Sasakawa USA Speaker Series 

"Japan-ROK Relations: Fifty Years after Normalization" 

Presentation by Dr. Junya Nishino, 
Associate Professor of Korean Politics and International Politics, Keio University 

Moderator: Dan Bob, Senior Fellow and Director for Programs, Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA

2015 will mark the 50^th anniversary of the normalization of relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea.  In recent years, however, tensions between the two countries have increased, public attitudes within each country regarding the other have plumbed new lows and a formal bilateral summit has not taken place since Prime Minister Abe took office two years ago. The negative consequences for Seoul and Tokyo – and for Washington – have become a major cause for concern in all three capitols. Please join us for a discussion on the current state of Japan-ROK relations, prospects for the coming year and implications for U.S. strategy in Asia. 

 *Lunch will be provided.

**The discussion is off-the-record. Seating will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

About Dr. Junya Nishino

Junya Nishino is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Politics, Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. He was a Japan Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a Visiting Scholar at the Sigur Center for Asian Studies, George Washington University in 2012-2013. He was also an Exchange Scholar at the Harvard-Yenching Institute in 2011-2012. Dr. Nishino’s research focuses on contemporary Korean politics, international relations of East Asia and Japan-Korea relations. Recently he edited the books, “East Asia in Transition and the North Korean Issue” (Keio University Press, 2012) and “Great Transition on the Korean Peninsula” (Keio University Press, 2013). He has been a member of the steering committee of the “Joint Research Project on Japan-ROK relations in the New Era” since 2009.