Members of the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group took part in the third iteration of the U.S.-ROK-Japan Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Summit this year in Hawaii. The YTL Summit is the U.S. Department of State's flagship annual gathering that brings together the next generation of leaders from the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Japan to shape the future of trilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Hosted at the East-West Center, the summit's theme focused on “AI and...

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is pleased to invite you to a special book talk with Dr. Edward Howell of the University of Oxford. Drawing on his new book, Dr. Howell will discuss the evolving relationships among North Korea, Russia, China, and Iran and what their growing cooperation could mean for the international order. The conversation will explore the deepening military and diplomatic alignment between North Korea and Russia, the broader nature of cooperation among the...

Last week, Co-Founder Jinwan Park and Seoul-based member Yuichi Yoshida visited the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, where they met with Director Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum, James M. Minnich, EdD, Colonel USA (Ret), and Dr. Lori Forman. The delegation introduced the work of the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group, exchanged perspectives on regional security developments, and learned more about the Center's important role in facilitating candid and substantive...

Last week, the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group convened for its bi-monthly in-person study session in Seoul. The session featured two distinguished presentations: Lt. Col. Sanghyun Ahn spoke on the intricacies of defense AI governance and the necessity of trilateral coordination, and Mr. Taehwa Hong addressed Korea's optimal adaptations to the evolving American grand strategy. We sincerely appreciate both speakers for their outstanding insights and to our members for an active...

On August 11, the Institute for Interdisciplinary Unification Studies at Korea University and the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group co-hosted the “Korea-Japan Next-Gen Specialists Symposium for Peace on the Korean Peninsula.” The forum opened with a congratulatory video message from Rep. Koichi Hagiuda, Executive Acting Secretary-General of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party and former Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, who underscored the importance of bringing together...

U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group co-founders Rintaro Nishimura and Jinwan Park and Seoul-based member Yuichi Yoshida had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Hironori Yahata, Political Counsellor at the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Korea. The members were able to discuss the state of trilateral cooperation and the role of next-generation talent in shaping the future of the relationship. We thank Mr. Yahata for giving us the opportunity to engage with the Japanese Embassy.

U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group co-founders Rintaro Nishimura and Jinwan Park had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Bong Man Kim, Head of the International Affairs Division at the Federation of Korean Industries today in Seoul. The co-founders explained the group's initiative and exchanged views on the ROK-Japan bilateral business relationship. The two sides also discussed the importance of exchanges between the younger generations of both countries.

The Korea-Japan Next-Gen Specialists Symposium for Peace on the Korean Peninsula hosted at Korea University on Tuesday, August 11, will feature a special message by Rep. Koichi Hagiuda, Executive Acting Secretary General of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP). The event will feature a fireside chat between H.E. Oh Joon, Former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, and Dr. Lee Shin-wha, Director of IIUS and Professor at Korea University, on how Korea and...

Join us on August 11 for a fireside chat with H.E. Oh Joon, Former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, at the Korea-Japan Next-Gen Specialists Symposium for Peace on the Korean Peninsula. Moderated by Dr. Lee Shin-wha, Director of IIUS and Professor at Korea University, the conversation will delve into how Korea and Japan can come together in the midst of the global polycrisis to make breakthroughs in creating a sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is honored to welcome Dr. Sanghyun Lee, Fellow Emeritus at the Sejong Institute as our new Senior Advisor. Dr. Lee is a board member of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management-Korea (INMM-K), and the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament. He served as President of the Sejong Institute (2021~2024), researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, Director-General for Policy Planning...

Tokyo - This week, the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group's Co-Founder Rintaro Nishimura, Deputy Director for Japan Kenji Yoshida, and Tatsuya Sugiyama had the opportunity to meet with former Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani to introduce our initiative and hear thoughts from a top defense expert who has engaged in trilateral government-to-government relations directly. Mr. Nakatani shared his candid thoughts on the state of the trilateral partnership and the necessity of...

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is honored to welcome Professor Ken Jimbo, Managing Director of International House of Japan and Professor at the Faculty of Policy Management at Keio University, as our new Senior Advisor. As the Managing Director of Programs at the International House of Japan (I-house), Professor Jimbo oversees diverse programs in geopolitics, economics, policy entrepreneurship, next-generation fellowships, and arts and design. He is also a full-time...

