet Susana Malcorra and former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickerting, distinguished fellow for foreign policy at the Brookings Institution.

U.S. PRIORITIES FOR THE ADDIS ABABA CONFERENCE ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT. 6/15, 2:00-4:00pm. Sponsor: Brookings. Speakers: Paul O’Brien, ‎Vice President for Policy and Campaigns, Oxfam America; Eric Postel, Acting Associate Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development; Alexia Latortue, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Development Policy and Debt, U.S. Department of the Treasury; George Ingram, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Development Assistance and Governance Initiative; Beth Tritter, Vice President, Department of Policy and Evaluation, Millennium Challenge Corporation; Shaida Badiee, Managing Director, Open Data Watch; Daniella Ballou-Aares, Senior Adviser for Development to the U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State.

SINGAPORE’S FOREIGN MINISTER. 6/15, 2:30-3:30pm. Sponsor: CSIS Sumitro Chair, Southeast Asia Studies. Speaker: K Shanmugam, His Excellency Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law, Republic of Singapore.

2015 EIA ENERGY CONFERENCE. 6/15-16. Sponsor: U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Prime Minister of Japan’s Schedule November 17-23, 2014

Monday, November 17, 2014

AM
(Local time in Brisbane, Australia)
Conference with Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong at Novotel Brisbane Hotel in Brisbane, Australia
Depart from Brisbane Airport on private government aircraft

PM
(Japan time)
04:17 Arrive at Haneda Airport, completing visit to China, Myanmar, and Australia
04:29 Depart from airport
04:54 Arrive at Imperial Palace, register return to Japan
05:02 Depart from Imperial Palace
05:19 Arrive at Tokyo Prince Hotel in Shiba Park, Tokyo
05:20 Ruling Party-Leader Coalition with Chief Representative of New Komeito Yamaguchi Natsuo in waiting room of hotel
05:50 Ruling Party-Leader Coalition ends
06:01 Attend 50th Anniversary of Formation of New Komeito Celebration and Gathering to Express Gratitude in banquet hall Ho-Oh-No-Ma, deliver address
06:30 Celebration ends
06:33 Depart from Tokyo Prince Hotel
06:43 Arrive at office
06:45 Meet with Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide
07:29 End meeting with Mr. Suga
07:31 Depart from office
07:51 Arrive at private residence in Tomigaya, Tokyo

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

AM
12:00 At private residence (no visitors)
08:00 At private residence in Tomigaya, Tokyo (no morning visitors)
08:41 Depart from private residence
08:55 Arrive at office
08:58 Cabinet Meeting begins
09:09 Cabinet Meeting ends
09:11 Speak with Minister for Foreign Affairs Kishida Fumio; Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Nishikawa Koya; Director-General of Fisheries Agency Honkawa Kazuyoshi; and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)’s Director-General of Economic Affairs Bureau Saiki Naoko
09:17 Finish speaking with Mr. Kishida, Mr. Nishikawa, Mr. Honkawa, and Ms. Saiki
09:18 Meet with Minister in charge of the Abduction Issue Yamatani Eriko
09:35 End meeting with Ms. Yamatani
10:00 Director of Cabinet Intelligence Kitamura Shigeru, Ministry of Defense (MOD)’s Director-General of Bureau of Defense Policy Kuroe Tetsuro, and Director of Defense Intelligence Headquarters Miyagawa Tadashi enter
10:05 Mr. Kuroe and Mr. Miyagawa leave
10:25 Mr. Kitamura leaves
11:43 Speak with Governor of Fukushima Prefecture Uchibori Masao. Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide and former Minister for Reconstruction Nemoto Takumi also attend
11:53 Finish speaking with Mr. Uchibori

