PRESS CONFERENCE
Trump, Okinawa & The US-Japan Alliance
Peter Kuznick, Professor of American University, Director of the Institute for Nuclear Studies
Satoko Norimatsu, journalist
13:00-14:00 Friday, February 7, 2025
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in English.
What policies will Donald Trump unleash in his second presidency and how will they impact Japan? For months, a team led by Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan's chief cabinet secretary has been discussing what is euphemistically called "Trump countermeasures meetings". The main fear is tariffs that will make the price of Japanese goods such as steel and semiconductors more costly. But Trump is also almost certain to demand that Japan pays more for the hosting of US troops and military bases, most of which are in Okinawa.
Many on Okinawa resent the burden of hosting this military presence and oppose the construction of a new offshore base near the fishing village of Henoko in the north of Okinawa's main island. During the last Trump presidency, Okinawa's then governor unsuccessfully lobbied Trump to cancel the Henoko project. There are again hopes that Trump may reduce the American military presence in Japan and shake up the decades-old alliance.
Two distinguished speakers will discuss the likely impact of the Trump administration on the US military bases in Okinawa, the Japan-US alliance, and Japan's possible response. Peter Kuznick is professor of history and director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at the American University. He has written and co-authored several book on Japan including Rethinking the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Satoko Norimatsu is co-author of Resistant Islands: Okinawa Confronts Japan and the United States.
How to attend:
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, the name of your media outlet, and FCCJ membership number. Doors open 15 minutes before the event. Please sign in and giving your name and contact details at the reception.
How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live
How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/9yhXqwYnD3pqk53a9
TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event.
Professional Activities Committee