The U.S.-Japan Alliance's Amphibious Future

Professor Nozomu Yoshitomi retired from Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) on April 1st, 2015 after serving for more than thirty years. He served as a field artillery officer for ten years, as an intelligence analyst for ten years, and in teaching/research assignments for ten years. His last military assignment was a chief of Division for Strategy / Concept, JGSDF Research and Development Command. Other recent assignments were professor of the School of Defense Sciences at the National Defense Academy of Japan, Commander of the 1st Surface to Ship Missile Regiment, JGSDF and as a councilor of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office. He graduated from the National Defense Academy in 1983 with a major in international relations and completed Command and General Staff Course and Advanced General Staff Course at the JGSDF Staff College. He received a master’s degree in international security from the Graduate School of Takushoku University in 2006 and completed the doctoral program in the Graduate School of Takushoku University in 2012.

Professor Yoshitomi’s research covers a wide range of issues including Japan’s defense strategy, JGSDF’s posture, Japan’s civil-military / international collaboration in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR). His recent works include “The Role of the Ground Self-Defense Force in Maintaining Maritime Traffic Security: For Japan’s National Interest as a Global Maritime Nation” (Japan Association for International Security, The Journal of International Security, Vol. 43 No. 1, June 2015),“Japan’s Capacity Building for Vietnam: Cooperating with the United States for Maritime Security in the South China Sea” (Research Institute for Peace and Security, RIPS Policy Perspectives, No.22, February 2015), “Military-Military Cooperation on HA/DR in the Indo-Pacific Region: JSDF’s Perspective” (Center for Excellence in Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance, LIAISON, vol.6, 2014),.

Lieutenant General Wallace C. Gregson, Jr., retired from the Marines in 2005. He last served as the Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific; Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific; and Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Bases, Pacific, headquartered at Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. He previously served as Commander III Marine Expeditionary Force and Commander Marine Corps Bases Japan. Following retirement from the Marine Corps he joined the US Olympic Committee as Chief Operating Officer. In 2006 he formed his own consulting company. On 13 May 2009, following Senate confirmation he assumed responsibility as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, a post he held until 1 April 2011. He is now in business as President of WC Gregson & Associates.