Enabling Professional Growth & Fostering Grassroots Connections
with World-Class Expertise
YOKOSUKA COUNCIL ON ASIA-PACIFIC STUDIES
Join Us
YCAPS wants you!
We are a rapidly growing group taking aim at big
issues impacting the Asia-Pacific Region
If you'd like to join an event just RSVP and turn up. You can also sign up to our mailing list. If you aren't sure and want more information, then drop us an email. We bring together a diverse group of individuals with different backgrounds and experiences to help us explore common challenges. Our members include students, young professionals, leaders at the top of their careers and retired experts. Our programs are designed to help everyone develop while building bridges between Yokosuka's thought communities. If you are already active in YCAPS and you want to expand your roles as a volunteer please visit this page to view our latest volunteer opportunities and direction regarding applications .
Upcoming Events
YCAPS Events Connect Audience Members with Each Other and World-Class Experts
YCAPS-ICAS Book Talk (Hybrid Tokyo)
Monday, June 16, 2025 – 18:30 (JST)
Child welfare systems do not always generate well-being. This is true across the world, as it is in Japan. Policymakers, caregivers, and people with experience in state care endeavor to imagine—and implement—child welfare systems that are genuinely supportive. Yet despite these efforts, social welfare systems too often produce people who are alone.
In Japan, there are culturally and historically specific challenges to the development of child welfare systems that support well-being. This presentation introduces central arguments of my recently published book, Fragile Kinships: Child Welfare and Well-Being in Japan. Based in ethnographic research in Japan between 2008 and 2023, this study is rooted in lived experiences and culturally contextualized narratives, and places relationality at the heart of our understanding of social forms of care. Most centrally, the book demonstrates why welfare systems must support relational well-being.For more information, please see the event page
Indo-Pacific Maritime Hour (webinar)
Friday, June 20, 2025 – 19:00 (JST)
The South China Sea dispute is often portrayed as an intractable geopolitical conflict between China and Southeast Asian nations. Yet, through the lens of international law—particularly the law of the sea—a different picture emerges. In this Indo-Pacific Maritime Hour webinar, YCAPS will host Ms. Pham Ngoc Minh Trang, a research fellow at the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law (Germany). This talk reexamines the dispute not just as a political standoff, but as a legal challenge with structured rules, rights, and obligations. It explores how international legal principles, especially those under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), provide tools for peaceful dispute settlement and help clarify competing maritime claims. Special attention will be given to the ongoing tensions between the Philippines and China at Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint that underscores both the challenges and the continued relevance of legal frameworks in managing conflict at sea.
For more information, please see the event page
YCAPS Community Conversation Book Talk (Yokosuka)
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 – 18:15 (JST)
This book talk argues that the transformation of Japan’s defense since 2012 has been triggered by the emergence of the first threat to Japan’s territorial integrity since 1945, namely China’s continual challenging of Japan’s control of the Senkaku Islands. It shows how this threat led to Japan building its own version of an A2/AD strategy and contributed to the demise of the prohibition on not procuring long-range missiles. It argues that the new security documents of 2022 that mandate increasing defense spending to 2% of GDP, is the culmination of this Senkaku-driven post-2012 defense transformation. Nonetheless, Japan’s defense transformation faces significant challenges, including geographic and demographic, base-community relations, and limited SDF capacity.
For more information, please see the event page
YCAPS Getting To Know Japan Series (Online, Webinar)
Thursday, June 26, 2025 – 19:00 (JST)
This lecture invites you to explore the profound world of Noh—one of Japan’s oldest and most revered performing arts, which endured even through periods of political upheaval, including the fall of the Tokugawa government.
Historically, Noh masters were not merely performers; they were granted the status of Bushi (samurai). When the samurai class was dissolved during the Meiji Restoration, Noh itself faced the threat of extinction. It was Minoru Umewaka, a Noh master and our speaker's great-grandfather, who single-handedly preserved the art and ensured its survival into the modern era.
For more information, please see the event page
YCAPS Community Conversations Series (In-Person, Okinawa)
Saturday, July 12, 2025 – 14:30 (JST)
This seminar will examine Japan’s economy and economic policymaking in the post-bubble era. The seminar will survey economic conditions in the aftermath of collapse of asset prices in the early 1990s, the subsequent so-called “lost decades, the policies of Abenomics, and contemporary conditions. The seminar will conclude with a discussion of current economic challenges such as its unfavorable demographic outlook and high levels of government debt, as well as opportunities such as the green transition.