PM
03:02 Receive proposal from Chairman of LDP Group for Making Abenomics Successful Yamamoto Kozo
03:17 Finish receiving proposal
03:59 Meet with Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy Amari Akira, Cabinet Office’s Vice-Minister Matsuyama Kenji, and Director-Generals for Policies on Cohesive Society Maekawa Mamoru, Habuka Shigeki, and Tawa Hiroshi
04:26 End meeting with Mr. Amari, Mr. Matsuyama, Mr. Maekawa, Mr. Habuka, and Mr. Tawa
04:28 Meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Aso Taro and Mr. Amari. Mr. Suga also attends
04:47 End meeting with Mr. Aso and Mr. Amari
04:50 Depart from office
04:53 Arrive at LDP Party Headquarters
05:00 Speak with LDP Secretary-General Tanigaki Sadakazu
05:08 Finish speaking with Mr. Tanigaki
05:19 LDP Extraordinary Session Officers Meeting
05:44 Meeting ends
05:47 Depart from LDP Party Headquarters
05:50 Arrive at office
05:54 Ruling Parties Leader-Coalition commences with Chief Representative of New Komeito Yamaguchi Natsuo
06:04 Ruling Parties Leader-Coalition closes
06:14 Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy meeting commences
06:35 Council meeting closes
07:10 Press Conference
07:38 Press Conference ends
07:58 Interview with Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei)
08:19 Interview ends
08:21 Interview with Mainichi Shimbun
08:41 Interview ends
08:43 Depart from office
08:48 Arrive at NHK Chiyoda Broadcasting Hall in Kioi-cho, Tokyo
09:05 Give presentation on NHK news program
09:17 Finish presentation
09:20 Depart from NHK Chiyoda Broadcasting Hall
09:23 Arrive at official residence
09:26 Interview with Nippon TV
09:43 Interview ends
09:55 Interview with Yukan Fuji
10:10 Interview ends
11:01 Depart from official residence
11:07 Arrive at TBS Broadcasting Center in Akasaka, Tokyo
11:22 Give Presentation on news program
11:55 Finish presentation
11:58 Depart from TBS Broadcasting Center

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

AM
12:13 Arrive at private residence
12:30 At private residence (no visitors)
08:00 At private residence in Tomigaya, Tokyo (no morning visitors)
08:12 Depart from private residence
08:30 Arrive at office
08:35 Government-Labor-Management Meeting
09:34 Meeting ends
09:42 Speak with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seko Hiroshige
09:56 Finish speaking with Mr. Seko
10:21 Meet with Ministry of Finance’s Vice-Minister Kagawa Shunsuke and Director-General of Budget Bureau Tanaka Kazuho
11:03 End meeting with Mr. Kagawa and Mr. Tanaka
11:10 Receive proposal from Chairman of LDP Regional Development and Management Headquarters [自民党地方創生実行統合本部：Jiminto Chiho Sosei Jikko Togo Honbu] Kawamura Takeo
11:23 Finish receiving proposal
11:25 Speak with Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Kimura Taro
11:30 Finish speaking with Mr. Kimura
11:31 Speak with Special Advisor to President of the LDP Hagiuda Koichi
11:38 Finish speaking with Mr. Hagiuda
11:40 Depart from office
11:53 Arrive at NHK Hall in Jinnan, Tokyo. Attend National Convention of Town and Village Mayors, deliver address

PM
12:12 Depart from NHK Hall
12:28 Arrive at office
12:54 Depart from office
12:56 Arrive at Diet
12:57 Enter Upper House 1st Committee Members’ Room
12:58 Speak with Minister in charge of Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy in Japan Ishiba Shigeru
12:59 Finish speaking with Mr. Ishiba
01:00 Upper House Special Committee on Regional Vitalization meeting commences
02:04 Leave seat during proceedings
02:06 Depart from Diet
02:08 Arrive at office
03:22 Speak with LDP Lower House member Yamada Kenji and colleagues
03:26 Finish speaking with Mr. Yamada and colleagues
03:29 Interview with Sankei Shimbun
04:01 Interview ends
04:02 Interview with Yomiuri Shimbun
05:06 Interview ends
05:18 Award Ceremony for Contributors to Children, Family, and Young People Support Group. Minister in charge of Women’s Empowerment and Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate Arimura Haruko also attends
05:19 Speak with Chairman of LDP Headquarters for Regional Diplomatic and Economic Partnership Eto Seishiro and Director of LDP Foreign Affairs Division Akiba Kenya
05:28 Finish speaking with Mr. Eto and Mr. Akiba
05:29 Meet with Director of Cabinet Intelligence Kitamura Shigeru, MOFA’s Director-General of Foreign Policy Bureau Hiramatsu Kenji, MOD’s Director-General of Bureau of Defense Policy Kuroe Tetsuro and Chief of Staff for Joint Staff Council Kawano Katsutoshi
05:46 End meeting with Mr. Kitamura, Mr. Hiramatsu, Mr. Kuroe, and Mr. Kawano
05:55 Meet with Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Saiki Akitaka
06:30 End meeting with Mr. Saiki
07:41 Depart from office
08:03 Arrive at private residence

