Japan’s Democracy in an Era of Transition
VIEW EVENT DETAILSAsia Society Policy Salon Tokyo

Register Today!
Japanese politics stands at a crossroad. At home, the LDP’s election loss last year has not just forced an end to more than a decade of stable majority rule; it has also forced unprecedented inner party polarization that, in turn, has emboldened the opposition parties. Globally, President Trump is poised to challenge many of the long-established conventions that governed the Japan-US alliance, be that on economic policy or on security policy.
How serious is the threat to Japan’s political stability? Does Prime Minister Ishiba have what it takes to re-gain popular support and retain control of the upper house in this summer’s elections? Does he have what it takes to win the trust of the new U.S. administration?
Asia Society Japan is proud to have Tobias Harris present his insights and analysis of Japan’s political and policy outlook. Tobias is a highly respected expert on Japanese politics in general, the twists and turns of the LDP in particular. He is the authorized biographer of the late PM Abe and has recently founded his own politics and policy advisory firm.
Event and Registration Details
March 4, 2025, 8:00 – 9:15 a.m. (JST)
- This event will be conducted in-person and online, and registration is required.
- In-person participation is for members and guests only. Please pay your fee by credit card (Visa or Mastercard only) or at the door.
- Online participation is open to the public and is free.
Speaker Bio
Tobias S. Harris
Principal, Japan Foresight LLC
Tobias S. Harris is the founder and principal of Japan Foresight LLC, a Japan-focused political risk advisory firm. A leading expert of Japanese politics who is widely quoted in leading world publications and a regular guest on television and radio programs, he is the author of The Iconoclast: Shinzō Abe and the New Japan.
After working on the staff of a Japanese legislator in 2006-2007, Tobias ran the popular blog “Observing Japan” and conducted graduate research at MIT and the University of Tokyo. From 2013 to 2021 he was the Japan analyst at Teneo Intelligence. He was also the Economy, Trade, and Business Fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, a Washington, DC-based think tank focused on U.S.-Japan relations, from 2014 to 2020. Tobias was Senior Fellow for Asia at the Center for American Progress from in 2021 and 2022 and Deputy Managing Director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States from 2022 through 2024.
Event Details
(In-person: Members & guests only / Online: Open to the public)
International House of Japan B1