On July 15, 2025, the Asia Pacific Initiative (API) hosted a roundtable, welcoming Dr. Tom Phuong Le from Pomona College in the United States.

This event was held to commemorate the publication of the Japanese translation of Dr. Le’s book Japan’s Aging Peace: Pacifism and Militarism in the Twenty-First Century, titled 日本ー老いと成熟の平和 (Misuzu Shobo). In the roundtable Dr. Le presented the key arguments of his book, followed by a lively exchange of views with API experts.

The discussion covered a wide range of topics, focusing on Japanese pacifism and defense capabilities from the perspective of constructivism in international relations theory. It also explored the realities of peace education in Japan, the impact of demographic aging and population decline on Japan’s security and defense strategy, and the balance between defense spending and social welfare expenditures.