Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was a historic watershed signifying the end of the “post-Cold War” era. With February 2024 marking the second anniversary of the start of the aggression, the war in Ukraine will continue to be the most destabilizing political and economic factor internationally. In addition, the intensification of the competition between the US and China and the Hamas-Israel conflict have ushered in an “era of turmoil”. Amid these circumstances, countries now face challenges in such areas as defense and national, energy, food and economic security, and are seeking ways to respond to these challenges.

The Strategic Annual Report 2023 looks back on the year 2023, a year in which frequent conflicts established the notion that a chaotic state in the international arena is somewhat normal. It also offers recommendations on how the world can find ways to rebuild international security and cooperation and discusses what role Japan is expected to play in this endeavor.