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The U.S.-Japan Alliance and Taiwan

The United States-Japan Alliance and Taiwan in text over red and black background
October 4, 2022
12:45PM - 2:05PM
Townshend 255

Date Range
Add to Calendar 2022-10-04 12:45:00 2022-10-04 14:05:00 The U.S.-Japan Alliance and Taiwan The Institute for Japanese Studies and Mershon Center for International Security Studies present: "The U.S.-Japan Alliance and Taiwan" Adam Liff Indiana University Abstract: In April 2021, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and U.S. President Joe Biden made global headlines when they jointly “underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”—the first such reference in a summit-level statement since both governments switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in the 1970s. Amidst a rapidly changing regional balance of power and with the Biden administration asserting that U.S. allies would “take action” if Beijing seeks “to use force to disrupt the status quo,” this talk will examine the historical evolution of Japanese perspectives on the U.S.-Japan security alliance’s and the JSDF’s potential roles in a “Taiwan contingency.” Though Tokyo’s nuanced positions and policies are often neglected in the U.S.-centric academic literature and policy discourse, Japan is a critical front-line player. Its choices are today—and will inevitably remain—crucial variables affecting cross-strait deterrence, U.S. options, and how things may play out if deterrence fails. PDF Flyer: Adam Liff Adam Liff is associate professor of East Asian international relations at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies (EALC Department), where he also serves as founding director of its 21st Century Japan Politics & Society Initiative (21JPSI). His research focuses on international security affairs and the Asia-Pacific—especially Japanese security policy; U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy; the U.S.-Japan alliance; Taiwan; and the rise of China. Beyond IU, Dr. Liff is a Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Associate-in-Research at Harvard University’s Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies and Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Politics from Princeton University, and a B.A. from Stanford University.   REGISTER HERE    Free and Open to the Public  If you require an accommodation, such as live captioning, to participate in this event, please contact EASC at easc@osu.edu. Requests made at least two weeks in advance of the event will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the university will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.  This event is supported by a U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant to The Ohio State University East Asian Studies Center. Townshend 255 Mershon Center mershoncenter@osu.edu America/New_York public

The Institute for Japanese Studies and Mershon Center for International Security Studies present:

"The U.S.-Japan Alliance and Taiwan"

Adam Liff
Indiana University

Abstract: In April 2021, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and U.S. President Joe Biden made global headlines when they jointly “underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”—the first such reference in a summit-level statement since both governments switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in the 1970s. Amidst a rapidly changing regional balance of power and with the Biden administration asserting that U.S. allies would “take action” if Beijing seeks “to use force to disrupt the status quo,” this talk will examine the historical evolution of Japanese perspectives on the U.S.-Japan security alliance’s and the JSDF’s potential roles in a “Taiwan contingency.” Though Tokyo’s nuanced positions and policies are often neglected in the U.S.-centric academic literature and policy discourse, Japan is a critical front-line player. Its choices are today—and will inevitably remain—crucial variables affecting cross-strait deterrence, U.S. options, and how things may play out if deterrence fails.

PDF Flyer: Adam Liff


Adam Liff is associate professor of East Asian international relations at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies (EALC Department), where he also serves as founding director of its 21st Century Japan Politics & Society Initiative (21JPSI). His research focuses on international security affairs and the Asia-Pacific—especially Japanese security policy; U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy; the U.S.-Japan alliance; Taiwan; and the rise of China. Beyond IU, Dr. Liff is a Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Associate-in-Research at Harvard University’s Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies and Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Politics from Princeton University, and a B.A. from Stanford University.

 

REGISTER HERE 

 

Free and Open to the Public 

If you require an accommodation, such as live captioning, to participate in this event, please contact EASC at easc@osu.edu. Requests made at least two weeks in advance of the event will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the university will make every effort to meet requests made after this date. 

This event is supported by a U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant to The Ohio State University East Asian Studies Center.

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