Christopher B. Johnstone

Senior Adviser and Japan Chair
Christopher B. Johnstone

Christopher B. Johnstone is senior adviser and Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, Mr. Johnstone served in government for 25 years in a variety of senior positions with a focus on U.S. policy toward Japan and the Indo-Pacific. He served twice on the National Security Council, as director for East Asia under President Biden and director for Japan and Oceanian affairs under President Obama (2014–2016). In the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Mr. Johnstone led offices with responsibility for South and Southeast Asia (2017–2021) and East Asia (2016–2017); he was director for Northeast Asia from 2010 to 2014, where he had principal responsibility for developing strategy for the U.S.-Japan alliance. Mr. Johnstone began his career as an intelligence officer in the Central Intelligence Agency, where he worked on national security issues in Northeast Asia and served in an overseas field station. Mr. Johnstone has a master's in public affairs from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs and a bachelor of arts from Swarthmore College. He speaks fluent Japanese.

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Assessing the Future Trajectory of China-Japan Relations

Please join the Interpret: China project, the CSIS Japan Chair, and a panel of leading experts for a discussion of likely trajectories for China-Japan relations, drawing on insights from newly translated Chinese primary source documents.

Event by Jude Blanchette , Christopher B. Johnstone , Bonny Lin , and Rumi Aoyama — January 31, 2023

Photo: EUGENE HOSHIKO/AFP/Getty Images
The Impossible State

Japan's New National Defense Strategy: Implications for Korea

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Mr. Christopher B. Johnstone to discuss the implications of Japan’s new National Defense Strategy for the United States and Korea, the Biden-Kishida Summit, and ROK-Japan bilateral relations.

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha and Christopher B. Johnstone — January 20, 2023

CSIS The Impossible State North Korea

A Readout of the U.S.-Japan Leaders' Meeting

The CSIS Japan Chair hosted a readout of the recent Biden-Kishida meeting and a discussion highlighting key pillars for the U.S.-Japan alliance going forward.

Event by Christopher B. Johnstone , Kurt Campbell , and Koji Tomita — January 17, 2023

Photo by MANDEL NGAN/POOL/AFP/Getty Images
The Asia Chessboard

Japan Steps Up

Mike and Jude are joined by Christopher B. Johnstone to look at what Japan’s new national security strategy means for its role in the region and the U.S.-Japan alliance.

Podcast Episode by Michael J. Green , Jude Blanchette , and Christopher B. Johnstone — January 17, 2023

CSIS The Asia Chess Board

Indo-Pacific Forecast 2023

What is the outlook for U.S.-China relations? Which of the U.S. alliance networks in the Indo-Pacific is most promising? Will IPEF thrive? Join CSIS experts to explore these and other questions during our annual preview of political, security, and economic developments.

Event by Victor Cha , Emily Benson , Jude Blanchette , Charles Edel , Matthew P. Goodman , Christopher B. Johnstone , Scott Kennedy , Ellen Kim , and Bonny Lin , Lily McElwee , Erin L. Murphy , Yuko Nakano , Gregory B. Poling , William Alan Reinsch , Nicholas Szechenyi , Raymond Vickery , Kurt Campbell , Ambassador Taeyong Cho , Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez — January 12, 2023

Photo: Elnur/AdobeStock

The Capital Cable #62: Korea-Japan Relations in 2023

Please join the CSIS Korea Chair for an episode of "The Capital Cable" with Mr. Christopher B. Johnstone, senior adviser and Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Event by Victor Cha , Christopher B. Johnstone , and Sue Mi Terry — January 11, 2023

Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
The Truth of the Matter

Japan’s New Defense Strategy

CSIS’s Chris Johnstone joins the podcast to discuss Japan’s unprecedented policy changes on defense spending and strategy, and what it means for the United States and the Pacific.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Christopher B. Johnstone — December 16, 2022

CSIS the truth of the matter

Japan’s New Defense Strategy

CSIS’s Chris Johnstone joins the podcast to discuss Japan’s unprecedented policy changes on defense spending and strategy, and what it means for the United States and the Pacific.

Transcript by H. Andrew Schwartz and Christopher B. Johnstone — December 16, 2022

Japan’s Transformational National Security Strategy

Japan will soon unveil new national security and defense strategies that could ultimately transform its defense posture and the U.S.-Japan alliance. CSIS Japan Chair Chris Johnstone previews key priorities at this inflection point in Japan’s strategic trajectory.

Commentary by Christopher B. Johnstone — December 8, 2022

Photo by: STR/JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images