Tokyo - The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group's Co-Founder Rintaro Nishimura and Japan Country Director Hasumi Tani met with Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai) International Bureau Director Michihito Kaneko and Korea Director Rep. Koichiro Ichimura last week to introduce our initiative and hear thoughts on the state of trilateral relations from Japan's other ruling party. Directors Kaneko and Ichimura generously shared their insight on a variety of issues ranging from...

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is honored to welcome Dr. Ramón Pacheco Pardo, Professor of International Relations at King's College London and KF-VUB Korea Chair at Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS), as our new Senior Advisor. Dr. Pacheco Pardo is also Adjunct Fellow (Non-Resident) with the Korea Chair at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Scientific Council member at Elcano Royal Institute, Steering Committee member at CSCAP EU,...

Tokyo - Co-Founder Rintaro Nishimura, Japan Country Director Hasumi Tani, and Hana Anderson had the opportunity last week to meet with Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Aaron Snipe at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to discuss areas of mutual interest. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with DCM Snipe, who delivered keynote remarks at the opening of the Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Summit in Osaka last July. The YTL program is the origin point of the Study Group and continues to serve as an...

Seoul - Last week, the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group and the U.S. Embassy Seoul co-hosted the Trilateral Next-Gen Salon, convening dozens of Korea-based emerging leaders and policy practitioners across sectors and generations. The event opened with remarks by Mr. Steve Sanders, Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy Seoul, and Jinwan Park, Co-Founder of the Study Group. Both speakers underscored the vital role of the next generation in shaping forward-looking discussions on...

Tokyo - The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group's Co-Founder Rintaro Nishimura, Hana Anderson, and Kenji Yoshida met with Rep. Akihisa Shiozaki, a member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, this week to introduce our initiative and hear his thoughts on the state of trilateral relations. Rep. Shiozaki offered his insight on a range of issues including Japan-U.S. relations, Japan-ROK relations, and economic/technology cooperation.

Congratulations to our members, Donghyuk David Shin and Chan Mo Ku, as well as our co-founder Jinwan Park, on their selection to, and participation in, the Emerging Scholars Workshop hosted by 38 North at The Stimson Center! Over the past several months, they have each undertaken rigorous research on key North Korea-related issues, ranging from analyses of correspondence between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin to exploring innovative pathways for re-engagement. Their work was guided by...

Tokyo - The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group's Co-Founder Rintaro Nishimura and Kenji Yoshida had the honor of meeting former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to introduce our growing initiative. Mr. Ishiba spoke about his thoughts on security issues, ranging from nuclear policy to his previously proposed "Asian NATO" concept. He reiterated that the "Asian NATO" concept would help countries like Japan and South Korea develop a network of security partners around the...

Tokyo - The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group's Co-Founder Rintaro Nishimura, Japan Country Director Hasumi Tani, Hana Anderson, and Umi Ariga-Maisy had the opportunity to meet with former Japanese foreign and defense minister Taro Kono to discuss the trilateral relationship. Rep. Kono emphasized the importance of the trilateral framework to regional peace and security, noting in particular the need for stronger bilateral ties between Japan and South Korea. He spoke about the...

Washington - A U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group delegation led by Co-Founder Jinwan Park visited the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. to engage with officials from the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. The discussion focused on the strategic evolution of trilateral cooperation, specifically exploring ways to integrate the private sector and non-governmental entities into the trilateral framework for its sustainability and durability.

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is honored to announce the appointment of Dr. Zack Cooper, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, as our new Senior Advisor. Dr. Cooper is a senior fellow at AEI, where he studies U.S. strategy in Asia, including alliance dynamics and U.S.-China competition. He also teaches at Princeton University, serves as chair of the board of the Open Technology Fund, and co-hosts the Net Assessment podcast.

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is honored to announce the appointment of Mr. Mark Lambert, former China Coordinator and Deputy Assistant Secretary for China and Taiwan at the U.S. Department of State, as our new Senior Advisor. Mr. Lambert served as State Department China Coordinator and Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, where he oversaw both the Office of China Coordination and the Office of Taiwan Coordination. Prior to his...

