A Luncheon & Discussion On: "Japan's Evolving Defense Policy: Implications for the U.S.-Japan Alliance and Asian Security" with Ryo Kiridori

A Luncheon and Discussion on:

"Japan's Evolving Defense Policy: Implications for the U.S.-Japan Alliance and Asian Security"

with

Ryo Kiridori

Research Fellow at Japan's National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS)

Over the past decade, Japan has significantly updated its defense policy. In

2015, the government partially lifted restrictions on the exercise of collective

self-defense. Since 2022, the defense budget has grown rapidly, and the

Self-Defense Force has expanded its ability to project power far beyond

Japan’s immediate territory. These represent significant shifts that would

have been unimaginable only a few decades ago.

How should we understand these developments? To what extent has

Japan’s defense policy shifted from its previous course? What do these

reforms mean for the U.S.–Japan Alliance and for peace and stability in the

Western Pacific? What objectives is Japan seeking to achieve through

these defense policy upgrades, and what challenges does it face? This

luncheon will examine these questions to provide a deeper understanding

of Japan’s evolving defense posture.

Thanks to the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta for arranging

Mr. Kiridori's presentation. 

JOIN US: 

Date: Monday, January 26th, 2026

Time: 11:30 p.m - 2:30 p.m.

Venue: Capital City Club (downtown)

                  7 John Portman Blvd NW

                  Atlanta, GA 30303

Parking: Complimentary valet parking is available

You Must Register and Pay in Advance to Attend

For Alternative Payment Options Contact registrar@atlantacir.org

Registration Closes Tuesday, January 20th, at 10 am

Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel, please do so not later than 48 hours before the event. ACIR is charged for your meal, so no refund can be provided.

Meet Ryo Kiridori

Ryo Kiridori is a research fellow at the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), which he joined in 2016. From 2018 to 2019, he was cross appointed to the Defense Ministry’s Defense Policy Bureau, where he was engaged in drafting Japan’s mid-to-long-term defense strategy called National Defense Program Guidelines (now called National Defense Strategy) as well as in various policy-level strategic dialogues, including the Japan-US Extended Deterrence Dialogue. His research interests cover security studies and foreign policy analysis. He has recently written a chapter in a book about lessons from Ukraine to Taiwan, published in 2025.

He is currently working on multiple research projects, including one about security implications of the spread of precision strike capabilities in the Indo-Pacific and a research that reassesses the role of the bureaucracy in Japan’s defense policy evolution. He holds a BA in political science from the University of New Brunswick in Canada and an MSc in International Relations from London School of Economics and Political Science. He is currently a PhD candidate in political science at the University of Toronto.

Supporting Organizations: 

The Japan-America Society of Georgia and Japanese Chamber of Commerce members will both receive the ACIR member rate for this event. Select option #2 when registering. 

Please Note: