JUMP West Point

November 13, 2023 , 9:50 am - 11:50 am (America/New York)

On November 13, 2023, Sasakawa USA held a Japan U.S. Military Program (JUMP) event, “The Importance of the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance in the Indo-Pacific,” at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in partnership with the Embassy of Japan in the United States and the Modern War Institute at West Point.

The JUMP event, “The Importance of the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance in the Indo-Pacific,” featured welcome remarks by Colonel Patrick Sullivan PhD, Director of the Modern War Institute, and introductory remarks for JUMP and Sasakawa USA by Ms. Shanti Shoji, Director of Programs at Sasakawa USA, as well as a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Satohiro Akimoto, Chairman and President of Sasakawa USA. Speakers on the panel included Colonel Satoshi Masaka, Military Attaché, Embassy of Japan in the United States; Major Peter Mitchell, Instructor of International Affairs, West Point; Major Ei Ikenouchi, Foreign Exchange Officer, West Point; and Mr. James Schoff, Senior Director of the US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative, Sasakawa USA.

The panel focused on informing cadets about the current status of the U.S.-Japan alliance and examining possibilities for its future trajectory. Topics discussed included Japan’s worsening security environment due to challenges posed by neighboring countries like China, Russia, and North Korea, developing trilateral and multilateral cooperation with other partners, the evolution of bilateral command and control relations, and recruitment challenges and the role of the Self-Defense Forces in Japanese society. The event incorporated questions from West Point cadets on topics including Japan’s approach to securing peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and on establishing effective deterrence relationships through the U.S.-Japan alliance. The event lasted two hours in total and was attended by nearly 100 cadets and faculty.

Following the event, Colonel Masaka, Major Ikenouchi, and Sasakawa USA met over lunch with members of the West Point Japan Forum, a cadet club that seeks to promote understanding of Japan at West Point, to exchange views on the U.S.-Japan alliance and learn about the cadets’ goals and ambitions in pursuing careers in the U.S. Army.

In the afternoon, Colonel Masaka, Major Ikenouchi, and Sasakawa USA met with Colonel Sullivan of the Modern War Institute to learn about the Modern War Institute’s work and its role in West Point and the U.S. Army. Finally, West Point Command Historian Ms. Jennifer Voigtschild conducted a historical tour of the West Point grounds to help Colonel Masaka and Sasakawa USA learn more about the historical importance of West Point to the U.S. Army.

JUMP is a collaborative effort between Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA and the Embassy of Japan in the United States.