Lecture “Cooperation and Conflict in U.S.–Japan Relations” Held in New York

On February 2, 2026, the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), co-hosted by Jiji Press and in cooperation with the Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), held a special event titled “Cooperation and Conflict in U.S.–Japan Relations.”

For this event, we invited Professor Kaoru Iokibe of the University of Tokyo, who delivered a lecture on the historical development of U.S.–Japan relations. He traced the trajectory from Japan’s opening during the Bakumatsu period through the pre-war and post-war eras to the present day. He emphasized that multiple facets of the United States—a friendly side, a distant side, and a hardline side—have long coexisted, underscoring the risks of viewing U.S.–Japan relations through a single, oversimplified lens. In light of the current international environment, he also highlighted the importance of building a multi-layered diplomatic foundation by deepening cooperation with middle powers and like-minded nations, while maintaining the U.S.–Japan alliance as the cornerstone of Japan’s foreign policy.

The venue was filled to capacity with a diverse audience, including Ambassador and Consul General of Japan in New York Satoshi Katahira, executives from Japanese companies in New York, and members of the local Japanese community association. A lively question-and-answer session followed, featuring discussions on the future of U.S. diplomacy, the direction of the global order, and the interplay between Japan’s domestic politics and foreign policy. The event provided a valuable opportunity for meaningful dialogue and for reexamining U.S.–Japan relations from a historical perspective in New York—a global hub of politics and economics—offering insights into broader international trends and the future of Japan–U.S. relations.