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.
In the News
Biden turns to Asia
Christopher B. Johnstone in The Washington Post — April 11, 2024
Biden welcomes Prime Minister Kishida and praises Japan’s growing clout on the international stage
Christopher B. Johnstone in AP — April 10, 2024
Biden, Japan’s Kishida Push for Closer Ties to Counter China
Christopher B. Johnstone in The Wall Street Journal — April 10, 2024
U.S., Japan to announce military cooperation, joint NASA lunar mission
Christopher B. Johnstone in The Washington Post — April 8, 2024
Tokyo in talks with Manila over sending troops to the Philippines
Christopher B. Johnstone in Financial Times — April 3, 2024
Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida seeks summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un
Christopher B. Johnstone in The Financial Times — February 13, 2024
Running short on Ukraine air defenses, U.S. looks to Japan
Tom Karako and Christopher B. Johnstone in The Washington Post — December 19, 2023
Asia’s Aging Soldiers Force US Allies to Widen Recruitment Drive
Christopher B. Johnstone in Bloomberg — November 13, 2023
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Japan after Abe
Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Christopher B. Johnstone — July 22, 2022