Happy new year!

Asia Pacific Initiative (API) began a new chapter in its history in July last year by merging with the International House of Japan (IHJ). We aspire to develop ourselves as a leading think tank in the Asia-Pacific region along with the IHJ that plays a historical role as a gathering place for intellectual and cultural leaders from around the world.

Amid the increasingly fluid international order, the importance of policy research will only increase. The more divided the international community becomes, the more important it is to connect through intellectual dialogue and cultural exchange. In this context, API will work on global and Japanese policy issues, deepen its policy research, and make policy proposals proactively.

Last year, we established the Institute of Geoeconomics as a program of API, focusing on “geoeconomics,” the fusion of geopolitics and economics. It aims to conduct research and study in the areas of economic security, China, the US and Europe, the international security order, and cyber security, as well as to form a high-level community between policymakers in the economic security field and companies that operate globally.

In Japan, three strategic documents were formulated in December 2022 with the National Security Strategy of Japan at the core. Japan’s security and defense policy has entered a new phase. API published commentaries by our researchers in the “【Special Features】 Analyzing the 2022 Japanese Strategic Documents”, and will continue to deepen its strategic research.

The IHJ’s mission is to “Contribute to building a free, open, and sustainable future through intellectual dialogue, policy research, and cultural exchange with a diverse world”. API, which promotes the think tank realm at the IHJ, will pioneer a new era by joining forces of our in-house researchers, visiting researchers, and senior fellows, with the support of domestic and international political, governmental, and business leaders.

Ken Jimbo
Managing Director, International House of Japan
President, Asia Pacific Initiative