For more information, please see the event page
Past YCAPS Events
Browse our past events by year:
Professional Development Programs
YCAPS is committed to supporting the personal and professional development of our members
Network Building
Meet People with Shared Interests and Common Ambitions
YCAPS events are organized on the principal that who you meet is as important as what you learn. Therefore seminars and professional development experiences typically include a social portion where members can interact on a personal level with the world-class facilitators as well as the other participants. The events have proven to be fantastic opportunities to find mentors and develop peer-to-peer support networks.
YCAPS ASPEN (Allied Security Practitioners Exchange Network) program is a perfect example of YCAPS' dedication to professional development and network building. This key program brings Alliance security professionals together, creating the forum neccesary to foster a culture of growth and collaboration between American and Japanese practitioners.
Open Seminar Series
Learn from World-Class Experts in a Relaxed Setting
YCAPS' open seminars bring experts from around the world to share their perspectives with our participants. Open to the public, the setting is community-oriented, relaxed, accessible and professional. The YCAPS Getting to Know Japan webinars offer introductory-level information about Japan's social and cultural landscape.
The YCAPS Community Conversation series highlights topics that are of immediate interest to the base-hosting communities in Japan. These seminars are specifically designed to be applicable to all levels of expertise, from curious students to professionals working in that field. They are typically held in-person near U.S. bases in Japan.
The YCAPS/Japan International Christian University Foundation Indo-Pacific Policy Dialogue program is designed to address advanced-level policy-oriented interests for academics, experts, and other specialists. These interactive online sessions facilitate dialogue among security experts, policy analysts, and senior academics in an effort to examine a wide range of issues affecting the Indo-Pacific region. Indo-Pacific Maritime Hour events are more technical in nature. These interactive online discussions engage regional practitioners directly involved in maritime security to shed light on maritime issues that have significant implications on regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Mongolia Connect
Strengthening grassroots community connections for the common good
The YCAPS Mongolia Connect program creates opportunities for Americans, Japanese, and Mongolians to establish international friendships, develop intercultural leadership skills, and learn about issues impacting the greater international community. The program's events mix social and educational experiences, language lessons, and volunteer opportunities in a unique and impactful way. Through empowering and connecting people from these three countries, YCAPS seeks to create long-lasting relationships.
YCAPS Roundtables
Informed Small-group Dinner Discussions
YCAPS members gather in small groups to discuss current events in a casual atmosphere. Each roundtable is facilitated by a specialist who provides read-ahead materials to enable those attending to dive right into the discussion even before the food arrives. Invitations are shared with YCAPS members and those on our email list.
YCAPS Military Support
Supporting U.S. Navy Sailors at sea and military commands ashore
YCAPS Afloat directly supports U.S. military personnel in their efforts to expand their regional knowledge and strategic thinking while deployed and during port visits throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Working in alignment with commands’ leadership and/or Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR) programs, YCAPS Afloat provides information and other resources or, when there are sufficient interested personnel, establishes a YCAPS chapter on board specific ships. If you are interested in receiving resources for you command (guest speakers, tailor reading packages, etc) or establishing a YCAPS Afloat chapter, please send us an email to get in touch.
Reference Materials & Research Projects
Organizing and Sharing Information
YCAPS'YCAPS creates and distributes reference materials for practitioners, researchers and students engaging with the region's strategic, diplomatic and legal affairs. Underwriting the Alliance is an annotated collection of the key bilateral treaties, agreements, and policy documents that provide the structure of the U.S.-Japan Alliance. Negotiate is a guide to negotiations for government practitioners. YCAPS largest research report to date is Prospects for the Quad Coast Guards to Cooperate Toward Implementation of the Free & Open Indo-Pacific Vision. The YCAPS reading list is built on the suggestions of our members and participants.
Fellowships, Internships, Scholarships, and Conferences
Connecting People with Opportunities
YCAPS has formal and informal relationships with many organizations that sponsor a wide range of professional development programs. These include university scholarships, fellowships, internships, travel grants, and conferences. In some cases, YCAPS members have opportunities for priority placement in these programs. In other cases, YCAPS volunteers are available to advise on placement and coach applications. Download the YCAPS Guide to Fellowships, Scholarships and Conferences, or contact us for more information. YCAPS hosts interns via a small program that tailors the terms of each internship to the specific needs of each applicant. Individuals interested in interning with YCAPS should complete this statement of interest.
