The Asia Pacific Initiative (API) has selected Wakana Asano as the first API Takano Fellow. Through this fellowship, API aims to nurture the next generation of think tank professionals who will contribute to global policy-making.
The API Takano Fellowship, supported by Mr. Makoto Takano (Chairman of Linkties Holdings and Founder of Forbes JAPAN), is designed to cultivate globally active next-generation leaders who will lead Japan’s future foreign and security policy. This fellowship provides an opportunity for Japanese fellows to be dispatched to the International Institute for Strategic Studies – Asia (IISS-Asia) in Singapore, where they will engage in research on topics such as the Indo-Pacific, Southeast Asia, emerging technologies, and cybersecurity. IISS-Asia is the Singapore branch of the independent London-based think tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), widely known for hosting the “Shangri-La Dialogue.”
As the first API Takano Fellow, Asano will work as a staff member at IISS-Asia for two years starting in May 2025 (with the first month spent training at API/IOG). She will be involved in research activities as well as the preparation and management of the Shangri-La Dialogue. API looks forward to Asano’s contributions and is committed to furthering Japan’s foreign and security policy through the API Takano Fellowship.
<Profile of Wakana Asano>
Wakana Asano holds a Master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service as a Fulbright Scholar. After working at IBM as a consultant for data strategy in both public and private sectors domestically and internationally, she pursued studies in science and technology policy analysis and formulation at Georgetown University’s graduate school. She has also worked as a research assistant at Georgetown University’s Business School and as an intern at the Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia program in the U.S., conducting quantitative analysis on the economic impact of international cooperation and development aid as part of diplomatic and security strategies. Her expertise includes science and technology policy, development economics, and Global South cooperation.