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 a line. 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.
Upcoming Events
YCAPS Events Connect Audience Members with Each Other and World-Class Expertise
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversation Series ( Yokosuka In-Person)
5 December 2022 – 17:30 (Japan)YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series in the Yokosuka Community! This event will feature Dr. Narushige Michishita.
While North Korea continues to launch missiles and further its nuclear employment ambitions, South Korea is rapidly building its capabilities around the “Korean Massive Punishment and Retaliation” strategy. Who will prevail? What can the United States and Japan do to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula? Dr. Narushige Michishita of GRIPS will discuss the changing regional strategic equation and the role of the US-Japan Alliance within it.
Getting to Know Japan Webinar Series (via Zoom)
6 December 2022 – 09:00 (Japan)Dr. Sheila Smith, the Senior Fellow for Japan at the Council on Foreign Relations, will provide an introductory-level overview of how the U.S. and Japan may respond in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. During the talk, Dr. Smith will analyze the historical evolution of Japan’s positions, posture, and policies relevant to a possible conflict across the Taiwan Strait, including the potential roles of the U.S.-Japan security alliance and the Japan’s Self-Defense Forces before we transition to Q&A.
Registration for the Zoom session can be found here.
Indo-Pacific Maritime Hour Webinar Series (via Zoom)
8 December 2022 – 18:00 (Japan)Experts on the Indian Coast Guard and Australian Coast Guard-equivalents will team up to discuss how Coast Guards can help implement the Free & Open Indo-Pacific concept and what the major barriers will be for success.
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversation Series (Iwakuni In-Person)
10 December 2022 – 10:00 (Japan)YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series in the Iwakuni Community! This event will feature Professor Yuichiro Shimizu who will lead us on a journey through the role of Choshu in the modernization of Japan.
The Choshu-han has been said to have been the core power of the Meiji Revolution. So, what role did Choshu play in the nation-building process? Through discussing both prominent historical figures as well as major figures of the Meiji-born generation, Professor Shimizu will clarify the outsized role that Choshu has had in the development of modern Japan.
Families/children are welcome. We will have a side area for the kids with fun activities provided by the kind staff at PLAT ABC.
YCAPS In-Person Seminar (Yokosuka)
12 December 2022 – 17:30 (Japan)Conventional wisdom sees Japan as a laggard in the struggle for LGBT rights. While there may have been some “progress,” same sex marriage is still legally prohibited and self-identified LGBT people face both institutional and cultural hurdles that their counterparts do not in places such as the United States, Britain, and Taiwan. But no politician in Japan of right or left has ever made political hay out of such issues as gay marriage or trans rights that have become standard culture war fodder in the US.
Our guest speaker, Professor R. Taggart Murphy, contends that the way LGBT issues are discussed and understood represents an effort – only party successful – to impose an American conceptual framework on a cultural and historical tradition in Japan that differed radically from that in the United States. In his talk, Professor Murphy will question this conventional wisdom.
Indo-Pacific Policy Dialogue (via Zoom)26 October 2022 - 18:30 (Japan)YCAPS’ Indo-Pacific Policy Dialogue will host Jonathan Berkshire Miller, Director of the Indo-Pacific Program and Senior Fellow at the MacDonald Laurier Institute to explore Canada’s newly published Indo-Pacific strategy, its implications for Canada and the Indo-Pacific region.
Registration for the Zoom session can be found here.
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversation Series ( Misawa In-Person)
14 December 2022 – 17:30 (Japan)YCAPS and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series focused on the Misawa Community! This event will feature Satoshi Miyata(Director) and Robert Jefferson (Narrator) of the 2014 documentary film "Mount Hakkoda".
In 1902, 210 soldiers of the 5th Infantry Regiment of the Japanese Imperial Army set out on a 12 mile winter march around Hakkodasan to Tashiro Hot Spring. This is not an arduous mountain route. It should have been an easy approach to the hot spring at Tashiro. However, at a mere altitude of around 2,000 feet, the 5th regiment met with a disaster that claimed the lives of 199 men. The location of this disaster is only 35 miles from Misawa. What happened in Hakkodasan? What was the real cause of this disaster?
Getting to Know Japan Webinar Series (via Zoom)
15 December 2022 – 17:00 (Japan)Where do our plastic bento boxes go when we throw them out? How much of Japan’s recyclable waste is actually recycled? How is Japan responding to the growing threat of climate change? Dr. Masashi Yamamoto, an expert in Japan’s environmental policy and resource economics will answer this and more at our webinar. Dr. Yamamoto’s presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.
Registration for the Zoom session can be found here.
Getting to Know Japan Webinar Series (via Zoom)
20 December 2022 – 10:00 (Japan)Happy Holidays from YCAPS! In this webinar we’ll explore Christmas in Japan through a sociological lens. Why is Christmas so popular in Japan, a country that has traditionally kept foreign influence at arms length? Does Christmas’s popularity represent a larger-scale Westernization of Japan? Dr. Junko Kimura will share her research with us and explain how Japanese Christmas differs from American Christmas.
Registration for the Zoom session can be found here.
YCAPS Mongolia Connect Webinar Series (via Zoom)Date and time TBD*We apologize for the inconvenience, but due to some schedule conflicts, we have had to postpone this talk. We are currently verifying a new date and time for this event and will send out information with the new event time when we have confirmed them. Thank you for your continued support of YCAPS and we look forward to seeing you at the rescheduled date.*
2022 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and Mongolia. These two countries already enjoy a robust strategic partnership in the political, cultural, and economic spheres, and now the two governments announced 2022 as the “Year of Friendship and Exchanges between the Mongolian and Japanese Children and Youth.”
The commemoration of this significant anniversary stresses the two countries’ stable, reliable, and friendly relations. Ambassador Hiroyuki will share his experiences, insights, and perspectives on how the Japan-Mongolian relationship can flourish.
Have a look at our blog or Facebook events site to learn more about past YCAPS events.
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.
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/US-Japan Foundation Getting to Know Japan webinars offer introductory-level information about Japan's social and cultural landscape.
The YCAPS/Sasakawa Peace Foundation 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 Afloat
Supporting U.S. Navy Sailors at sea and their commands
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 or establishing a YCAPS Afloat chapter, please send us an email to get in touch.
Reference Materials
Organizing and Sharing Information
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. The YCAPS reading list is built on the suggestions of our members and participants.
Fellowships, 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.
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 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 collaborates with US-JF 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 collaborates with SPF to jointly deliver the Community Conversations Series.
YCAPS has an active partnership with the Japan-U.S. Military Program (JUMP) based on our common objectives and shared values. The most tangible manifestation of this partnership is the YCAPS-JUMP Seminar & Professional Development Program Series which provides opportunities for members of the U.S. military community in Yokosuka to develop professional networks with strategic thinkers from across Greater Tokyo and learn from world-class experts.
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.
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 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, in an educational online series called Community Conversation, that engendered trust and commitment.
The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP) 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 has collaborated with CGP to jointly deliver the online Getting to Know Japan Webinar Series.
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.
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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