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An essay written by Dr. Koji Murata, Professor and former President of Doshisha University, titled “The End of the ‘Japan Hands’ Era–or a Rebirth?”, appears in the August 2025 issue of Chuo Koron, one of Japan’s most respected public affairs magazines. Murata is a Fellow of the U.S.-Japan Leadership Program (2000), which brings young leaders from both the U.S. and Japan, a transnational network that has grown to more than 550 members.
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In the piece, Dr. Murata reflects on the tradition of personal diplomacy and intellectual bridge-building that has long sustained the U.S.-Japan alliance. He traces the legacy of American and Japanese figures who have nurtured mutual understanding across turbulent decades and poses an urgent question for the present: What must be done to renew these human ties for the next generation?
“This is my eulogy for Ambassadors Richard Armitage, Mike Armacost, and Professors Joseph Nye and James Auer,” he writes, honoring the lasting contributions of those most influential inside and outside of government in recognizing and defining the shape and role of the U.S.-Japan relationship from the 1970s to today.
At a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics and generational change, Dr. Murata’s essay underscores the importance of continuing to invest in people-to-people connections between Japan and the United States. A perfect example of this sort of connection is the USJLP network, which Murata calls "Japan Hands 2.0 with diverse backgrounds.”
Dr. Murata’s full article is available in the August 2025 issue of Chuo Koron. For more information about USJF programs that foster U.S.-Japan dialogue and leadership, please visit www.us-jf.org.