Thursday, November 20, 2014

AM
12:00 At private residence (no visitor)
08:00 At private residence in Tomigaya, Tokyo (no morning visitors)
09:29 Depart from private residence
09:44 Arrive at office
10:42 LDP Vice-President Komura Masahiko, Chairman of LDP Research Commission on the Tax System Noda Takeshi, and Chairman of the commission’s Subcommittee Nukaga Fukushiro enter
11:12 Mr. Noda and Mr. Nakaga leave
11:14 Mr. Komura leaves
11:19 Meet with Speaker of Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of Kyrgyz Republic Asylbek Jeenbekov
11:35 End meeting with Speaker Jeenbekov
11:36 Speak with Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Shiozaki Yasuhisa
11:44 Finish speaking with Mr. Shiozaki
11:45 Speak with Minister of Justice Kamikawa Yoko
11:48 Finish speaking with Ms. Kamikawa
11:49 Speak with Minister of the Environment Mochizuki Yoshio
11:50 Finish speaking with Mr. Mochizuki
11:51 Speak with Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Shimomura Hakubun

PM
12:02 Finish speaking with Mr. Shimomura
12:04 Speak with Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Nishikawa Koya
12:10 Finish speaking with Mr. Nishikawa
12:50 Meet with Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Takaichi Sanae
01:05 End meeting with Mr. Takaichi
01:20 Arrive at NHK Hall in Jinnan, Tokyo. Attend National Convention of Central Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry, deliver address
01:39 Depart from NHK Hall
01:59 Arrive at office
02:09 Receive proposal from Chairperson of LDP Policy Research Council Inada Tomomi
02:33 Finish receiving proposal
02:34 Meet with Cabinet Advisor Iijima Isao
02:50 End meeting with Mr. Iijima
03:45 Depart from office
03:48 Arrive at LDP Party Headquarters
03:49 Commemorative photo session for poster use. Chairman of LDP Public Relations Headquarters also attends
04:51 Commemorative photo session ends
04:57 Meet with Chairperson of LDP Policy Research Council Ms. Inada and Executive Acting Chairman of LDP Policy Research Council Shionoya Ryu
05:30 End meeting with Ms. Inada and Mr. Shionoya
05:31 Depart from LDP Party Headquarters
05:33 Arrive at office
05:35 Meet with Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ohta Akihiro
05:50 End meeting with Mr. Ohta
06:31 Summit Conference with King of Jordan Abdullah II bin Al Hussein
07:20 Summit Conference ends
07:21 Joint signing ceremony and joint press release
07:32 Press release ends
07:33 Depart from office
07:35 Arrive at official residence
07:37 Reception for King Abdullah II. Dinner meeting hosted by Prime Minister Abe Shinzo
08:38 See of King Abdullah II
08:39 Finish seeing off King Abdullah II

Friday, November 21, 2014

AM
12:00 At official residence (no visitors)
08:00 At official residence (no morning visitors)
08:55 Depart from official residence
09:03 Cabinet Meeting commences
09:24 Cabinet Meeting closes
09:25 Speak with Minister of Defense Eto Akinori
09:26 Finish speaking with Mr. Eto
09:27 Speak with Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs Yamaguchi Shunichi
09:31 Finish speaking with Mr. Yamaguchi
09:32 Speak with Minister for Reconstruction Takeshita Wataru
09:33 Finish speaking with Mr. Takeshita
09:34 Meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Aso Taro
10:08 End meeting with Mr. Aso
11:08 Meet with Director of National Security Council Yachi Shotaro, MOFA’s Vice-Minister Saiki Akitaka and Director-General of European Affairs Bureau Hayashi Hajime
11:32 End meeting with Mr. Yachi, Mr. Saiki, and Mr. Hayashi
11:33 Meet with LDP Lower House member Kawai Katsuyuki
11:50 Finish meeting with Mr. Kawai

PM
12:54 Depart from office
12:55 Arrive at Diet
12:57 Enter Lower House Plenary Meeting Hall
12:58 Speak with Chairman of LDP Election Strategy Committee Motegi Toshimitsu
01:01 Finish speaking with Mr. Motegi
01:02 Lower House Plenary Session opens
01:14 Dissolution of Lower House
01:15 Leave Lower House Plenary Meeting Hall
01:16 Enter Lower House Speaker’s Room. Greet Lower House Speaker Ibuki Bunmei and Vice-Speaker Akamatsu Hirotaka. Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu accompany
01:18 Leave room
01:21 Enter Upper House President’s Room. Greet President of Upper House Yamazaki Masaki. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seko Hiroshige accompanies
01:22 Leave room, enter Upper House Vice-President’s Office. Greet Vice-President of Upper House Koshiishi Azuma
01:23 Leave room
01:24 Enter Lower House 7th Waiting Room. Attend Assembly of New Komeito Upper and Lower House Members, deliver address
01:26 Leave room
01:27 Enter Lower House 14th Waiting Room
01:28 General Meeting of LDP Upper and Lower House Members
01:36 Meeting ends
01:38 Leave room
01:39 Depart from Diet
01:40 Arrive at office
02:02 Extraordinary Session Cabinet Meeting
02:09 Cabinet Meeting ends
02:28 Depart from office
02:31 Arrive at LDP Party Headquarters
02:32 LDP Election Strategy Headquarters meeting
02:45 Meeting ends
02:46 Speak with Chairman of General Assembly of LDP Members in Upper House Mizote Kensei and Secretary-General for LDP in Upper House Date Chuichi
02:47 Finish speaking with Mr. Mizote and Mr. Date
02:48 Speak with Chairman of LDP Election Strategy Committee Mr. Motegi
02:51 Finish speaking with Mr. Motegi
02:52 Hang signboard for LDP Election Headquarters [選挙本部：Senkyo Honbu]
02:55 Finish hanging signboard
03:03 Commemorative photo session with candidates for Lower House
04:08 Photo session ends
04:25 Depart from LDP Party Headquarters
04:27 Arrive at The Capitol Hotel Tokyu in Nagata-cho, Tokyo. Attend General Meeting of National Conference to Promote Export of Agricultural, Forestry-related, and Marine Products (JAECAP 2014) at banquet hall Ho’oh within hotel, deliver address
04:37 Depart from hotel
04:39 Arrive at office
04:49 Meet with Director of Cabinet Intelligence Kitamura Shigeru
05:17 End meeting with Mr. Kitamura
06:00 Press Conference
06:25 Press Conference ends
06:54 Depart from office
06:56 Arrive at LDP Party Headquarters
06:59 Interview with Sports Hochi
07:13 Interview ends
07:14 Interview with Nikkan Sports
07:24 Interview ends
07:25 Interview with Tokyo Sports
07:37 Interview ends
07:38 Interview with Sankei Sports
07:49 Interview ends
07:56 Interview with Sports Nippon
08:04 Interview ends
08:06 Interview with Daily Sports
08:16 Interview ends
08:17 Interview with Tokyo Chunichi Sports
08:28 Interview ends
08:29 Depart from LDP Party Headquarters
08:31 Arrive at official residence

Saturday, November 22, 2014

AM
12:00 At official residence (no visitors)
08:00 At official residence (no morning visitors)
Stay at official residence throughout morning (no visitors)

PM
01:00 Interview with British newspaper The Economist
01:50 Interview ends
02:19 Interview with Kyodo News Service
02:45 Interview ends
02:47 Interview with Jiji Press
03:15 Interview ends

Sunday, November 23, 2014

AM
12:00 Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management Nishimura Yasuhiko enter
01:00 At official residence (no visitors)
10:00 At official residence (no morning visitors)
Stay at official residence throughout morning (no visitors)

PM
12:46 Depart from official residence
01:00 Arrive at facility complex Caretta Shiodome in Higashi-Shinbashi, Tokyo. Film video for use in election at Caretta Studio within Caretta Shiodome
03:58 Finish filming
04:08 Arrive at official residence
05:33 Depart from official residence
05:56 Arrive at private residence in Tomigaya, Tokyo
06:40 Depart from official residence
06:55 Arrive at Imperial Palace. Attend Niinamesai (harvest festival Celebrations of the First Taste)
08:42 Depart from Imperial Palace
08:58 Arrive at private residence

Provisional Translation by: Erin M. Jones