Japan Policy Commons (JPC)
Co-Founder, 2025-Present
Policy-relevant scholarship and dialogue on Japan’s politics, economy, and security are declining in line with broader shifts in U.S. social science research and academic incentives. At a time when Japan plays an increasingly central role in global politics, economics, and security, strengthening the ecosystem that connects scholarly expertise with real-world policy discussions is more important than ever.
To address these structural challenges and help nurture the next generation of Japan experts, we are establishing the Japan Policy Commons (JPC), a digital website and networking platform.
The JPC will serve as a collaborative platform dedicated to sustaining, advancing, and disseminating policy-relevant scholarship and dialogue on Japan. Acting as an umbrella initiative, the JPC will bring together an assembly of Japan scholars who will coordinate and promote online and in-person activities through their professional networks, institutions, and public engagement.
The JPC website will be curated and managed by a group of Japan scholars who will coordinate content, highlight emerging research, and promote policy-relevant dialogue on Japan’s politics, economy, and security.
Through the JPC, participating scholars will work collectively to:
Raise awareness of policy-relevant academic research on Japan’s domestic politics and international relations
Showcase avenues of engagement that connect scholars, policymakers, and practitioners
Build a pipeline to promote, mentor, and sustain the work of junior and emerging Japan experts
To extend the reach of these activities and foster an active professional community, JPC will also maintain a LinkedIn platform where scholars, practitioners, and emerging experts can follow developments, share research, and connect with others engaged in policy-relevant work on Japan. Visit the JPC LinkedIn page below:
We invite scholars, practitioners, and emerging experts to join this growing network and help strengthen the ecosystem of policy-relevant knowledge on Japan.
Support for the Japan Policy Commons will help sustain a vital ecosystem connecting scholarly expertise on Japan with policy conversations in the United States and beyond. By strengthening networks of scholars and practitioners, the JPC will ensure that rigorous, policy-relevant knowledge continues to inform decision-making in an increasingly complex global environment.
leadership
upcoming & Past Activities
Panel
Japan Policy Commons: Positioning Japan in AI and Emerging Technologies
Friday, April 24, 2026
2:00 –4:00 P.M.
Paired Public Panel, The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, funded by the United States-Japan Foundation
lecture
Framing the Question: Relevance and Rigor in Academic Research, with Colin Moreshead
Monday, February 23, 2026
2:00–4:00 P.M.
Sponsored through a grant from the United States-Japan Foundation
Panel
Positioning Japan in Cybersecurity Trajectories
Friday, October 24, 2025
3:00 –4:30 P.M.
Sponsored through a grant from the United States-Japan Foundation
Steering Committee
Coming soon!