Japan’s New Leader Faces China Threat and Other Challenges

The unexpected resignation of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has raised concerns over the future course of Japan’s diplomatic, security, and economic policies. As Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, Abe brought political stability as well as enacting an impressive list of national security and diplomatic initiatives. He was a stalwart supporter of the alliance with the United States and championed policies that promoted freedom in the region.While none of Abe’s likely successors are expected to dramatically change course, there are questions as to whether Japan will continue Abe’s strong advocacy for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy, and his planned security initiatives to combat the growing Chinese military threat. How will Tokyo respond to U.S. demands for greater security contributions, and deal with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 virus while balancing competing economic demands of Washington and Beijing?Join us for a discussion on these and other topics with a panel of distinguished experts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.