Writers' Circle
Become a YCAPS writer
The YCAPS Writers' Circle is a peer-to-peer network that supports professional writing throughout the process from idea to publication. Some of our members are professional editors or experienced authors who have published many books and articles. Others are aspiring to see their first piece in print. If you would like to get involved to get some advice regarding outlets and audiences, receive feedback on a draft manuscript, or to help others on their writing projects, email the Writers' Circle. We'll find you partners that suit your needs!
Our Partners
YCAPS partners with other organizations to deliver world-class programming
The Japan ICU Foundation (JICUF) is an independent educational foundation based in New York City. Their mission is to work with International Christian University to nurture global citizens who contribute to the well-being of humanity. YCAPS collaborates with JICUF to deliver the YCAPS-JICUF Indo-Pacific Policy Dialogue program.
YCAPS and TUJ's Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies (ICAS) both serve as centers of gravity for professional development and advanced thinking on issues related to Asian politics, society, and economics. Because our regular event venues are about 90 minutes from each other, we share some audience members while serving different core communities. YCAPS and ICAS take advantage of this situation to regularly co-sponsor events.
The Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) is a Stockholm-based non-profit and non-partisan research and policy organization. ISDP is dedicated to expanding understanding of international affairs, focusing on the inter-relationship between security, conflict, and development. YCAPS collaborates with ISDP's Stockholm Centre for South Asia and Indo-Pacific Affairs (SCSA-IPA) to jointly deliver our Europe-Asia Webinar Series.
The International Security Industry Council (ISIC Japan) was established in 2019 to promote collaboration between indigenous space and defense companies with their foreign counterparts. Its mission is to foster personal and commercial relationships through persistent and informative engagement, online and in-person. YCAPS has collaborated with ISIC to build public awareness of the contributions American military bases provide and co-sponsor events.
The Pacific Forum is a non-profit, foreign policy research institute based in Honolulu, Hawaii. YCAPS collaborates with the Pacific Forum to gather regional perspectives and disseminating findings and recommendations to opinion leaders, governments, and the public. We have co-sponsored public seminars, published collaborative reports, and jointly delivered the online Maritime Discussion Series that preceded the current Indo-Pacific Maritime Hour.
The Japan Foundation, New York (JFNY) was established in 1991 to promote collaboration between the people of Japan, the United States, and beyond in order to address issues of global concern. YCAPS collaborated for 2 years with JFNY to jointly deliver the online Getting to Know Japan Webinar Series. JFNY was formerly known as The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP).
The United States-Japan Foundation (US-JF), established in 1980, is committed to promoting stronger ties between Americans and Japanese by supporting projects that foster mutual knowledge and education, deepen understanding, create effective channels of communication, and address common concerns in an increasingly interdependent world. YCAPS has collaborated with US-JF in the past to jointly deliver the Getting to Know Japan Webinar Series.
The Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), established in 1986, is a private foundation with the concept of “Think, Do, and Innovate-tank”. SPF conducts original research and does work that is rooted in the field to resolve issues based on local conditions and needs, with the aim of creating a world where people can live together and coexist, transcending politics, ideology, religion, race, and national borders. YCAPS previously collaborated with SPF to jointly deliver the Community Conversations Series.
Team Members
YCAPS and its services wouldn't be possible without our dedicated team of staff, research fellows, and volunteers. From social media management, website planning, and webinar moderating, to event organization, research, and community outreach, our team works tirelessly to ensure that we can continue to deliver world-class events and research that appeal to both experts and casual attendees.
To learn more about our team members and their backgrounds, please visit our team page.
Support
YCAPS is an all-volunteer organization, but we do need funds to deliver our programming
YCAPS volunteers do not accept salaries or any sort of material compensation. However, we cannot deliver programs and events without funding. Internet services, advertising, consumables at our receptions, and tokens of appreciation for our speakers are among the largest costs. Partnerships with like-minded organizations and donations in kind from supporting businesses are a tremendous help, but more funds enable us to do more for our community. Follow this link to donate. Your donations are very much appreciated. YCAPS is 501(c)3 organization and donations are deductible from U.S. income taxes.
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