The U.S.-Japan Alliance and Taiwan

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Tensions in East Asia are rising. Military activity around Taiwan has intensified, U.S.-China relations remain strained, and regional actors are reassessing their strategic positions. But one key player is often overlooked in public debate: Japan.

What role would Japan play in a potential Taiwan contingency? How does Tokyo view its alliance with the United States in light of growing regional instability? And how might Japan’s policy choices shape deterrence—and possible conflict—in the Taiwan Strait?

In this upcoming CKN Knowledge Session, Prof. Adam P. Liff examines the evolving role of the U.S.-Japan alliance in the context of Taiwan. He will explore how Japanese policymakers interpret current security challenges, and why Japan’s decisions are critical for understanding future developments in the region. His presentation will be followed by a response from Mina Pollmann (University of Amsterdam, Leiden Asia Centre).

Recent events—including Chinese military exercises around Taiwan and diplomatic tensions with Japan—underscore the urgency of these questions. This session offers a timely and nuanced perspective on alliance politics, regional security, and the risks of escalation.

Preliminary Agenda

15:15 – 15:30 | Doors open

15:30 – 15:35 | Opening

15:35 – 16:05 | Presentation Prof. Adam Liff

16:05 – 17:00 | Q&A

17:00 – 17:45 | Networking drinks

About the speaker(s)

Adam Liff

Dr. Adam P. Liff is Professor of East Asian International Relations at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, where he also serves as Founding Director of its 21st Century Japan Politics and Society Initiative (“21JPSI”). Beyond IU, he is a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Center for Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, as well as a Faculty Associate and Associate-in-Research at Harvard University’s Program on U.S.-Japan Relations and Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, respectively. He is also the former Visiting Chair in Modern and Contemporary Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Dr. Liff’s research examines contemporary foreign policy and security challenges in East Asia—with a particular focus on Japanese politics, foreign policy, and the U.S.-Japan alliance; U.S. allies and Taiwan, Japan-U.S.-China relations; and U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Politics from Princeton University, a postgraduate research certificate in international politics from the University of Tokyo, and a B.A. with honors and with distinction from Stanford University. A dedicated educator, he has received multiple commendations for his teaching, including IU’s Trustees Teaching Award in 2024. His personal research website is https://adampliff.com/.

Mina Pollmann

Mina Pollmann is a lecturer in international security and foreign policy at the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She is also affiliated with the Leiden Asia Centre and the Centre for Security, Diplomacy, and Strategy. Her research focuses on alliance politics, with particular expertise in Japan’s security and diplomacy, the U.S.–Japan alliance, and Indo-Pacific security. She examines how alliances are formed, maintained, and adapted in changing geopolitical contexts. Pollmann regularly contributes analysis to policy and public audiences, including writing for The Diplomat and participating in international policy dialogues. She has previously worked with the U.S. Department of State and the RAND Corporation, and has experience in journalism as a news producer in Washington, DC. She holds a PhD in Political Science from MIT, where her research examined the political origins of alliances, and a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.