Roundtable Discussion with German Foreign and Security Policy Experts

On September 28, 2026, JIIA hosted a roundtable discussion with German experts on foreign and security policy, facilitated by the Tokyo Office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS).

The discussion covered differing approaches to China within the U.S. administration, including the divide between “prioritizers” centered around the Department of Defense and the MAGA-aligned “restrainers”—as well as President Trump’s tendency to make decisions independently of either camp. Participants also exchanged views on the growing perception of China in Germany as an economic competitor, Sino-Russian efforts to wage a “war over history” surrounding the enemy state clauses in the UN Charter, and the increasing sophistication of AI-enabled information warfare.

The discussion also addressed Germany’s plans for a new voluntary military service model and efforts to expand the size of the Bundeswehr, as well as prospects for Japan-Germany defense cooperation in areas including space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and submarine technology. On nuclear deterrence in Europe, participants discussed the role and limitations of the British and French nuclear arsenals and the importance of maintaining U.S. extended deterrence.

Participants

General (Ret.) Erhard Bühler - Former Commander, NATO Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum
Dr. Alexandra Sakaki - Deputy Head, Asia Research Division, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)
Mr. Alexander Maus - Armaments Attaché, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Japan
Mr. Paul Linnarz - Country Representative Japan, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)

Mr. Shutaro Omura - Deputy Chief Executive Director, JIIA
Mr. Ryota Okamoto - Center for Territory and History, JIIA
Mr. Hironobu Takezawa - Center for Territory and History, JIIA
Ms. Jarukin Ranna - Research Fellow for China, JIIA
Mr. Philipp Buschmann - Research Fellow for the Americas, JIIA