Dr. Toshihiro Nakayama (USJLP 2009-10). Via/Keio University.

The United States-Japan Foundation is deeply saddened by the recent news of the untimely passing of Dr. Toshihiro Nakayama on May 1, 2022. Toshihiro was a prominent scholar on US-Japan relations, appreciated by millions of Japanese for his always insightful views on American politics and culture, and a Fellow of the US-Japan Leadership Program’s Class of 2009-10.

Toshihiro was a faculty member of Keio University’s Graduate School of Media and Governance, but his expertise was offered widely. His intelligence, experience and wisdom were indispensable resources to successive government administrations, to academia and to the public. As a USJLP Fellow, he was always accessible and generous with his time, consistently offering thought-leadership and provocative observations to numerous US-Japan Leadership Program in-network discussions.

In this particularly troubling time for the world, just when his words would offer balanced and well-informed perspective, his untimely loss is widely felt. He will be greatly missed by Foundation staff, trustees, his USJLP colleagues and friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know and learn from him.