Tokyo - The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group's Co-Founder Rintaro Nishimura, Japan Country Director Hasumi Tani, and Ryusei Nosaka met with Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Executive Acting Secretary General Koichi Hagiuda to explain the group's initiative and discuss the trilateral relationship. The former trade minister emphasized that the trilateral partnership has become a necessary framework in light of recent geopolitical trends and pointed out the importance of...

Seoul - Our Co-Founder, Jinwan Park, recently met with ROK Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral and Global Issues Mr. Wook-jin Chang and introduced the activities and vision of the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group. They exchanged views on how the Study Group can more effectively serve as a platform for sustainable dialogue across borders and generations and create avenues for cooperation.

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is pleased to announce that our first webinar of 2026 will take place on Wednesday, February 25 from 7:30-8:30 ET | 21:30-22:30 KST/JST to preview the year ahead for the trilateral relationship in light of recent domestic, regional, and global developments. This virtual webinar will feature three distinguished speakers:

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is honored to announce the appointment of three distinguished Japanese experts as Senior Advisors, as the Study Group prepares to expand its activities during the 2026-2027 period. Mr. Atsushi Ijuin is Lead Economist at the Japan Center for Economic Research (JCER). He had an extensive career in journalism at the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), having served as Chief of the Seoul Bureau and the China Headquarters. His research focuses on the...

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is honored to announce the appointment of four distinguished Korean experts as Senior Advisors, as the Study Group prepares to expand its activities during the 2026-2027 period. Lieutenant General Chun In-Bum (ROK, Ret.) served 38 years in the South Korean Army and retired in 2016, concluding his career as Commanding General of the ROK Special Forces. He is currently President of the Society for Army Alliance Korea, a Senior Fellow with the...

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is honored to announce the appointment of four distinguished U.S.-based experts as Senior Advisors, as the Study Group prepares to expand its activities during the 2026-2027 period. Dr. Patrick Cronin is the Asia-Pacific Security Chair at the Hudson Institute and Scholar in Residence at Carnegie Mellon University's Institute for Strategy and Technology. His work focuses on the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, great-power competition, and the...

Seoul - In November, the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group and the Korea Pioneers Group co-hosted the Asia-Pacific Next-Gen Forum, an event dedicated to shaping the future of regional cooperation. The forum convened 40 early-to-mid career professionals from across the APEC region, representing government, industry, academia, and civil society, to examine how the next generation can strengthen regional cooperation under the APEC 2025 theme, "Connect, Innovate, Prosper."

Seoul - Last week, the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group and the ROK Forum for Nuclear Strategy co-hosted a seminar on the evolving security environment in Northeast Asia and the future of trilateral cooperation. The event brought together leading experts and early-career researchers from diverse fields to discuss how the three countries can strengthen cooperation amid rapid regional changes.

The U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group is excited to announce its inaugural executive committee team for the 2025-2026 cycle. The executive committee is comprised of 8 members and will be responsible for setting the overall direction of the group's activities and managing membership. Our team is located across the three countries and comes from a wide range of backgrounds, including consulting, academia, industry, and think tanks. Each executive committee member will also be in...

Memorandum of Understanding signed to foster intergenerational dialogue and strengthen trilateral networks among the United States, South Korea, and Japan Seoul - The Plaza Project, a non-partisan foreign policy think tank led by Dr. Kim Heungkyu of Ajou University, and the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance cooperation and create synergies between next-generation leaders and senior experts across the United States,...

Last month, co-founders Jinwan Park and Rintaro Nishimura visited Seoul to introduce the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Next-Gen Study Group to leading voices in Korean foreign policy across academia, think tanks, industry, and next-generation leaders. We were honored to engage in thoughtful discussions with:

Co-founders Jinwan Park and Rintaro Nishimura participated in this year’s U.S.-ROK-Japan Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Summit as alumni of the program, taking part respectively in an online session and the in-person session in Osaka from July 7-9. Jinwan Park served as a panelist in a virtual session on “The Role of Youth Leadership in Trilateral Partnership.” His presentation explored the underrepresentation of youth in Korean politics, its institutional and structural roots, and ways...