On March 19, the EastWest Institute and the Japan Society kicked off their partnership with a co-organized lunch discussion featuring Tsuneo Nishida, former Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations and EWI Director, and Cameron Munter, CEO and President of the EastWest Institute. The timely discussion covered several topics at a particularly important juncture in U.S.-Japan relations, following the Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi and the relative strengthening of Japanese ties with China.

The presentation and open discussion delved into Japan's current leadership capacity in the Asia-Pacific region. To address transnational issues and emerging dynamics in world affairs, the speakers introduced the implementation of "New Diplomacy" to engage a wide array of influencers and specialists in not only the diplomatic, but also military and business communities.

EWI's Asia-Pacific program strives to "multilateralize" existing dialogues to encourage cooperation on critical issues of common interests, much needed in today’s diverse and multifaceted world, ranging from environment stewardship and nuclear disarmament to human rights and sustainable development.

On March 18, Ambassador Nishida also delivered an exclusive briefing on bilateral ties with a select group of U.S.-Japan experts from EWI’s network, as well as representatives from the Asia-Pacific, Global Cooperation in Cyberspace and Russia and the United States programs at EWI’s New York headquarters. This briefing delved into Japan's domestic challenges, including immigration and public trust, and how these factors influence Japan's future role as an international leader in an increasingly intertwined, complex world.