Yuko Nakano

Fellow, Japan Chair, and Associate Director, U.S.-Japan Strategic Leadership Program
Yuko Nakano

Yuko Nakano is a fellow of Japan Chair and associate director of the U.S.-Japan Strategic Leadership Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Her research focuses on U.S.-Japan relations and legislative affairs. Until the fall of 2005, she worked in the CSIS Office of the Director of Studies, where she assisted the senior vice president and director of studies with projects on Asian security and launched the U.S.-Japan Strategic Leadership Program which brings together outside experts with Japanese Diet members for closed strategic discussions on current issues facing the U.S.-Japan alliance. Prior to joining CSIS, she was an adjunct associate producer with NHK Japan Broadcasting Corporation’s Washington, D.C. bureau. She also worked with a nongovernmental organization in Macedonia and Kosovo during the summer of 1999, where she was responsible for peacebuilding projects as a regional community service coordinator. She holds a B.A. in law from Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, and an M.A. in international relations and international economics, with a concentration in strategic studies, from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

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A Snapshot of Japan’s 2023 Political Landscape

Prime Minister Kishida’s diplomatic engagements continue as he prepares to host the G7 Summit next month, but he also has several challenges to address at home. Here are three key developments that will shape Japan's political climate in the coming months.

Commentary by Yuko Nakano — April 17, 2023

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

The Biden-Kishida Summit Meeting

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan will make his first visit to Washington for a summit meeting with President Biden on January 13. The CSIS Japan Chair and Economics Program outline the key issues shaping a dynamic agenda for U.S.-Japan relations.

Critical Questions by Nicholas Szechenyi , Yuko Nakano , and Matthew P. Goodman — January 10, 2023

Japan’s Upper House Election: Kishida Clears Another Hurdle

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) scored a major victory in the Upper House election on July 10. The CSIS Japan Chair examines the results and implications for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s domestic and foreign policy agenda.

Critical Questions by Christopher B. Johnstone , Nicholas Szechenyi , and Yuko Nakano — July 11, 2022

The Assassination of Shinzo Abe

Former prime minister Shinzo Abe, one of Japan’s most prominent political leaders, was fatally shot on July 8. The CSIS Japan Chair analyzes his legacy as a transformational leader who restored Japan’s confidence and left a lasting blueprint for foreign policy strategy.

Critical Questions by Christopher B. Johnstone , Nicholas Szechenyi , and Yuko Nakano — July 8, 2022

Asia Forecast 2022

Please join us for the CSIS Asia Program's Asia Forecast 2022, our annual preview of political, security, and economic developments across Asia.

Event by Michael J. Green , Victor Cha , and Charles Edel , Yuko Nakano , Richard M. Rossow , Jude Blanchette , Bonny Lin , Gregory B. Poling , Nicholas Szechenyi , Matthew P. Goodman , Scott Kennedy , William Alan Reinsch , Stephanie Segal — January 27, 2022

RESOLVED: The Lower House Election Is a Warning Sign for the LDP

In the 25th issue of Debating Japan, the CSIS Japan Chair invited Daniel M. Smith, professor at Columbia University, and Yuko Nakano, a fellow with the Japan Chair at CSIS, to analyze the Lower House election results and the prospects for the LDP going forward.

Newsletter by Yuko Nakano — November 29, 2021

Japan’s Lower House Election: Kishida Gets a Mandate for Now

Japan's ruling coalition led by the Liberal Democratic Party retained a majority in the Lower House election. The CSIS Japan Chair analyzes the results and the challenges facing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in the coming months.

Critical Questions by Michael J. Green , Nicholas Szechenyi , and Yuko Nakano — November 1, 2021

Japan’s Ruling Party Elects a New Leader

Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party elected Fumio Kishida as its new leader and presumptive prime minister ahead of a general election later this fall. The CSIS Japan Chair outlines his policy platform, the political calendar, and the implications for U.S.-Japan relations.

Critical Questions by Michael J. Green , Nicholas Szechenyi , and Yuko Nakano — September 29, 2021