Japan as a Maritime Great Power and the China Challenge

In his new book Leaning Seaward, Geoffrey Gresh argues that Japan is one of the world’s most significant maritime great powers, an important counterweight economically, technologically, diplomatically, and militarily to the United States and China. A major driver of Japan’s expanding maritime orientation over the past two decades has been the growing influence of China across the domain. This has created challenges not only for Japan’s maritime security in the form of gray zone conflict, but also for commercial activities such as shipbuilding, where the United States has also recently launched initiatives to attempt to reclaim its own maritime dominance from China. Join the CSIS Japan Chair program for a conversation with Kristi Govella, Geoffrey Gresh, and Brian Hart about Japan’s evolution as a maritime power, the challenges it faces from China, and the potential for U.S.-Japan cooperation.

This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.