This bipartisan educational certificate program aims to equip congressional staffers with the information and analyses necessary to appreciate the role of Japan and the US-Japan alliance in US foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific, now and in the future. By also focusing on crucial forward-looking issues in US-Japan relations, CPUSJ is designed to provide staffers with a more comprehensive understanding of this relationship and its role in the region.

Key Program Elements:

• A semester-long certificate program consisting of a series of seven, 60-minute interactive discussions, held weekly online across February and March 2022. Certificates of Completion are awarded to participants who attend at least four of the seven planned sessions.
• Each session features a single theme/topic, and includes speakers from government agencies, think tanks, universities, and other policy institutions.
• Session topics cover issues with implications for congressional consideration and action, including: The US-Japan Alliance as the Cornerstone of Indo-Pacific Peace, Security, and Stability; US-Japan Technological Partnership and Competition; Economic Challenges & Areas of Cooperation; US-Japan Frontier Defense and Technology Cooperation; Vaccine Diplomacy; US-Japan Engagement with ASEAN; as well as Great Power Competition.

Eligibility Information for Applicants:

• Applicants must be current congressional staff, employed by either a member of congress or congressional committee responsible for Japan-related issues, and can come from either chamber or party. Previous Indo-Pacific experience is preferred.
• Applicants, if selected, must be prepared to have their cameras on and to participate actively in discussions.

This bipartisan educational certificate program aims to equip congressional staffers with the information and analyses necessary to appreciate the role of Japan and the US-Japan alliance in US foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific, now and in the future. By also focusing on crucial forward-looking issues in US-Japan relations, CPUSJ is designed to provide staffers with a more comprehensive understanding of this relationship and its role in the region.

Key Program Elements:

• A semester-long certificate program consisting of a series of seven, 60-minute interactive discussions, held weekly online across February and March 2022. Certificates of Completion are awarded to participants who attend at least four of the seven planned sessions.
• Each session features a single theme/topic, and includes speakers from government agencies, think tanks, universities, and other policy institutions.
• Session topics cover issues with implications for congressional consideration and action, including: The US-Japan Alliance as the Cornerstone of Indo-Pacific Peace, Security, and Stability; US-Japan Technological Partnership and Competition; Economic Challenges & Areas of Cooperation; US-Japan Frontier Defense and Technology Cooperation; Vaccine Diplomacy; US-Japan Engagement with ASEAN; as well as Great Power Competition.

Eligibility Information for Applicants:

• Applicants must be current congressional staff, employed by either a member of congress or congressional committee responsible for Japan-related issues, and can come from either chamber or party. Previous Indo-Pacific experience is preferred.
• Applicants, if selected, must be prepared to have their cameras on and to participate actively in discussions.