Skip to main content

JSIS 495A Robert Pekkanen – Nervous about a Nuclear Neighbor: Japan’s Policy on North Korea

Nervous about a Nuclear Neighbor: Japan's Policy on North Korea

Task Force 2022

Evaluator

Narushige Michishita

Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies

Faculty Adviser

Robert Pekkanen

Robert Pekkanen

Professor

Task Force

  • Huang, Siyi
  • Kim, Min Soo
  • Korn, Benjamin
  • Marzio, Chloe
  • Medina, Grace Mae
  • Pribe, Benjamin
  • Schubert, Treat
  • Sharma, Gauri
  • Shitaka, Yuka
  • Sosapavon Jaimes, Dominique
  • Swynenburg, Joshua
  • Tokuda, Kanon
  • Villalba Arevalo, Tania Karolina
  • Vorberg, Nils
  • Yang, Isabelle

One of the thorniest and potentially lethal issues in international relations facing Japan is what to do about North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK). This issue has bedeviled Japanese politicians and bureaucrats as they face the uncomfortable possibility of an unpredictable and adversarial neighbor (Tokyo and Pyongyang are about 800 miles apart) armed with nuclear weapons. The Japanese public also keenly feels the threat, exacerbated when the DPRK tests new armaments. The issue is also of great importance to South Korea (ROK) and also the United States (Japan’s sole military ally). What kind of policy should Japan adopt vis-à-vis North Korea? How should Japan coordinate with ROK and the US? Students on this Task Force will prepare a Report for the Japanese government or a prominent think tank or NGO in Japan or the US (students will choose).

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS TASK FORCE REPORT

Click here for more Task Force Reports