Outlook for Diplomacy in 2026—Japan’s Course in an Unstable Global Order (Dr. Ryo Sahashi, Professor, Department of Pan Asian Studies, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, the University of Tokyo)

With the US midterm elections coming up in 2026, there is a possibility the Trump administration will swing even further towards an “America First” foreign policy, and there are concerns about postwar instability with the extended war in Ukraine and tension in the Middle East. Domestic factors are also growing more important in the US-China relationship which is important to Japan, and with continued pressure from China and tensions over the Taiwan issue with the shift towards economic security and competition for AI/cyber supremacy heating up, the future of stability in Asia has grown unclear. In this situation, there are calls for Japan to take a more active role in ensuring regional stability and maintaining the global order with its foreign policy.

The FPCJ has invited Dr. Ryo Sahashi, a professor with the University of Tokyo Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, to discuss Japanese diplomacy in 2026 amid an unstable global order, discussing the global situation in 2026 and the challenges and outlook for Japanese foreign policy.


Please note that you cannot physically attend this briefing, as it will be a Zoom webinar.

Embassy representatives and FPCJ supporting members may also participate in the briefing as observers (admission free).

As in our standard press briefings, there will be a Q&A session at the end.
*In principle, questions will only be accepted from members of the foreign press.

Please send any questions for the briefer or topics you are interested in to cp@fpcjpn.or.jp by 12:00 on Thursday, January 8.
As there will only be a limited amount of time to ask questions during the briefing, we will collect questions and provide them to the briefer in advance.

■How to Apply: Please refer to the email we sent.
*We will not be accepting applications by email.