Webinar: The Japanese National Defense Academy (YCAPS-JUMP)

August 19, 2020 , 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm (Asia/Tokyo)

On August 19th, the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS) hosted its sixth YCAPS-JUMP webinar at 7 PM JST. This was part of a continuing series on the importance of base communities in U.S.-Japan relations. The featured guest was Dr. Hitoshi Kawano, a professor of Sociology at the Department of Public Policy and the Director for International Exchange at the National Defense Academy (NDA) in Yokosuka, Japan.

Dr. Kawano discussed the interesting history of the academy and the unique lifestyle the cadets choose. He expounded on the design of the International Exchange Initiative and shared his wealth of knowledge and experience on leading an impactful program. Dr. Kawano also discussed his article “The Expanding Role of Sociology at Japan National Defense Academy.” In this article, he examines how and why sociology gained momentum as an academic discipline. Following the presentation, the question and answer session addressed many contemporary topics, such as the percentage of women attending the NDA, and how the NDA is addressing concerns like COVID-19. More than 40 people tuned in live for the webinar, with local Yokosuka citizens, U.S. military members, and officials from multiple embassies in Tokyo.

If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Kawano’s work, please check out some of the following articles:

Article 1: Developing Diversity Leadership in the Japan Self-Defense Forces: How Can We Develop Diversity Leaders?

Article 2: Gender, Diversity, and Military Leadership Development in Norway and Japan

Article 3: Military and Society in Israel and Japan: Family Support, Mental Health and Public Support

Dr. Hitoshi Kawano is a professor of Sociology at the Department of Public Policy and the Director of the Center for International Exchange at the National Defense Academy in Yokosuka, Japan. He received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1996. His research interests include military history, sociology of combat and peacekeeping, mental health, family support, gender mainstreaming and diversity management issues within the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, and civil-military relations in Post-Cold War Japan. His publications include “Combat Leadership on Guadalcanal: In Extremis Leadership of the Japanese and American Soldiers in World War II” in Leadership in Extreme Situations, M. Holenweger et al. eds., Springer, 2017; “Developing Diversity Leadership in the Japan Self-Defense Forces,” in Disaster, Diversity and Emergency Preparation, L. Magnussen, ed., IOS Press, 2019; and “Family Support and Gender Policy in the Japan Self-Defense Forces,” in Military and Society in Israel and Japan: Family Support, Mental Health and Public Support, E. Ben-Ari and H. Kawano, eds., Global Security Seminar Series No.5, Center for Global Security, National Defense Academy, 2020.

Thank you to everyone who participated! Please stay tuned to our Twitter and Facebook for details on future events.