PRESS CONFERENCE
"Japan's Security in an Uncertain World"
Ken Jimbo and Tomoyuki Furutani,
Research Institute for Advanced Innovation and GeoStrategy (RAIS)
11:00-12:00 Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in English.
As China grows more assertive and the United States more introverted and unpredictable, Japan is faced with urgent new questions about how to position itself in a fast-changing global order. To propose answers, the International House of Japan launched a new think-tank, the Research Institute for Advanced Innovation and GeoStrategy, or RAIS, in April.
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan will host the two co-directors of this new institute, Ken Jimbo and Tomoyuki Furutani, to share their ideas on this new era of geopolitical uncertainty and how Japan can navigate it. Although only a few months old, RAIS has already become a vocal advocate of using economic and security policies to pursue Japan's own interests and strengthen its regional standing. With Japan's defense budget projected to rise well beyond 2 percent of GDP, RAIS sees an opportunity for the country to put its technological knowhow to strategic advantage.
In a nation with few independent think-tanks, RAIS stands out as an effort to bring together researchers and practitioners from diverse fields to create policy recommendations. The new think-tank has argued that since the second Trump administration is reshaping its geopolitical alliances by prioritizing U.S. leadership in AI, biotechnology and quantum technology, Japan must respond in kind.
The co-directors will explain RAIS's mission and agenda and the security challenges that they see Japan facing. They will also present their views on how the country can better connect its technological and industrial capabilities with national security priorities, especially in emerging technologies like AI.
How to attend:
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.
How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live
How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/1qQb7JE4ZMUGznj8A
TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. FCCJ will limit live-streaming of FCCJ-hosted press conferences to Club members only. Non-members will no longer be permitted to live-stream these events. However, non-members may still film for reporting purposes and use footage after the press conference.
Professional Activities Committee